JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

Dungarvan Win Fourth Intermediate Championship

Dungarvan 0-14 Kill 0-10

Previous title winners in 1985, 2011 and in 2017, Dungarvan were deserving winners of their fourth County intermediate football title against Eastern champions Kill in Walsh Park last Saturday afternoon. The decider didn’t produce a goal with both sides missing a number of good opportunities while overall Dungarvan were the better side throughout the hour and the final score is generous to Kill.

Dungarvan were first to work the scoreboard with Gavin Crotty dissecting the posts in the 4th minute and outstanding midfielder Jack Lacey following suite one minute later. Killl were playing a lot of ball into their corner forward Cian Brown and he brought a good save out of Mark Boland in the 19th minute. Kill finally got off the mark from a Ciaran Kirwan pointed free in the 12th minute but Dungarvan responded immediately with the first of Kieran Power’s four minor scores from play. Donal Queally pointed Kill’s only first half point from play at the end of the first quarter, 0-3 to 0-2 before Dungarvan rattled of three points in a row. Gavin Crotty pointed a 19th minute free, Johnny Burke added a score from play in the 27th minute and Crotty kicked his second point from play in the final minute of normal time. Cian Browne missed a second goal scoring opportunity during this Dungarvan spate of scores but he pointed a free as the game entered added time to leave the score board reading 0-6 to 0-3.

Again Dungarvan responded with another score when Kieran Power pointed from play before Mickey Nicholls missed a third goal opportunity for the Eastern side. Deep into added time, Dungarvan captain Jack Lacey lofted over his second minor to leave his team comfortable 0-8 to 0-3 leaders at the break.

Credit Kill, they started the second half with intent and from the throw in Ciaran Kirwan raced down the middle through the Dungarvan defence to dissect the posts after just eleven seconds. Kieran Power showed his value to the winners with his third score in the 31st minute followed by a contender for score of the match from an acute angle near the bank sideline by Lacey’s midfield partner John Curran. Kill’s Ben Kirwan left his team double scores in arrears, 0-10 to 0-5, with a 38th minute point from play and Mickey Nicholls narrowed the gap further at the conclusion of the third quarter. However, Dungarvan responded in style with three scores in a row per Kieran Power, Michael Kiely who played a great second half, and Brendan Cullinane, 0-13 to 0-7. This was the winners’ greatest lead over the hour but a tally of six bad second half wides didn’t see of their opposition who went on to win this moiety by 0-7 to 0-6. Between the 52nd and the 58th minute, Kill scored three points in a row via Corey Kennedy, sub Paul Allen and a second pointed free by Cian Brown, 0-13 to 0-9. Jack Lacey played his captain’s part with a settling 59th minute score for the Blues before Ciaran Kirwan(f) finished the scoring in the 62nd minute with his third point. Dungarvan finished with a good team move but Kieran Power’s effort on goal was well saved by Kill keeper Kieran Dunphy who impressed throughout.

PRESENTATION Chairman of the County Board Sean Micheal O Regan presented the Michael Dunne Memorial Cup to the Dungarvan captain Jack Lacey whose team will now line out in the senior championship in 2021.

Dungarvan’s Top Three : Kieran Power, Darragh Lyons, Jack Lacey. Kill’s Top Three : Ciaran Kirwan, Kieran Dunphy, Cian Brown. Observer’s Man of the Match : Kieran Power. Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 7. Kill : 7. Scores From Play : 0-13. Kill : 0-6. Frees For : Dungarvan : 15. Kill : 14. Wides : Dungarvan : 9. Kill : 2. Score of the Match : John Curran’s 37th minute point from play for Dungarvan.

Scorers : Dungarvan : Kieran Power 0-4, Jack Lacey 0-3, Gavin Crotty 0-3(1f), Johnny Burke, John Curran, Michael Kiely and Brendan Cullinan 0-1 each.

Kill : Ciaran Kirwan 0-3(2f), Cian Browne 0-2f, Donal Queally, Ben Kirwan, Mickey Nicholls, Corey Kennedy and Paul Allen 0-1 each.

