Walterstown 3-5 (14) Dunshaughlin 1-7 (10)

Dunshaughlin’s Premier 8 Championship season came to an end at the semi- final stage on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Walterstown.

Dunshaughlin led after the first water break (0-3 to 0-2) but Walterstown were strong in the 2nd and 3rd quarters and led 2-5 to 0-6 at the 2nd water break.

Dunshaughlin were doing well early on with Calum Deehan marking the Walterstown dangerman Troy O’ Brien tightly and Brian Clintion lording the midfield. The visitors scored three nice points from play from Danny Benson, Thomas Reilly and Mark Caldwell. Jack Nestor looked very comfortable returning to a familiar position between the sticks and his kickouts were finding their targets.

However probably against the run of play Diarmuid Freeman scored the first of his two goals to give the winners the lead for the first time just before half time and they led from there to the finish.

Dunshaughlin did fight back in the second half and had the deficit down to 1 point, 1-4 to 0-6 when Walterstown were awarded a forty-five for what appeared to be a wide. The resultant forth-five was very well struck by Walterstown captain Jack Doyle and almost immediately after Walterstown struck a killer blow with a 2nd Diarmuid Freeman goal, so in the space of two minutes just before the water break Dunshaughlin went from being a point down to being behind by five. Dunshaughlin full forward Stephen Ward scored all three of the points in that early 3rd quarter mini revival, 2 from play and one free.

Dunshaughlin scored 1-1 in the final quarter to Walterstown’s 1-0, substitute Chris Pullen raising the green flag for Dunshaughlin with a well taken goal and Ward scoring his fourth point and Dunshaughlin’s last for 2021. The Walterstown goal scored by Ryan Conway.

Despite the result it was another fine team performance by Dunshaughlin who once again were strong defensively, with Pauric McGovern, Owen Herlihy and Kevin Bambrick along with proteges Cillian McCool, Calum Deehan, Ollie McEnroe and Sean Walsh foiling many of the Walterstown attacks.

Benson and Clinton held the upper hand at midfield for periods, while the two Caldwells, Cian Edwards, Niall Dundon, Thomas Reilly and substitutes Jack O’ Riordan and Jordan Benson put a plentiful supply of ball into Ward and Pullen. 

Although the on the wrong side of the result today, the management team of Kieran O’ Riordan, Kevin Kealy and Paul Sheehy will be very happy with this team’s performance throughout the whole season and look forward to having everyone back next year. Thanks to Catherine Clinton for the photos.

Dunshaughlin: Jack Nestor; Kevin Bambrick, Pauric McGovern, Owen Herlihy; Cillian McCool, Calum Deehan, Oliver McEnroe, Danny Benson (0-1), Brian Clinton, Thomas Reilly (0-1), Mark Caldwell (0-1), Jack Caldwell; Cian Edwards, Stephen Ward (0-4, 1f), Niall Dundon. 

Subs: Chris Pullen (1-0) for Dundon, Seán Walsh for Herlihy, Jack O’ Riordan for Edwards, Jordan Benson for Bambrick

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