GAELIC GAMES: DUBLIN JUVENILE ‘A’ FOOTBALL
FIN’TASTIC FOUR ACES
Dycher leads attack at Benildus with Gibney, Hartnett and Alexander
ST FINTAN’S HS, SUTTON 5-19
ST BENILDUS COLLEGE 5-4
Daire Walsh
ST FINTAN’S High School, Sutton produced an impressive attacking display on Tuesday afternoon to get the better of St Benildus College in the Dublin Schools Juvenile ‘A’ Football Championship.
A combined tally of 2-12 from the central axis of Alex Dycher and Conor Gibney ensured the visitors were worthy winners on the day, while Ciaran Harnett also chipped in with a brace of goals. Senan Phelan and Lennon Gill flew the flag throughout for Benildus, who lost out to Colaiste Eoin in their opening group encounter.
After they were defeated by Maynooth PP in their competition opener last week, Fintan’s are now in contention for a coveted knockout spot. Benildus were champions of this grade as recently as 2015 and also competed in the following year’s decider.
PURPLE PATCH
They opened the scoring on their all-weather surface thanks to a Phelan point, only for a powerful purple patch to pay rich dividends for Fintan’s. Dycher got the ball rolling with a deflected goal in the third-minute, and this was supplemented by similar efforts via midfielder Finn Alexander and towering full-forward Gibney.
The northside school also registered singles through Dycher and Conor White in this period, but they maintained their momentum as the half progressed. Unanswered points by Alexander, Gibney (two) and Dycher emboldened their cause, before Harrnet added a fourth goal in fine style.
Indeed, additional scores courtesy of Gibney and full-back Sean Cullen gave them a seemingly insurmountable 4-8 to 0-1 lead on 18 minutes. Lennon Gill’s terrific two-goal haul finally sparked Benildus into life and Phelan’s superb solo three-pointer also offered them considerable solace moving towards the break.
However, Fintan’s remained in control as Harrnet’s subsequent close-range finish moved them into a 15-point interval cushion (5-11 to 3-2). In a similar vein to the opening period, the second half began with a Phelan point for Benildus.
He also dropped a 37th-minute free at a right-hand angle into the back of the Fintan’s net, raising the possibility of a dramatic fightback. There was never any great sense of panic within the Fintan’s ranks, though – especially when Dycher and Gibney continued to dovetail so effectively inside the Benildus ’45’.
A 0-3 salvo by the former helped Fintan’s to re-assert their superiority, alongside telling contributions from Gibney, centre-back Ryan Coyne and Ben Grassick. With both managements opting to make wholesale changes to their respective line-ups, it was understandable that the general scoring ratio dropped on the resumption.
Benildus’ versatile Dylan Bannan had an earlier goal opportunity cleared off the line, but he made no mistake on the stroke of 50 minutes with a magnificent curled strike. A late Phelan free rattled the crossbar on its way over, though this was a mere consolation at the end of an accomplished Fintan’s performance.
Scorers – St Fintan’s HS, Sutton: A Dycher 1-7 (0-2f), C Gibney 1-5, C Harrnet 2-0, F Alexander 1-2, S Cullen 0-2 (1f), R Coyne (f), B Grassick, C White 0-1 each. St Benildus College: S Phelan 2-3 (1-1f), L Gill 2-0, D Bannan 1-0.
ST FINTAN’S HS, SUTTON: K Wallace; S Sceanall, S Cullen, L Kellet; M Coulter, R Coyne, Ciaran Giles; F Alexander, L Naughton; B Grassick, A Dycher, C White; C Harrnet, C Gibney, D Sheridan. Subs: E O’Daly, L Lentini, Cian Giles, R Doyle, C McHugh, C Davitt, D Dunne, B Nangle.
ST BENILDUS COLLEGE: A Reilly; E Naughton, T O’Brien, T Keane; D Bannan, O McHugh, M Erdis; E Hosey, C Doyle; N O’Mahony, L Gill, C Minogue; E O’Riordan, S Phelan, J Long. Subs: M Wiszowaty, C Walsh, C Gibbons, S McBarron, D Fahy, E Fallon, C Lonergan, S Horan, N Sinclair, L Noonan.
Referee: S Finucane (Templeogue Synge Street).