Na Fianna Claim the 2025 Minor A Football Title

NA FIANNA 1-11 

ST SYLVESTER’S 1-6

Na Fianna delivered a dominant second-half performance as they defeated a battling St Sylvester’s by five points in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Minor ‘A’ Football Championship final at the Clann Mhuire grounds in Naul on Sunday morning. 

The teams arrived at the decider in excellent form with Syls showing their fighting spirit when beating Lucan Sarsfields after extra-time while Na Fianna got the better of KilmacudCrokes by five points. 

It was the Malahide outfit that seized the early initiative with a 10th minute goal from Aaron McGlynn helping build a healthy 1-5 to 0-2 advantage by half-time, albeit having played with the wind in the opening half. 

Na Fianna’s comeback ambitions were boosted by a goal from Cathal Hickey in the opening minute of the second-half and they restricted their opponents to a solitary free after the break as they pulled away by the final whistle. 

It was McGlynn that opened the scoring in the 4th minute and he found the net six minutes later following excellent approach play from Adam Leonard. 

St Sylvester’s continued to impress with full-back Darragh Flynn in fine form while Jack O’Keeffe was equally influential when redeployed to centre-back from his customary position on the wing. 

Points followed by the end of the first quarter through Ciaran Clifford and Ger Jackson and the Syls lead grew to eight points by the 23rd minute following O’Keeffe’s two-pointed free. 

Crucially, Na Fianna finished the half in an encouraging manner courtesy of points by Tadhg Murnane and Charlie Callaghan with a wasteful Syls denied a goal in added time as Matthew Aslett was punished for a square-ball infringement as he flicked home to the net. 

Hickey’s goal from Callaghan’s superb diagonal pass handed Na Fianna a dream start to the second-half with a 37th minute point from Caoileann O’Connell reducing their deficit to two points. 

While Evan Roche converted a free for Syls three minutes later, it proved their final score of the contest as their lead was eroded by the end of the third quarter following a Hickey point and a Conor Foley two-pointer. 

With Finn Costello impressing at full-back, Na Fianna dominated the closing stages as they took the lead through a Rian O’Reilly point while further scores from Conor McGuinne and Max Fitzgerald saw them build a decisive lead. 

Fitzgerald added gloss to the final scoreline as he converted a two-pointed free from the deck, securing an impressive and deserved win for the Glasnevin outfit. 

Scorers – Na Fianna: C Hickey 1-1; M Fitzgerald 0-3 (1 F2); C Foley 0-2 (P2); T Murnane, C Callaghan, C O’Connell, R O’Reilly, C McGuinne 0-1 apiece. St Sylvester’s: A McGlynn 1-1; J O’Keeffe 0-2 (P2); C Clifford, G Jackson, E Roche (f) 0-1 apiece. 

Na Fianna: T Smith; C Shortall, F Costello, C Fay; R O’Reilly, K Gray, C O’Connell; T Murnane, M Donnelly; C McGuinne, C Callaghan, L Patten; C Foley, C Hickey, J brogan. Subs: D Fitzpatrick for Brogan (47), C O’Brien for Foley (54).  

St Sylvester’s: F Byrne; J Grogan, D Flynn, A Reilly; C Loughran, J O’Keeffe, G Jarksland; C Cummings, C Peacock; A Leonard, C Clifford, M Aslett; A McGlynn, D Miller, E Roche. Subs: H Lynch for Leonard (40), B McCafferty for Miller (40), A Roche for Aslett (50), J Robinson for Jarksland (55), A Rooney for Reilly (55). 

Referee: Alan Linnane (St Mary’s Saggart).