Champions dethroned by challengers from Louth

St Patrick's CS, Navan surrendered their Leinster Colleges' SFC title at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday when they were edged out in somewhat controversial circumstances by Dundalk Colleges in a repeat of the 2002 decider. The controversy was provided by Dublin referee Gary McCormack who awarded a harsh penalty against St Pat's wing-back Ruairi O Coileáin with 10 minutes remaining at a time when the defending champions were in the ascendancy and trailed by the minimum, 0-10 to 1-8. O Coileain appeared to have made a legitimate tackle on Dundalk's Shane Thornton as he dispossessed the Cooley Kickhams player, but the referee wasn't convinced and pointed to spot. He also brandished a yellow card. "I think it was fairly obvious to everyone in the ground, except the referee, that it was a brilliant tackle," was the reaction of St Pat's mentor Colm O'Rourke when questioned about the incident in a post-match interview. The referee's decision had an unsettling impact on St Pat's and two other players were also cautioned after Dundalk midfielder Patrick Reilly had despatched the spot kick to the net for what turned out to be his side's last score. Fiachre McEntee and Gary Power were also cautioned and the loss of composure did nothing to help the recovery process in the final 10 minutes. A further nine minutes elapsed before St Pat's managed a brace of Cathal Smith points (one free). They subsequently laid siege to the Dundalk square in a frantic spell of injury-time during which they forced a couple of '45s' and were denied a goal by some heroic defending by the Louth boys. The closing stages were in stark contrast to an almost pedestrian opening during which St Pat's needed 15 minutes to get off the mark and then managed two points in 60 seconds. It took them the remainder of the half to add another three points as they went in adrift by the minimum at the break (0-5 to 0-6). Smith and Alan Forde claimed the opening points for the Navan boys as they played second fiddle to a more potent looking Dundalk team in that opening half. However, looks were deceptive and for all their possession, the Louth boys, comprised of players from four schools, made hard work of claiming those points from Sharkey and Ciaran Byrne (two each), Cian Doyle and Reilly. Dundalk were also well ahead in terms of frees conceded as they were penalised 16 times in the opening half, mainly for jersey pulling. Dublin referee McCormack couldn't take that anymore and eventually yellow-carded Robbie Williams for such an offence five minutes before the interval. That gave Forde an opportunity for the first of his three points from frees before the break. St Pat's could have been ahead by that stage if either Forde or Ciaran Fitzsimons had finished to the net in the 27th minute, but a combination of determined defending by Dundalk goalkeeper Darren Breen and midfielder Reilly averted the danger. St Pat's were on terms three minutes into the second-half when Forde sent over from play and they forged ahead soon after through substitute Conor Sheridan who split the posts with this first touch. Paddy Kennelly added another point Dundalk were under pressure at this stage and showed plenty of character as they produced a swift counter-attack which involved Ciaran Byrne and Conall McKeever and finished with Shane Thornton testing the quality of the net. That was the score Dundalk needed and wing-back John Thornton traded points with Forde as Dundalk forged ahead by 1-7 to 0-9 by the end of the third-quarter. Byrne for Dundalk and St Pat's substitute Dylan Regan exchanged points as the outcome hung in the balance with 10 minutes remaining, but that penalty tipped the scales in the direction of the Wee County. Dundalk Schools - D Breen; K Lenehan, D Smith, R Williams; J Thornton (0-1), D McMahon, S McAuley; P Reilly (1-1), J Stewart; K Hearty, A Sharkey (0-2 one free), C Doyle (0-1); C Byrne (0-3), Conor Ryan (Skryne), C McKeever. Subs - S Thornton (1-0) for Ryan 21 mins, C McMenamin for Williams half-time, Ryan for Hearty 41m, R Quigley for Sharkey 59m, A Murray for Reilly 60m. St Patrick's CS, Navan - Robert Burlingham (Simonstown Gaels); Niall Coughlan (Simonstown Gaels), Oran Fitzpatrick (Clann na nGael), Evan Murtagh (Navan O'Mahonys); Ruairi O Coileain (Dunsany), Fiachra McEntee (Nobber), Conal Shaw (Wolfe Tones); Barry Dardis (Summerhill), Fiachra Ward (Wolfe Tones); Colin McGrane (Walterstown), Alan Forde (Navan O'Mahonys 0-3), Paddy Kennelly (Dunderry 0-1); Nicky O'Brien (Simonstown Gaels), Cathal Smith (Navan O'Mahonys 0-6 five frees), Ciaran Fitzsimons (Clann na nGael). Subs - Conor Sheridan (Simonstown Gaels 0-1) for McGrane 34 mins, Gary Power (Navan O'Mahonys) for Coughlan 40m, Dylan Regan (Navan O'Mahonys 0-1) for O'Brien 46m, Simon Carty (Dunderry) for Kennelly 52m. Referee - Gary McCormack (Dublin).