‘KNOCK JOY
O’Callaghan tally proves the difference
DUBLIN IHC FINAL
CASTLEKNOCK………………………………………….. 0-15
NAOMH MEARNOG…………………………………….. 0-9
Daire Walsh
A STUNNING final-quarter display proved decisive for Castleknock at O’Toole Park on Sunday morning, when they secured the Dublin Intermediate Hurling Championship title at the expense of northside rivals Naomh Mearnog.
The Portmarnock outfit held a two-point cushion in the early stages of the second-half, but during a 28-minute barren spell in front of the posts for their opponents, Castleknock assumed firm control of the proceedings, and eventually finished with six points to spare in a compelling encounter.
The Somerton Park outfit were hoping to add to their Dublin Intermediate Football Championship success from 12 months ago, and having missed that memorable victory through injury, two-time All-Ireland winning county footballer, Ciaran Kilkenny, took his place amongst the Castleknock substitutes for this decider.
There was little to separate the teams during the early exchanges, and even though Mearnog half-back Michael O’Donoghue broke the deadlock with a coolly converted ’65’ four minutes in, this was quickly cancelled out by Cian O Dulaing’s placed-ball efffort for Castleknock.
Corner-forward Killian Neylon added a point to the Mearnog tally on the stroke of ten minutes (following excellent approach work by Brendan Kennedy), and despite conceding another score to O Dulaing from the subsequent attack, John Earls restored Mearnog’s one-point advantage with a fine score from 50 metres.
A foul on Castleknock full-forward Conor Corcoran led to O Dulaing’s third point of the half, before Mearnog produced some daylight between the sides. Brian McCarthy, Kennedy and Neylon (free) contributed three unanswered scores in as many minutes, and thanks to the presence of former Dublin dual star Shane Ryan, they were beginning to exert their influence in the pivotal midfield sector.
A fine point by inside forward Lynch (who was a late addition to the team in place of Fintan Murray) helped Castleknock to settle once again, though, and having missed an earlier attempt at goal, O Dulaing added to his personal haul with three minutes remaining in the half.
Centre-forward Kieran Duggan had provided the spade work for this latest scores, and although they missed a couple of opportunities in the latter stages of the opening period, they had reduced the Mearnog lead to the bare minimum (0-6 to 0-5) in time for the interval.
The introduction of Kilkenny at the edge of the square was a major boost for Castleknock when the action resumed, and they managed to restore parity on 33 minutes when Niall O’Callaghan registered his first point of the game.
However, Mearnog responded with back-to-back scores from Ryan and Cillian O’Driscoll, and even though Duggan found the target from the right-wing for Castleknock, a foul on Kennedy by Castleknock full-back Ed Forrest resulted in a 41st minute penalty for the Blackwood Lane men.
The resulting strike by Neylon was well-directed, but because his final shot had been taken inside the 21-metre-line, referee Damien Burnett awarded a free out to Castleknock. This was a major let-off for Antoin O Cleirigh’s charges, and when Kilkenny split the posts in majestic fashion with 14 minutes left in the play, there was a sense that momentum was now with Castleknock.
A dramatic increase in tempo forced Mearnog on the back-foot, and from a distance of 70 metres, O’Callaghan fired Castleknock into the ascendancy for the very first time just a minute after Kilkenny’s point. In the absence of O Dulaing, O’Callaghan had taken over free-taking duties, and a further brace from the pacey half-forward ensured that Castleknock were three points to the good (0-11 to 0-8) four minutes from the end.
The Mearnog attack were on the periphery of the action as the final whistle beckoned, and courtesy of further scores by substitute Jamie Tunney, O’Callaghan and Murray, Castleknock had placed the outcome beyond any doubt.
Great persistence from Kilkenny led to another pointed free by O’Callaghan in second-half stoppage-time – their ninth score in succession – and even though Mearnog’s hard-working O’Donoghue eventually brought this scoring sequence to an end, it wasn’t enough to rein in the Castleknock challenge.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Castleknock: N O’Callaghan 0-6 (5f), C O Dulaing 0-4 (3f), K Duggan, C Lynch, C Kilkenny, J Tunney, F Murray 0-1 each. Naomh Mearnog: M O’Donoghue (2f), K Neylon (2f) 0-2 each, S Ryan, J Earls, B McCarthy, C O’Driscoll, B Kennedy 0-1 each.
CASTLEKNOCK: B Dunne; D Tobin, E Forrest, P Bourke; J King, R Mullins, C Prunty; T Quinn, S Boland; C O Dulaing, K Duggan, N O’Callaghan; C Purcell, C Corcoran, C Lynch.
SUBS: C Kilkenny for Corcoran (h-t), J Tunney for O Dulaing (41), F Murray for Purcell (46), D McCormack for King (56), C Breslin for Lynch (60).
NAOMH MEARNOG: E Tuohy; M O’Brien, A Creane, C Hendricken; M Callanan, N O’Driscoll, M O’Donoghue; S Ryan, C Waters; J Earls, S Nangle, B McCarthy; C O’Driscoll, B Kennedy, K Neylon.
SUBS: R Lenihan for Kennedy (46), J Owens for McCarthy (51), P Reale for Nangle (53).
MENTORS – CASTLEKNOCK: A O Cleirigh, D Whelan, J Darcy, N Kedward, M Geraghty. NAOMH MEARNOG: D Kennedy, M Lennon, C O’Connor.
REFEREE: Damien Burnett (Craobh Chiarain).
WIDES – Castleknock: 8 (3+5). Naomh Mearnog: 6 (4+2).
CONDITIONS: Mild and dry, with a gentle breeze.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Niall O’Callaghan (Castleknock).