DUBLIN SCHOOLS SF ‘A’ FINAL: MAYNOOTH PP 2-9 ST FINTAN’S HS, SUTTON 1-10
IT’S MAGIC FOR MAYNOOTH!
Foley in outstanding form against Fintan’s in Coolock as Kildare school become top dogs in Dublin
Daire Walsh
A MAGNIFICENT haul of 2-7 from full-forward Jack Foley was crucial at Parnell’s GAA last Friday afternoon when Maynooth Post-Primary secured the Dublin Schools Senior Football ‘A’ Championship title with a narrow victory over St Fintan’s HS, Sutton.
Foley posed a constant threat to the Fintan’s defence throughout the course of the action in the Coolock venue, and even though the concession of a Sean Grenham penalty kept them on their toes in the closing moments, Maynooth ultimately held out to claim their first title at this grade since December 2013.
The north Kildare school had defeated the Sutton outfit at the semi-final stage of this competition three years ago, but after seeing their U16 and U18 hurling sides claim Dublin and Leinster championship doubles during the current season, Fintan’s were aiming to continue the school’s winning habit.
However, it was Maynooth who had the better of the opening exchanges, with Foley (free) and centre-forward Niall O’Sullivan both finding the target in clinical fashion. Fintan’s weathered this early storm, as well-worked scores by midfielder Mark O’Sullivan and Sean McHugh restored parity to the tie in the sixth minute.
ASCENDANCY
Paul Tolan had been a key figure for Fintan’s on their way to this final, and the Naomh Barrog man moved the northsiders into the ascendancy on the stroke of 10 minutes.
As the half developed, both attacks struggled to break down the opposing defences, before the reliable Foley levelled matters once more with a coolly-converted free.
Yet, Fintan’s grew in confidence moving towards the break, and a 0-2 salvo by Tolan helped them to regain the lead.
Maynooth’s Foley cut the gap to a minimum in stoppage-time at the end of the opening period, but there was enough time for Tolan to fire their Dublin Road opponents into a 0-6 to 0-4 interval advantage.
A big response was expected from Maynooth on the resumption, however, and after the impressive Foley cancelled out the Fintan’s cushion with a brace of placed-ball efforts, an excellent point followed from industrious half-forward Braden Millar.
Fintan’s replied with a point from 30 metres by substitute Sean Grenham, and although Foley responded with his fifth point of the day, Jack Polion opened his account with a close-range score.
Polion was then unfortunate not to register a goal with his powerful strike, but a green flag followed – raised in favour of Maynooth after the elusive Foley fired beyond the reach of Fintan’s netminder Shane Cawley.
This created some daylight between the teams, and although Sean Dodd reduced the Fintan’s deficit with a 49th-minute point, Foley restored Maynooth’s three-point lead with another terrific free.
The Lilywhite brigade looked set to ease over the line when Foley added his second goal with eight minutes of normal time remaining, but a resilient Fintan’s simply refused to thrown in the towel. A pointed Grenham free on the hour was only their third score of the half, but following a foul on Polion in injury-time, the lively substitute dispatched the resulting spot-kick into the bottom left-hand corner of the net.
This was a late lifeline for Fintan’s, but after they gained possession from their own kick-out, Maynooth Post-Primary were finally able to embrace a hard-earned triumph.
Scorers – Maynooth PP: J Foley 2-7 (0-7f), B Miller, N O’Sullivan 0-1 each. St Fintan’s HS, Sutton: S Grenham 1-2 (1-0 pen, 0-1f), P Tolan 0-4 (3f), M O’Sullivan, S Dodd, J Polion, S McHugh 0-1 each.
MAYNOOTH PP: L Condon; D Bonass, C Whyte, J Murray; K McCabe, B Carroll, A O Rian; P Maguire, K Dunne; B Millar, N O’Sullivan, O Maloney; S Berns, J Foley, N Kinirons.
ST FINTAN’S HS, SUTTON: S Cawley; R Alexander, B Doolin, J McGahey; C Costello, G Bodor, J Fagan; C Gibson, M O’Sullivan; S Dodd, P Tolan, S O’Flynn; L Fitzgerald, J Polion, S McHugh. Subs: S Grenham for McHugh (34), S Allen for O’Sullivan (57), D Brannigan for Alexander, S Walshe for Fitzgerald (both 58).
Referee: D Sweeney (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh).