Templeogue toppled at the death in Senior Two Championship decider
By Daire Walsh
THERE was heartbreak for Templeogue Synge Street at O’Toole Park on Saturday afternoon as they were denied at the death by defending champions Cuala in the Dublin Senior Two Football Championship decider.
Inseparable at the end of normal time, the spectre of a penalty shootout was looming on the horizon when the sides were still level after 80 plus minutes of action.
However, Cuala midfielder Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne had other ideas and served up a last-gasp goal, ultimately propelling the Dalkey men towards a 1-17 to 2-11 extra-time victory.
Due to the impact COVID-19 had on the club scene, Dublin GAA decided there was to be no promotion or relegation from the various grades of the football championship in 2020. That is why Cuala remained in this second-tier competition – in spite of their final success over St Brigid’s last year.
Managed by former Dublin and Thomas Davis stalwart Paul Curran – who has nephews and nieces in the juvenile section of Templeogue Synge Street – they were forced to dig deep before eventually completing back-to-back Senior Two triumphs.
As disappointing as it was for TSS to lose out on the day, they can take solace from the fact they were already guaranteed a spot in the Dublin Senior One Football Championship for 2022.
While there is experience in the likes of former Sky Blues footballer Eoghan O’Gara, Ger Vickery, Conor McKiernan and Declan Treanor – survivors from the club’s Intermediate Football Championship win of 2008 – there is a youthful look to this ‘Synger’ squad overall.
This bodes well for the Dolphin Park outfit as they look to rub shoulders in the top-tier with neighbours St Jude’s and Ballyboden St Enda’s.
As expected, three-time All Star Con O’Callaghan was the danger man in the Cuala attack.
He finished the contest with 12 points and was instrumental in the holders establishing a 0-8 to 0-3 interval buffer.
Luke Keating also impressed with his dead-ball accuracy and even though O’Callaghan’s Dublin colleague Niall Scully did his best to keep them ticking over, TSS appeared to have a mountain to scale on the resumption.
They found themselves four in arrears (0-12 to 0-8) on 54 minutes, but it was at this point that O’Gara came into his own.
The scorer of 11 championship goals during a distinguished inter-county career, he rattled the net twice in the space of six minutes to edge TSS in front with the finishing line in sight.
Although Cuala restored parity deep into stoppage-time, TSS proceeded to regain the lead in the additional periods. Despite having eight-time All-Ireland winner Michael Fitzsimons in their defence, the Dalkey rearguard were kept on their toes by O’Gara, Scully and Dublin U20 footballer Lorcan O’Dell.
Still, with O’Callaghan’s outstanding tally being supplemented by a 0-4 from haul from Keating, Cuala refused to back down. Max Fitzgerald’s goal had remained unbreached, until Ó Cofaigh Byrne came up with a dramatic score to swing the outcome in Cuala’s favour.