Dunderry 5-7 Longwood 1-24

Dunderry and Longwood met in Trim on Sunday for a high noon showdown and a place in the SHC B final against Na Fianna.

Adam Kelly opened for the Dunderry men and the lead was doubled when Evan Nolan converted at 65. Longwood struck from play  but,  from the resulting puckout Kelly rattled the Longwood net with a well taken goal. Minutes later Conor Leavy had seven between the sides with a fortuitous goal from the half way line. Longwood looked asleep and Dunderry had a strong wind on their backs and all was looking good for Timber Leavys charges.

The concession of that second Goal however seemed to wake up the Longwood lads who struck two from play before Kelly (from play)and Nolan from placed ball stretched the lead back to seven. Longwood converted twice from frees and once from play before the man in the middle outstretched his arms  signifying a penalty. With that dispatched, all that Longwood needed was one more to tie up proceedings and duly found it from play on the stroke of half time.Dunderry had led 2-2 to 0-1 and again 2-4 to 0-3 but those leads and the strong wind were gone now,  and needed more scores and fast. 

The second half started with a free each before Longwood hit three from play and another free to lead by four. A Nolan free was answered by three more from play to put six between the sides. Points were coming easy for Longwood who were beginning to assert their dominance but Goals were what we were going after. Kelly struck his second and this was soon followed by one from Jamie Leavy. A quickly taken free from Nolan to  the youngest of the Leavy brothers who put his Father's team two points up. Longwood responded yet again with a brace of frees and a tap over to lead by one. Nolan pointed from a difficult angle to level proceedings with time almost up.

Experience counts for a lot in these types of games and Dunderry could only look on as the Longwood men hit five from play before the final whistle blew. 

They say goals win games but you need points as well and we cannot expect to win a match getting a mere two points from play in the whole game. This is a very young team however and will for sure learn from their year at senior level and gain invaluable experience from the likes of today's game.

Best wishes to Longwood in the final - it would be nice to see some great servants of Meath hurling getting rewarded yet again.

Dunderry Team: Jack Fagan, Fionn mc Hale, Ronán Brady, Darragh Fay, Níall Ó Laoire, Liam Coogan, Jamie Duffy, Conor Leavy 1-0, William Tracey, Adam Kelly 2-2, Evan Nolan 0-5 ( 4f & 1 x 65), Mark Leavy 1-0, Jordan Martyn, Stephen Coogan, Daire O Driscoll 

Subs: Donagh Ó Laoire for O Driscoll, Liam Dempsey for Martyn, Jamie Leavy 1-0 for Tracey, Rian Fay for Stephen Coogan.

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