JFC Final Focus: Long famine about to end for Dunsany or Castletown

IT would be fair to assume that whoever emerges victorious in this Saturday's eagerly awaited JFC final will celebrate with a little more gusto than the norm and for good reason.

A long overdue championship title awaits both Dunsany and Castletown and the pity about it is that one of the teams will yet again endure the bitter taste of defeat.

Take Dunsany's case, they have been banging at the door for so long now that it is in danger of being knocked off its hinges. They lost the 1972 junior decider to Ballinabrackey and on the back of that final appearance were promoted to intermediate ranks. A quarter final spot in 1979 was their most noteworthy before they lost their intermediate status a few years later and since then, particularly in latter years, it has been a case of heartbreak and near misses.

They lost the junior final to Nobber in 2002, were finalists again in 2004 and this time they went down to Ratoath. Then in 2009 Longwood got the better of them and their next appearance in the final didn't arrive until 2015.

This time they were edged out by Curraha by the minimum, 2-11 to 2-12. They sought to make amends for that loss by making a return to the decider the following year. Defeat was again their lot however as neighbours Bective emerged winners 0-15 to 0-12.

A final appearance would have been enough for them to return to intermediate ranks in 2019 but there was further disappointment, beaten after extra-time in a last four clash and it was both finalists Clann na nGael and Moylagh who got promoted.

The long wait for that coveted junior crown seemed set to end 12 months ago when Dunsany made it back to yet another final with St Vincent's, who were beaten in the final the previous year, providing the opposition.

No Dunsany man, woman or child will need reminding how that one panned out, a miserable day on all fronts with the Ardcath men winning on a 1-4 to 0-6 scoreline.

Dunsany had produced their best display of the year when running up a big tally in the semi-final win over Carnaross but again their final hoodoo came to the surface and they failed to produce anything close to their best form as they suffered a disappointing defeat. Dunsany's sole championship success at adult level was a Junior D title in 2011.

Unlike Dunsany, Castletown haven't been as near prolific at being involved in finals and one has to go back as far as 1976 for their last championship success at adult level. The north Meath outfit were a major force in the intermediate grade in the 1970s and they eventually made the breakthrough in 1976 with a final victory over neighbours Kilmainhamwood.

Since then they have operated mainly at intermediate level reaching finals in 1995 and 2007, losing to Simonstown Gaels and Donaghmore/Ashbourne respectively. They reached the semi-final in 2019 and lost to eventual winners Nobber following extra-time. They might have thought that 2020 was going to be their year but instead it turned out to be an annus horribilis as they dropped to junior ranks following a relegation final defeat to St Patrick's.

They failed to make it to the knockout stages in their first year in junior but an infusion of youth to their ranks has made them a different animal this year.

They captured a league crown earlier in the year and go into Saturday's final unbeaten throughout the campaign. Their only slip up was the draw in the group stages against Kilbride when they had already made it to the knockout stages.

Castletown will probably start as favourites as many of their panel have plenty of experience at the higher level while the manner of their impressive semi-final win over Syddan suggests that they are a team bang on form.

Johnny and Damien Ginnitty, Shane, Evan Hoey, Darren Finney, Gerard Farrelly Kevin Ross and Declan Cribbin have a wealth of experience while Killian Price, Rian McConnell, Killian Smyth and Adam Matthews provide the youth to what is a very well balance and adaptable outfit.

Dunsany, who lost two games in the group stages, to Syddan and Ballinlough, overcame Moylagh in the quarter final before blitzing a fancied Ballinlough in a last four tie, 2-22 to 0-7.

In the past Dunsany has been too reliant on talisman Pierre Fox but on the evidence of their semi-final win they now have plenty of others capable of contributing to their tally.

County player Eoin Harkin is a crucial player for Dunsany as are Cathal Murphy, Declan Smyth, Rian Kealy, David Doyle and of course Fox.

It is a difficult enough one to predict. Can Dunsany suffer another final defeat or will they eventually put all that heartbreak behind them for once and for all?

They will be under enormous pressure to get over the line and few will begrudge them the title if they win it.

Castletown though have been going so well this year that it is difficult to oppose them and they get the vote to lift the Peter McDermott Cup.