St Mary’s  2-17 Drumconrath 1-12

A big day for the parish. This was a huge game for this Mary’s young team, they have improved over the past 2 years of that there is no doubt, they had already secured promotion, but this team needed to win a trophy if they are to drive on and achieve their Championship ambitions.

St Mary’s and Drumconrath players are probably sick of the sight of each other over the last 5 or 5 seasons. A rivalry that has seen both teams in the ascendancy at some period over those years. St Mary’s probably would have felt they had the upper hand coming into this final but there are many a slip between cup and mouth.

St Mary’s played with the wind in the first half and although it wasn’t a gale it was significant and would afford the team playing with the breeze on their back opportunities to kick 2 pointers.
The game started slowly with no real pattern emerging, 2 young teams feeling the nerves. St Mary’s did kick a few wides in the early exchanges but got off the mark when Andrew Brien pointed a free, he had won, Tadhg Dixon quickly followed up with a fine point of his own from play. Then came the first 2 pointer of the day a monster score again from Andrew Brien, Andy has his eye in now and followed that up with another 2 pointer, this time a free from his hands. St Mary’s were 6 up by the time Drumconrath registered their fist score a point from play.

St Mary’s responded immediately when Maithíu Brien plucked the resultant kickout from the sky, rampaged forward and kicked a mighty 2 pointer. Marys were now in control and asking serious questions of Drumconrath. Ben Loughran found himself 20 yards from goal received an offload, broke the line and managed to handpass the ball across to Caimin Hughes who palmed to the net, however the referee immediately disallowed the goal, concluding that Caimin was in the square before the ball was played. Drumconrath then registered their second score a fine point from play.

Andy Brien finished off the first half the same way he had started it, kicking a point from a free. Despite the score differential Drumconrath had enjoyed their share of possession in the half, however excellent defending from John Spain, Liam Lynch and Conor O’Brien in the full back line kept them at bay.

Half Time: St Mary’s  0-09 Drumconrath 0-02

St Mary’s had certainly made the most of the breeze in the first half having scored 3 2 pointers but was a lead of 7 enough to get the Boynesiders over the line, only time would tell. Drumconrath management would have expressed at half time the importance of a quick start to the second half, a message that clearly resonated as the Drums registered the first score of the half a sublime 2 pointer from play.

At this stage St Mary’s management called on their players to shut the door as soon as possible, and that they did, when Tadhg Dixon broke through brilliantly he sent a thunderous shot goalwards only to be denied by the post, Tadhg not resting on his laurels made a brave effort to win the rebounding ball, this resulted in a throw up which was won by the brilliant Cathal Sheridan who found Cormac Victory who in turn spotted Caimin Hughes moving towards goal at pace fed him and Caimin buried the ball into the top corner. St Mary’s won the subsequent kick out which they fed to Camin again who this time score a great point from play. Marys were now 9 up.

Drumconrath pulled 1 back from an excellently point 45. The impressive and ultra mobile Joey Greene got in on the scoring, a wonderful point from play.

At this stage it felt as though the Drums would need a goal to get back into this game and in the 15th minute of the second half the referee pointed to the Mary’s penalty spot following and challenge inside the square. Would this be the goal the Drums needed? Up stepped Shaun Murray to take the penalty, he went to Adam Byrne’s right but Adam was equal to it and saved magnificently, however Murray was quickest to the breaking ball and finished well past Byrne. Again, the Mary’s management asked for more and the lads responded, winning the ensuing kickout, another excellent one from the impressive Mary’s keeper, excellent work from Andy Brien then set up Cathal Sheridan for a fine point from play.

Drumconrath scored their second 45 to leave the gap at 6, but St Mary’s were motoring at this stage, the half back line of Maithiu Brien, Dylan Bagnall and AJ Bradshaw were on top now and were driving at Drumconrath from deep causing problems. The half forward line were getting on top too, Caimin Hughes asking questions, Ben Loughran fighting for every ball and Cormac Victory who had moved to 11 picking up dirty ball and linking excellently. Then the midfield dynamo that is Tadhg Dixon linked impressively with Cormac Victory and cleverly fisted a point. Then came St Mary’s second goal, when Ben Loughran found Sean Nulty in space followed the ball and when Nulty turned and headed for goal Loughran was there to take the pass, but as quickly as he got it returned it to Nulty who returned the favour yet again leaving Loughran with an empty net to palm the ball into, an superbly work goal. AJ Bradshaw then got in on the scoring act with a fine point from play.

The always impressive Andy Brien then kicked a point from play followed by a pointed free. Ben Loughran then kicked a super point from his left 5 minutes from the end, this put St Mary’s ahead by 13, but that would be St Mary’s last score of the game. Unlike in the first half the Drum’s keeper now made sure he had a spare ball at the post and was in a ferocious hurry to get his kickouts away. To their credit Drumconrath didn’t stop and continued to work hard and were rewarded for the quality and endeavour scoring a point, a 2 pointer from play before adding a  2 pointed free and a single pointed free, St Mary’s had elected to at this stage to protect their goal during the last 5. After 4 minutes of extra time and 15 years of waiting the referee blew the full-time whistle, this was met with joy and rapture, parents, friends, partners and children flooded the Castletown pitch, the scene of many a disappointment for us down the year, but not this today. Time now for Mary’s popular and long serving captain James Lynch to accept the trophy on behalf of his friends

Full Time St Mary’s  2-17 Drumconrath 1-12

Firstly, huge praise must go to the management team of Nicky Gogan, Ken Brien, Lochlainn Hill and Brian Smith who took this young team over 2 years ago in the shadow of a huge championship quarter final defeat by neighbours Slane.

Secondly, we must take this opportunity to thank every single coach who has played any part no matter how small in the development and coaching of any of these players. And finally, the players themselves, an honest, hardworking, dedicated bunch of talented lads we are immensely proud of.

The celebrations will be enjoyed, but very quickly attentions will turn to the Championship and preparations will begin in earnest.

St Marys: A. Byrne, L. Lynch, J.  Spain, C O’Brien, M. Brien (0-2,2p), D. Bagnall, AJ. Bradshaw (0-1), J. Greene (0-1), T. Dixon (0-2), B. Loughran (1-01), C. Sheridan (0-1), C. Hughes 1-01), C. Victory, J. Lynch, A. Brien (0-08 3f,2 2pf)
Subs: S. Nulty for J. Lynch, A. Craven for C. Victory, Cian O’Brien for C. Sheridan, W. Mc Sweeney for A. Everard, E. Jackson for C. Hughes
P. Waters, T. Lynch, G. Slevin, N. Floyd, D. Maher, P. Gogan, E. Kelleher, L. O’ Neill, R.Condra S. Victory, R. Callaghan, A. Everard, K. McKeown, R. Gallagher.

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