GAELIC GAMES – DUBLIN JUV ‘B’ HC – LUCAN CBS 4-13 CASTLEKNOCK CC 1-5
STAR OF THE SHOW IS DUNNE
Matthew scores hat-trick as Lucan see off Castleknock in decider
Daire Walsh
A FIRST-HALF hat-trick from Matthew Dunne was the highlight at Abbottstown yesterday afternoon as Lucan CBS secured the Dublin Schools’ Juvenile ‘B’ Hurling Championship crown with a comprehensive final victory over Castleknock CC.
Playing on the immaculate all-weather facilities in the National Sports Campus, Lucan were playing against a slight breeze in the opening period. As a result, their opponents were hoping to develop an early cushion. After Cian Boyle and Lucan half-forward Evin Dowling had traded early scores, Castleknock full-forward Mikey Bohan was on hand to scramble the ball past Lucan custodian Brian O’Sullivan.
This was an early set-back for Lucan, but following back-to-back points by the centre-field pairing of Jack Lawless and Colm Behan, they recorded their opening goal of the contest. After claiming the ball from a tight left-hand angle, Dunne (a key member of the Dublin South Colleges team in this year’s Leinster Juvenile ‘A’ Hurling League) found the back of the opposition net.
This significantly increased the confidence levels of the Roselawn boys, and via excellent approach work from Dowling, Dunne finished to the top left-hand corner of the Castleknock goal just shy of the first-quarter mark.
Behan enhanced his team’s superiority with a point on the run, and even though Castleknock cancelled out this effort through Murray, Dunne’s third goal arrived after 18 minutes.
DAYLIGHT
This created serious daylight between the sides, and despite conceding a pointed free to Boyle, a brace of fine points by the terrific Dunne ensured that Lucan brought a commanding 3-6 to 1-3 lead into the break.
Castleknock were not necessarily out of contention just yet, though, and Lucan were let off the hook when Boyle came up short from two placed-ball opportunities upon the resumption.
However, Ger Lyons’ charges continued to display a keen edge in attack, and with a Dylan Kelly score supplementing a 0-3 haul by the ever-reliable Dunne, they had opened up a 12-point gap over their Carpenterstown Road counterparts.
While Dunne was the scorer-in-chief for Lucan, Lawless also made a major impact on the proceedings, and at the end of a lung-bursting gallop through the heart of the Castleknock defence, he registered a 38th-minute three-pointer of his own.
A successful free by Murray brought this scoring blitz to a halt, but Lucan remained in control during the closing moments. Behan and Dunne added to their own personal tallies, and although Castleknock added a late point through Rian Buckley, Lucan claimed a 4-13 to 1-5 triumph.
Scorers – Lucan CBS: M Dunne 3-7 (0-3f), J Lawless 1-1, C Behan 0-3, E Dowling, D Kelly 0-1 each. Castleknock CC: M Bohan 1-0, C Murray (1f), C Boyle (1f) 0-2 each, R Buckley 0-1.
LUCAN CBS: B O’Sullivan; D Lawlor, C Walshe, C Shanahan; C Duffy, H Keogh, R Maloney; J Lawless, C Behan; M Dietz, E Dowling, D Kelly; S Keogh, M Dunne, O Ryan.
Subs: J Mooney, M Daly, R O’Connor, C Hurley, C Hogan, D Pierce, A Lambe, O Twamley, A White, C O’Brien, L O’Neill, J Meyler, A Devitt.
CASTLEKNOCK CC: C Sheerin; R O’Shea, S Andrews, K Murray; E McSherry, B Bergin, O O’Flanagan; B Harding, C Murray; R Buckley, C Boyle, E Sawyer; D Mullin, M Bohan, D Murphy.
Subs: J Kelly, T Igoe.
Referee: K Brady (Louth).