Port’ home and dry as Saints fall
PORTMARNOCK CS 5-5
ST MAC DARA’S CC 3-10
DAIRE WALSH
A 59th-minute goal by centre-forward Josh Hoban proved to be the deciding factor at Tom Russell Park on Tuesday afternoon as Portmarnock Community School secured the Dublin Schools Juvenile Football ‘C’ title following a titanic battle with St Mac Dara’s Community College in hazardous conditions.
A strong second-half showing by Mac Dara’s ensured that Portmarnock were kept on their toes until the very end, but despite largely living off scraps after the restart, the north Dublin school were able to add to their overall tally at crucial intervals.
Portmarnock had gotten themselves off to the best possible start, as full-forward Darragh Bolger flicked a long-distance delivery past Mac Dara’s netminder Fintan Ashe Bowden inside the opening minute, but the Templeogue outfit responded in impressive fashion, with well-worked efforts by corner-forward Rian Fitzsimons (two) and Dylan Maguire quickly restoring parity.
However, the Wellington Lane school (who include former Dublin footballer Pat Burke amongst their management team) were soon hit with a double injury blow, as Maguire and influential midfielder Kevin Roberts were forced to depart the scenes in the ninth and 12th minutes respectively.
This led to a reshuffle in their side Portmarnock took full advantage, with points by Killian Foran, Karl Lynch (free) and the industrious Hoban being added to in spectacular style on 21 minutes, as midfielder Lynch raced through the heart of the Mac Dara’s defence before unleashing an unstoppable short to the top right-hand corner of the net.
Swapped scores by Mac Dara’s centre-forward Luke O’Brien and the increasingly prominent Lynch ensured Portmarnock held a commanding 2-4 to 0-4 lead at the half-way stage, but even though a massive effort was required upon the resumption, the south Dubliners reduced their deficit to the bare minimum after 41 minutes.
The Carrickhill Road boys had struggled to maintain their momentum from the opening half, but they kicked into gear again with a clinical major by centre-fielder Jack O’Brien. A brace of points by Fitzsimons brought a halt to this scoring sequence, but Ashe Bowden was powerless to stop O’Brien finding the net for a second time at the end of a mazy run on the stroke of 50 minutes.
A six-point advantage appeared to be insurmountable heading into the closing moments, but a spirited Mac Dara’s made it a one-point game once more, as a successful penalty was supplemented by quick-fire points.
The tide now looked to be swimming in favour of Mac Dara’s, but Hoban rose highest to an enticing diagonal ball to help seal Portmarnock’s triumph, even though Lawlor registered his second goal of the day after Fitzsimons’ 21-metre free was turned away in stoppage time.
Scorers – Portmarnock CS: J O’Brien 2-0; K Lynch 1-2 (0-1f); J Hoban 1-1; D Bolger 1-0; K Foran, D Daly 0-1 each. St Mac Dara’s CC: R Fitzsimons 1-6 (1-0 pen, 0-2f); S Lawlor 2-0; M Black, L O’Brien, D Maguire, A Connolly 0-1 each.
PORTMARNOCK CS: S James; K McLoughlin, F O’Connor, S McDonnell; C McCudden, A Ryan, C Daly; K Lynch, J O’Brien; K Foran, J Hoban, J Fitzgerald; L Mullin, D Bolger, D Daly. Subs: L Peyton for Fitzgerald (20), T Kinnane for Mullin (41).
ST Mac DARA’S CC: F Ashe Bowden; J Connor, M Gannon, K Black; D McGorman, C McGloughlin, K Graham; K Roberts, J Nugent; M Black, L O’Brien, D Maguire; A Connolly, P Kavanagh, R Fitzsimons. Subs: S Lawlor for Maguire (9), S Wynne for Roberts (12), Roberts for Kavanagh (41).
Referee: T Gleeson (Naomh Fionnbarra).