Teams : Dungarvan : Mark Boland; Conor Sheridan, Derek Barry, Kealan Daly; Jamie Nagle, Darragh Lyons, Michael Kiely; John Curran, Jack Lacey; Kieran Power, Brendan Cullinan, Johnny Burke; Joe Duggan, Gavin Crotty, Darren Duggan. Subs : Luke O Callaghan for Darren Duggan(53), Gavin Power for Brendan Cullinan (58).

Kill : Kieran Dunphy; Mike Dunphy, Niall Hennessy, Richie Cullinane; Johnny Flynn, Oisin Queally, Peter Casey; Ciaran Kirwan, Ben Kirwan; Donal Queally, Cathal Scanlon, Anthony Kiely; Cian Browne, Mikey Nicholls, Corey Kennedy. Subs : Eric Lonergan for Cathal Scanlom (inj, 34), Richard Lynch for Mikey Nicholls(48).

Referee : Tony Larkin(Ballyduff Lower).

RADLEY ENGINEERING WESTERN INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL FINAL

Dungarvan Regain O Neill Harnedy Cup after Extra Time

Dungarvan 1-10 Modelgo 1-8 (aet).

In a hard fought controversial battle more so than a game of quality football, it took extra time to separate Dungarvan and Modeligo in the Western Intermediate football final at the Fraher Field last Sunday evening.

The teams were level at the end of normal time on a scoreboard reading 1-7 each but Modeligo didn’t score from play in extra time while Dungarvan sub Gavin Power, Waterford’s All Ireland minor hurling winning goalie from 2013, became the hero for the Blues with a brace of scores from play in that extra twenty minutes of play

. For the second week in a row, Dungarvan played all of the second half with fourteen players with the dismissal of Joe Allen in the 27th minute while both teams were fortunate that their numbers subsequently remained the same in a game where the focus was as much on the man as on the ball. The game was also not short of controversy with a penalty awarded to Dungarvan for a foot block on Luke O Callaghan in the 41st minute being overturned with his team leading by 1-5 to 0-5 while in the 8th minute of added time in the second half, the Blues were awarded a free with doubts raised if Gavin Crotty’s effort dissected the posts

. On the tactical front, Dungarvan played Modeligo at their own game of holding on to the ball and with both sides employing this possession style football, it didn’t produce a great spectacle.

While the forwards usually take the honours in a game, the Dungarvan defence were very much on top of their form and time and time again they overturned Modeligo possession. Dungarvan led this low scoring encounter until Bernard Wright’s 44th minute goal changed the scoreboard to 1-6 to 1-5 in Modeligo’s favour. The champions looked to have their three in a row safely in the bag when Nicky O Donovan pointed from a pass by free taker Troy in the 55th minute, 1-7 to 1-6 and especially so when they held on to the ball for the most of the announced five minutes of added time. However, further time was added during which Gavin Crotty levelled the game and then there was a delay while the lights came on one by one at the Shandon venue before extra time began.

This was a difficult loss for Modeligo to take but Dungarvan’s determination in extra time was crucial and coming out on the right side of a 0-3 to 0-1 extra time scoring, they deserve their place against Kill in this weekend’s County final in Walsh Park. In a low scoring first moiety, Dungarvan started the better with a point from play by Gavin Crotty after two minutes and a second score from a free by the same player in the 10th minute. The trend of the play throughout featured each team enjoying a period of possession and Modeligo levelled by the 22nd minute with a score from play by Pa O Donovan on twelve minutes followed by Shane Troy’s equalizer from a placed ball.

