Hughes wraps up Castleknock stroll
Castleknock 2-15 Mountmellick 1-7
25 NOVEMBER 2013
Second-half goals by Dermot Curran and Brian Hughes proved decisive at Somerton Park as Castleknock secured the title with a comprehensive 11-point victory over Mountmellick.
The Dublin champions were minus the services of Ciaran Kilkenny for this encounter, but thanks to fine scores by Ronan Lynch (2), Shane Boland, Jamie Tunney and Cian O Dulaing, they had built up a 0-5 to 0-1 cushion by the 17th minute.
Mountmellick eventually forced their way into the reckoning with a brace from Aidan Challoner, as well as a magnificent goal from full-forward Ray O’Connor.
It was a setback for Castleknock, but they nevertheless held a slender advantage, 0-9 to 1-4, at the midway stage.
Curran’s opportunistic 33rd-minute goal firmly restored Castleknock’s superiority, and a further brace of points by the industrious corner-forward, as well as one apiece from substitutes Hughes and Niall O’Callaghan, put significant daylight between the teams.
Mountmellick did add to their tally with frees from Mick Bermingham and Challoner in the 47th and 51st minutes respectively, but Castleknock were always in control, and a stoppage-time goal by Hughes sealed an emphatic triumph.
SCORERS – Castleknock: D Curran, B Hughes 1-2 each, C O Dulaing (2fs), S Boland 0-3 each, J Tunney, R Lynch 0-2 each, N O’Callaghan 0-1. Mountmellick: A Challoner 0-4 (3fs), R O’Connor 1-0, M Bermingham (f), R McEvoy, D Hartnett 0-1 each.
CASTLEKNOCK – B Dunne; D Tobin, E Forrest, C Prunty; R O Briain, C Corcoran, J King; T Quinn, S Boland; J Tunney, R Lynch, P Hamill; C O Dulaing, C O’Brien, D Curran. Subs: N O’Callaghan for O’Brien (h-t), B Hughes for Hamill (36), D Cormican for Tunney (54), I Cleary for Quinn (56), P Mulvehill for O Dulaing (59).
MOUNTMELLICK – E Quigley; D Young, K Dunphy, L Kenny; J McEvoy, B Rochford, C Hartnett; S Stapleton, M Bermingham; J Hilliard, A Challoner, R McEvoy; D Hartnett, R O’Connor, I Fennelly. Subs: T Gormley for Hilliard (41), I Moore for R McEvoy (53), D Allen for Young (60), E Melia for J McEvoy (61).
REF – K Brady (Louth).