SFC Group C: Pats pip Dunshaughlin
August 29, 2017
Dunshaughlin's Tadhg O Dushlaine closes in on St. Pats goalscorer Neil O'Flaherty during the Meath SFC game at Ashbourne.
Sub Niall Whearty's stoppage time point earned St Patrick's a minimum margin win over Dunshaughlin at Ashbourne on Monday evening.
St Patrick's ....... 1-10
Dunshaughlin ..... 0-12
The win (their second of the campaign) boosts St Pat's bid to reach the knockout stage of the championship and was achieved with graft and a considerable degree of composure.
Some allowance can be made for wasted chances by both sides in the exciting finale due to the rain and blustery conditions.
Aided to some extent by the conditions, the Stamullen-Julianstown side outscored Dunshaughlin by 0-4 to 0-2 in the final 20 minutes (including added time).
The game turned four minutes into the second-half when Neil O'Flaherty turned Niall Mooney's cross into net at the town end of the ground.
That tied the scores at 1-5 to 0-8. Though sides were level on three subsequent occasions, the balence seemed to have tilted towards the east Meath team.
More importantly, St Pat's showed great resilience to dig out the win as a draw seemed the likely outcome when Trevor Dowd (free) tied the sides for the fifth time, in the third minute of added time.
Looking to the bigger picture when St Pat's face Na Fianna in the final round of group games, a place in the knockout phase will be up for grabs.
Meanwhile, when Dunshaughlin face neighbours Skryne, the spectre of relegation play-off looms.
Dunshaughlin opened brightly in search of their first win of the campaign. Despite conceding a first minute point to Donal Landy, they recovered to lead by 0-4 to 0-1 with 10 minutes on the clock.
Niall Murphy, Ben Duggan, Cathal O'Dwyer (free) and Fergus Toolan were the scorers for Anthony Moyles' men. Things got even better for Dunshaughlin who moved 0-7 to 0-2 clear heading into the second-quarter.
An O'Dwyer point following a neat exchange with Ray Maloney completed the sequence. Despite having whatever assistance the elements offered the men in black and amber didn't add to their tally before the break.
Conditions improved briefly as St Pat's began to get a foothold around midfield. Points from Niall Mooney, Shane Dowling and Mooney (free) left the team in white and green just 0-5 to 0-7 in arrears at the break.
However, it was Dunshaughlin who resumed with greater urgency and extended their lead through Adam Kealy. In a low-scoring game on a difficult evening for playing, the next score proved crucial.
Dunshaughlin did regain the lead (0-10 to 1-6) towards the end of the third quarter, St Patrick's had the wherewithal to respond with much credit going to a diligent defence.
St Patrick's - Robert Cluskey; David McQuillan, Kieran Lynch, Adam Byrne; Shane Byrne, Diarmuid Quinn, David Stafford; Barry Mooney, Alan Vickers (0-1); Neil O'Flaherty (1-1), Darren Hagan, Shane Landy (0-2, 1f); Shane Dowling (0-1), Donal Landy (0-1), Niall Mooney (0-3, 1f). Subs - Niall Whearty (0-1) for Dowling (43), Michael Nulty for Quinn (49), Dowling for S Landy (59), Ray Russell for Nulty (60).
Dunshaughlin - Adam McDermott; Alastair Doyle, Caoimhin King, Dan Ormsby; David Dunne, Michael Ahern, Tadhg O Dushlaine; John Crimmins, Adam Kealy (0-1); Tommy Johnson, Ray Maloney (0-1), Ben Duggan (0-1); Fergus Toolan (0-4, 2fs), Niall Murphy (0-2, 1f), Cathal O'Dwyer (C), (0-2, 1f). Subs - Jack Hetherington for O Dushlaine (43), Eoin Hagarty for Kealy (43), Ronan Geraghty for Johnson (49), Trevor Dowd (0-1 f) for O'Dwyer (59).
Referee - Patrick Nelis (Kilmainham)
