Round-Up: Dublin Minor Football Finals

There was a feast of Go-Ahead Ireland Minor Football Championship finals taking place across the county last Sunday morning with Trinity Gaels claiming the ‘C’ title following a narrow 2-7 to 1-9 success against Whitehall Colmcille in Drumnigh. 

The hosts enjoyed a narrow 2-2 to 1-3 interval advantage thanks to goals from Max McCann and Rhys Curley but Whitehall clawed their way back to take the lead thanks to strong displays from the likes of Shane O’Reilly, Leo Thunder, Pauric Tuite, Dara Kennedy, Peter Maloney and Jude Browne. 

It was nip and tuck in the closing stages but Trinity held on for a deserved win courtesy of Curley’s late free and influential displays by goalkeeper Davin Skehill, Jack Conroy, Rian Ó Héalaí and Darragh Kinsella. 

It proved a tale of double disappointment for Whitehall, who succumbed to a vibrant Geraldine P. Moran by 2-20 to 2-8 in their MFC ‘E’ decider at St Aidan’s CBS. 

The foundation for the away win was provided by their dominant midfield pairing of Daniel Browne (0-2) and Jack Dillon, whose free-taking helped him finish the game with six points to his name. 

Senan McEniff was another to shine for Gers as he plundered crucial goals in either half as the visitors pulled away by the end courtesy of influential displays by the likes of defenders Senan Cullen, Matthew Kearney and Jamie McGrane, Jack Dolan and Frankie Rowley in the forward line. 

There was another away success in Somerton Park as Ballinteer St John’s impressed from the outset in defeating Castleknock by 1-17 to 1-7 in their MFC ‘B’ final.

The foundation for their win lay in defence with Mark Cosgrove at centre-back and corner-back Peter Cillian typifying their solidity as St John’s conceded just eight scores over the hour. 

At the opposite end of the field, Billy McDonnell proved Ballinteer’s scorer-in-chief with eight points and with Tommy Cullen chipping in with 1-3, the visitors were full value for their win as they added further scores through Harry O’Connell, Tommy Dillon, Donal O’Meara, Max Morrison and the influential Conor Quinn. 

Matters were far tighter in Broomfield as St Patrick’s Palmerstown got the better of St Sylvester’s by 0-16 to 0-14 after extra-time, claiming the Minor ‘D’ crown in the process. 

The visitors led by 0-7 to 0-4 at half-time with their captain Darragh Garrigan and Ciaran O’Farrell leading the way in terms of scores. 

Syls improved after the break to regain the lead but scores by Cian Devitt, Liam Blair, Garrigan and Conor McHugh left the teams deadlocked at 0-12 apiece by full-time. 

Garrigan, who finished with eight points, and McHugh continued to keep the St Pat’s scoreboard ticking over in extra-time while Ciaran Deegan popped up with a crucial insurance point to secure his team’s win. 

Both goalkeepers excelled over the eighty minutes with Adam Young making three superb saves to preserve his team’s lead while the likes of Myles Whelan, Rory Clark, Dean Norton, Dara Reilly and Lorcan Murphy all shone in a defensive capacity for the winners.    

MFC ‘A’ final: Na Fianna 1-11 St Sylvester’s 1-6. 

MFC ‘B’ final: Castleknock 1-7 Ballinteer St John’s 1-17.

MFC ‘C’ final: Trinity Gaels 2-7 Whitehall Colmcille 1-9. 

MFC ‘D’ final: St Sylvester’s 0-14 St Patrick’s Palmerstown 0-16 AET . 

MFC ‘E’ final: Whitehall Colmcille 2-8 Geraldine P. Moran 2-20. 

MFC ‘F’ final: Ballymun Kickhams 0-12 Naomh Barróg 0-7. 

MFC ‘G’ final: Templeogue Synge Street 1-6 Raheny 6-8.