DUBLIN IHC FINAL REPLAY

Daire Walsh

Cian Madden etched his name in Naomh Mearnóg folklore with a last-gasp extra-time goal in their gripping Dublin Intermediate Hurling Championship final replay against neighbours St Sylvester’s at Portmarnock on Saturday.

Following their drawn encounter in Drumnigh a week earlier, these two sides were once again inseparable at the end of 60-plus minutes. The tie appeared destined for a penalty shoot-out when Liam Mullen’s 12th point for Mearnóg levelled matters, but Madden had the final say in the most dramatic of circumstances.

Despite lining out minus the services of Cian Hendricken – who was red-carded in the original game – Mearnóg opened the scoring through a Mullen free.

Having initially been granted home advantage, an unplayable pitch saw Syls travelling a short distance to their opponents’ main clubhouse.

The Malahide men seemed undeterred by this development, however, as unanswered points from Daniel Murphy, Eoghan Buckley and Alan Kenny helped them to settle.

While Pat Hoyne’s men were three in front after they responded to a second Mullen free with back-to-back efforts by Seanie Graham and Murphy, the inside line of Josh Phillips, Chris O’Sullivan and Mark Phelan chipped in at the opposite end.

This helped Mearnóg to restore parity and with Phillips, Shane Kavanagh and Phelan adding further points, the hosts were in the ascendancy.

Luke Hughes and Murphy found the target to ensure Syls were just a point adrift (0-8 to 0-7) at the interval, but Mearnóg hit the ground running on the restart with contributions from Shane Nangle and Mullen.

A Murphy free kept Syls in touch, though, and the dismissal of opposition attacker Diarmuid Keevey in the 41st minute saw them have a numerical advantage for the second game in a row.

Although Graham, Buckley and Cian Whitney added points to their tally, Mullen’s 0-4 haul had Mearnóg in the driving seat deep into second-half stoppage-time.

That was until Syls centre-back Eamon McLoughney stepped forward to drill a 65th-minute free to the net and tie the game at 1-11 to 0-14.

Mearnóg were restored to their full complement for the start of extra-time – Daniel Maddock stepping into the fray – but it was a Graham-inspired Syls who built up a three-point advantage when the action resumed.

Mearnóg regained the initiative with four successive scores – one from Madden and three by Mullen.

Syls squeezed back in front when Graham and Ciaran McLoughney raised white flags, before the dependable Mullen drew the sides level with 82 minutes on the clock.

Though both sets of supporters were almost settling for penalties, Madden was in the right place to finish from close range and send the Mearnóg bench into delirium.

Match file

Scorers – Naomh Mearnóg: L Mullen 0-12 (10f); C Madden 1-1; M Phelan, J Phillips 0-2 each; S Kavanagh, S Nangle, C O’Sullivan 0-1 each. St Sylvester’s: S Graham 0-6 (3f); D Murphy 0-4 (3f); E McLoughney 1-0 (f); E Buckley 0-2; L Hughes, A Kenny, L Foley, C Whitney, C McLoughney 0-1 each.

NAOMH MEARNOG: B Smith; C Archer, T Cosgrove, R O’Loughlin; M O’Callaghan, T Kinnane, M O’Donoghoe; S Kavanagh, C Farrelly; L Mullen, D Keevey, S Nangle; C O’Sullivan, M Phelan, J Phillips. Subs: C Madden for O’Sullivan (56), E Kelly for O’Donoghoe (57), J Keogh for Phillips (60), D Maddock on at start of e-t, S Kinnane for O’Callaghan (67).

ST SYLVESTER’S: D Kennedy; P Ryan, S Foley, C Hoyne; D McLoughney, E McLoughney, A Morris; K O’Flynn, L Hughes; P Farrelly, A Kenny, C Buckley; D Murphy, E Buckley, S Graham. Subs: K Falvey for Foley (12-15, blood), E Farquharson for C Buckley (36), L Foley for Kenny (44), C Whitney for Farrelly (48), C McLoughney for Murphy (49), Falvey for Ryan (61), Kenny for L Foley (71), Farrelly for Farquharson (72).

MENTORS – Naomh Mearnóg: E Hoey, T Phillips, B Nangle. St Sylvester’s: P Hoyne, E Farquharson, R Kennedy, I McCafferty.

REFEREE: M Ryan (St Patrick’s, Palmerstown).

WIDES – Naomh Mearnóg: 12 (8+4+0+0). St Sylvester’s: 10 (4+4+2+0).

CONDITIONS: Rainy early on, but generally dry and bright.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Liam Mullen (Naomh Mearnóg).