St Jude’s Under 21s downed in decider
By Daire Walsh
DESPITE a valiant effort on the day, St Jude’s came up just short to Raheny in the Dublin U21 ‘C’ Football Championship decider at St Anne’s Park on Saturday, losing out agonisingly 1-14 to 1-13.
Having fallen seven points behind in the early stages of the second half, the Wellington Lane outfit subsequently turned the game on its head and led by three with the finishing line in sight.
But the late dismissal of Seamus Noone on a second yellow card offence left the visitors hamstrung and Raheny subsequently pushed on to claim the top prize.
Nevertheless, reaching a championship decider at the end of a short but memorable campaign bodes well for the future of football within Jude’s.
Noone and Alan Connolly were panellists for the club’s Senior One Football Championship final defeat to Kilmacud Crokes at Parnell Park last month with the latter striking a superb goal to break the deadlock. They were both on target in the opening half against Raheny, along with centre-forward Simon Murphy and Eoin Kenny.
Raheny were four points in front (1-5 to 0-4) at the midway stage on a damp day in the northside venue, however, and looked set for a convincing victory when they pulled further ahead on the resumption.
Yet Jude’s were determined to leave their mark on the proceedings and with Caeman Bagnall and Dylan Ryan bagging three points apiece, they were firmly in contention. Sean Wynne, Murphy and Michael Lawlor also raised white flags to compliment a potentially crucial goal from Ciaran Hogan.
Wynne, Kevin Lahiff and Naoise O Bradaigh were all standing out in defence, but following Noone’s dismissal, Raheny seized the advantage and squeezed over the line in the end.
While there was obvious disappointment at how the game turned out, it was a tremendous showing from a Jude’s side that featured eight Under 17 players.
The absence of Dublin Under 20 footballer Jack Crennan through injury was keenly felt, but there was enough evidence to suggest the Tymon Park men can go a step further at this grade in 2022.