Dungarvan regained the initiative with a splendidly worked goal in the 23rd minute involving a number of players and finished in style by Kieran Power, who played one of his best games here, 1-2 to 0-2. Back came Modeligo with a John Devine point from play in the 26th minute before Joe Allen was red carded. The final score of the half was a second Shane Troy pointed free, Dungavan ahead by 1-2 to 0-4 at the break. Dungarvan kicked five first half wides and Modeligo two. Both teams were awarded five frees each

. Dungarvan enjoyed the better of the first ten minutes on the restart. Gavin Crotty scored from play after just 40 seconds, a feat equalled by Shane Troy in the 33rd minute. Kieran Power and Gavin Crotty (f) edged Dungarvan into a 1-5 to 0-5 lead before the penalty decision for a foul on Luke O Callagahan was overturned, an important moment in the game

. Modeligo grabbed this piece of good luck with open arms and inside four minutes they were ahead for the first time. Shane Troy pointed a 43rd minute free and then sub Bernard Wright finished an excellent team move to the net one minute later. Leading by 1-6 to 1-5, the pendulum was now swinging the champion’s way. Gavin Power came on for the injured Luke O Callagahan in the 51st minute and Gavin Crotty levelled proceedings with his fifth point. Shane Troy’s free caught the Dungarvan side napping when he picked out Nicky O Donovan at a distance who unerringly kicked a lead score with 55 minutes on the clock. The issuing of yellow cards was common during the second half and Dungarvan were glad to hear that at least five minutes of added time would be played. Modeligo controlled the ball for much of this time before the Blues received a life line with Gavin Crotty(f) levelling in the 68th minute.

On to extra time with Dungarvan back to fifteen players in the person of Joe Duggan and there was only one score in the first half. This came from Gavin Power in the country end and though it was just a one score lead for Dungarvan, it was significant in a short ten minute moiety. Yet, Modeligo were back on level terms in the 74th minute when a long range free was correctly brought forward by the referee and Shane Troy kicked over his fifth minor, 1-8 to 1-8. Dungarvan were the fitter of the two sides at this late stage though and with five minutes remaining Gavin Crotty was on target once again from a free. Credit the champions, they tried to get back on level terms but a piece of magic by Gavin Power settled the game with an excellent point from an angle off his left foot in the 81st minute. Modeligo were on the attack seeking a winning goal when the final whistle sounded to leave Dungarvan regaining a title they last held in 2017 and taking back the O Neill /Harnedy Cup which was first presented in 1983.

Dungarvan’s Top Three : Gavin Crotty, Darragh Lyons, Kieran Power. Modeligo’s Top Three : Sean O Donovan, Shane Troy, Pa O Donovan. Observer’s Man of the Match: Gavin Crotty. Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 3. Modeligo : 5. Scores From Play : Dungarvan : 1-5. Modeligo : 1-4. Frees For : Dungarvan : 17. Modeligo : 18. Wides : Dungarvan : 10. Modeligo : 5. Score of the Match : Gavin Power’s 81st minute point for Dungarvan.

Scorers : Dungarvan : Gavin Crotty 0-7(5f), Kieran Power 1-1, Gavin Power 0-2. Modeligo : Shane Troy 0-5(4f), Bernard Wright 1-0, Pa O Donovan, John Devine and Nicky O Donovan 0-1 each.

Teams : Dungarvan : Mark Boland; Conor Sheridan, Derek Barry, Kealan Daly; Jack Lacey, Darragh Lyons, Jamie Nagle; John Curran, Joe Allen; Michael Kiely, Kieran Power, Johnny Burke; Darren Duggan, Gavin Crotty, Joe Duggan. Subs : Luke O Callaghan for Joe Duggan(h/t), Gavin Power for Luke O Callaghan(inj, 51), Tristan Loftus for Michael Kiely(inj, 80).

Modeligo : Thomas Walsh; Kieran McCarthy, John McGrath, Mick Devine Nicky O Donovan, Seanie O Donovan, Sean Hennessy; Niall Brown Rian Reddy ; John Devine, Pa O Donovan, Jamie Troy; Michael Troy Shane Troy, Keith Hickey. Subs : Bernard Wright for Michael Troy(42), Robbie Buckley for Bernard Wright (inj, 79)

. Referee : Martin Curran (Sean Phobail).