Dunboyne win minor title

Dunboyne won the MFL Div 1 title at Bective this evening with a merited 3-7 to 2-5 victory over Summerhill following a tough and hard-hitting encounter. Dunboyne’s Calvin McMahon picked up a second yellow card a minute from time, but at stage his departure had no impact on the outcome.

During the presentation ceremony Fé 18 chairman John Kavanagh congratulated Dunboyne on their victory.

“You have won this title back, you won it in 2012 and you were worthy winners this evening, but Summerhill made you work hard for victory,” he commented.

The Co Board official was correct. Summerhill were the dominant team in the opening half and were ahead by 2-1 to 0-5 at the interval, bit they were lucky in one sense to take that advantage to the dressing room.

Conor Frayne scored both goals, one in the seventh minute and the second in stoppage time with the only point arriving from Ronan Ryan’s 24th minute free.

Dunboyne tallied six wides, missed a penalty, it was well saved by Shane Kavanagh, and they also squandered a number of other goal chances. Conor Keeley was the target man for high balls from county minor Ronan Jones and it was a productive tactic for Andy McEntee’s side.

Keeley scored three points with David McEntee and Jones ('45’) also on the mark.

Dunboyne dictated the third-quarter and Keeley chipped a cheeky goal seven minutes after the resumption after Eoghan Crowe had pointed for Summerhill.

That left the scores tied at 1-5 to 2-2 until Conor Finn pointed Dunboyne into the lead.

Summerhill struggled to cope when Dunboyne ran at them and from one such attack McEntee hit the woodwork, but Finn pounced on the loose ball and finished to the net. Keeley added another point and Summerhill were in trouble.

However, any team that has Mick Lyons as a manager will not fold and three pointed frees from Conor Lyons in a blistering five-minute spell had Dunboyne on the rack.

Dunboyne found a response - Jones won a high ball at midfield and centred, Keeley got a vital touch for his second goal and the outcome was decided.

Wides also proved costly for Summerhill in that second-half as they equalled Dunboyne’s six in the opening half.

Dunboyne - David Fitzgerald; Daire Boylan, Shane Weston, Jack delaney; Mark daly, Jordan McLoughlin, Eoghan Ryan; Calvin McMahon, Ronan Jones (0-1 '45’); John Finlay, Shane Comiskey, Dean Quinn; Conor Keeley (2-4), David McEntee (0-1), Conor Finn (1-1). Subs - Craig Doyle for Finn 50 mins, Ronan Fitzmaurice for Delaney 58m.

Summerhill - Shane Kavanagh; David Myles, Jack Quinn, Jack Payne; Sean Ryan, Eamonn McDonnell, Jack Davies; Ross Ryan, Eoghan Crowe (0-1); Joseph Fox, Conor Lyons (0-3 frees), Kyle Benson; Cathal Ryan, Ronan Ryan (0-1 free), Conor Frayne (2-0). Subs - Mark Donoghue for Benson 20 mins, Conor McNally for Fox 45m, Jack Cummins for Crowe 53m, Cian Devlin for Quinn 57m.

Referee - Colm McManus (Gaeil Colmcille|)

See next week's Meath Chronicle for photos, report and reaction from Dunboyne manager Andy McEntee