Templeogue secure a return to top tier
By Daire Walsh
TEMPLEOGUE Synge Street will return to the top-tier of the Dublin Senior Football Championship in 2022 after edging out St Brigid’s at O’Toole Park last Sunday afternoon.
When club football in the capital underwent a significant restructure at the end of the 2017 season, TSS found themselves in the newly-formed Senior Two Football Championship.
They have been on the brink of promotion ever since and this year saw Mike Fitzpatrick’s charges reaching the penultimate rounds for a third campaign in succession.
Having lost out to Whitehall Colmcille and Cuala in 2019 and 2020 respectively, it was a case of third time’s a charm in the Crumlin venue as, despite ending the contest with just 13 players, the Dolphin Park outfit emerged with one point to spare over Brigid’s (0-10 to 0-9).
Their opponents in the forthcoming Senior Two decider will be Cuala, who enjoyed a convincing 4-18 to 1-15 triumph over St Sylvester’s in the day’s second game at O’Toole Park.
While ‘Synger’ will be desperate to get their hands on some silverware, by virtue of reaching the final, both themselves and Cuala are guaranteed a spot in next year’s Senior One Championship.
Given what was at stake for the winner, it was little surprise that the opening quarter of the game was so cagey. Thanks to a free from Dublin senior footballer (and 2020 All Star) Niall Scully, TSS led 0-1 to 0-0 at the first half water break.
While Brigid’s inevitably grew into the game, points from Fintan Dignam, Declan Treanor and Dublin U20 star Lorcan O’Dell ensured TSS were a single point in front (0-4 to 0-3) at the interval.
Aside from Scully and O’Dell, Templeogue were also able to call upon former Sky Blues attacker Eoghan O’Gara and his young brother Killian.
The southsiders suffered a set-back when the latter – who played inter-county football at Under 21 level – was sent-off in the early stages of the second half. However, they persevered in his absence and led 0-9 to 0-6 heading into the final-quarter.
Scully, O’Dell, Kevin Hughes and the elder O’Gara were instrumental during this period, but with Tipperary footballer Philly Ryan exerting his own influence, Brigid’s made sure the game went down to the wire.
TSS had another player dismissed in the closing minutes of the action, but they did enough to come away with the spoils.