Three Match Reports from the game included: 1. Dunshaughlin & Royal Gaels. 2. Hogan Stand (Meath). 3. Leinster Leader (Kildare)
Match Report Leinster Intermediate Championship Quarter Final.
Dunshaughlin …… 2-19 (25)
Ballyteague ……….. 0-10
The heavy early morning rain had well cleared and was replaced by pleasant sunshine for the 1:30pm showdown in Pairc Tailteann between Dunshaughlin and Kildare Intermediate champions, Ballyteague (Larks).
Two goals from Dunshaughlin teenagers Conor Gray and John McDonagh in the 43rd & 48th minute finished this game off as a contest and which up until that stage was an evenly enough matched game. The victory ensured that Dunshaughlin’s will now have a Leinster Intermediate semi-final against Cooley Kickhams (Louth) in two weeks-time in their home from home, Pairc Tailteann. After teams going in all square in this game at half time, Dunshaughlin outscored Ballyteague scored 2-13 to 0-4 in a 2nd half performance that was out of the top drawer.
Dunshaughlin played with the aid of the breeze in the first half and scored within the 1st minute, after winning the throw-in with a point from their top scorer in the 2022 championship Luke Mitchell.
There was plenty of talk leading up to the game about the potent Ballyteague forwards and during the first half Jimmy Hyland, Fionn Murphy, Brian McGrath & Stephen Ennis in particular asked questions of the Dunshaughlin defence.
Kildare inter-county star Hyland levelled the game from a free in the 3rd minute. Dunshaughlin even with aid of the breeze were finding it difficult to penetrate the Ballyteague defence and in the 7th minute, captain fantastic Niall Murphy used the breeze to pop over a lovely point from than 45 meters out. Ballyteague levelled the game from another free, off the boot of Brian McGrath in the 15th minute. From the resultant short kickout which Ballyteague won, there was relief for Dunshaughlin when Hyland bearing down on goal shot over the bar to give the Larks the lead for the first time. Hyland doubled their lead in the 20th minute with another point from a free.
Surprisingly it took Dunshaughlin a while to find their shooting boots, especially as they had the aid of the breeze. By half-time Dunshaughlin’s wide count was six while the Lark’s first and only wide of the 1st half came from a 30th minute mark attempt.
Luke Mitchell reduced the deficit to one point with a pointed free in the 22nd minute but Ballyteague got an inspirational point from Fionn Murphy in the 23rd minute when he carved open the Dunshaughlin defence to rapturous cheers from the large Kildare following.
Although it looked like Ballyteague were taking control, it seemed to awaken Dunshaughlin and the boys in the Black and Amber hoops silenced the Lark’s supporters with three unanswered points from play in a two- minute period between the 24th & 26th minutes. The scores coming from Matthew Moyles (from distance), Mitchell (who scored half of Dunshaughlin’s first half total) & John McDonagh to put Dunshaughlin back into a one- point lead 0-6 to 0-5.
In 1st half injury time, Hyland was bearing down on the Dunshaughlin goal again and the referee adjudged that Niall Murphy tripped him, awarded a free, which Hyland scored to level the game and gave Murphy 10 minutes in the Sin Bin. (Half-time 0-6 a- piece).
Dunshaughlin made one substitute at the break introducing Aaron Murphy who was originally pencilled in to start.
With the sides tied at 0-6-each at half-time and with Niall Murphy in the sin-bin it appeared that Dunshaughlin would be in for a tough start to the 2nd half playing against the wind. However, Ruairi Kinsella (who had another outstanding game throughout) scored a point for Dunshaughlin within a minute of the restart to send a message out to Ballyteague, the boys in Black and Amber mean business. Hyland levelled the game again in the 33rd minute with another pointed free and then put the Lark’s ahead for the last time in the game.
Costello levelled from a pointed free in the 35th minute and a minute later McDonagh scored a lovely point from play to give Dunshaughlin a lead that they would never relinquish. Costello was more involved in the 2nd half and was on the scoresheet again in the 37th and 42nd minutes with points, one each from play and a from a free to put Dunshaughlin into a three- point lead. Dunshaughlin’s first goal came from a long ball from Niall Murphy into towards the edge of the small square where Gray fetched it and as he was been hauled down to the ground, somehow managed to knee the ball into the goals.
In between the two goals Costello put over another point. The 2nd goal into the hospital end from McDonagh was as good a goal as you would see in Pairc Tailteann this year with the slick pass provided by substitute Aaron Murphy. With 12 minutes to go it was game over as Dunshaughlin led 2-12 (20) to 0-9. Ballyteague pulled one back in the 49th minute from Fionn Murphy but that was to be their last score of the day.
Dunshaughlin’s superior fitness and athleticism became vary apparent in the 2nd half when the Lark’s on the other hand appeared to have the energy sapped out of them and were unable to stop the numerous Dunshaughlin attacks. Dunshaughlin scored a further seven unanswered points in the final 10 minutes, Ruairi Kinsella (53rd minute) who put in another tremendous display, Aaron Murphy three in a row (54th, 56th, 57th) & his fourth (60th), Costello from a free (59th) and the last score of the game from a 45 by goalkeeper Adam McDermott (63rd) after an Aaron Murphy effort was saved by the Ballyteague goalkeeper.
After an exciting and well contested first half, the expected close 2nd half never materialised as Dunshaughlin brushed aside their challengers and to add further misery they had their full-back David Randles sent off just as the game was entering stoppage time.
The influence of youth in this Dunshaughlin team is very apparent as seven of their starting fifteen and three of the subs who were introduced were members of the panel who had picked up their 2021 under Championship medals last weekend at the Dunshaughlin Dinner Dance.
Dunshaughlin’s Leinster voyage continues and they will undoubtedly face a much stiffer challenge in two weeks-time against the Louth champions in the semi-final.
Scorers: Dunshaughlin – John McDonagh 1-2; Mathew Costello 0-5 (3fs); Luke Mitchell 0-3 (2fs); Aaron Murphy 0-4 (1m); Conor Grey 1-0; Ruairi Kinsella 0-2; Niall Murphy 0-1; Matthew Moyles 0-1; Adam McDermott 0-1 (45).
Ballyteague – Jimmy Hyland 0-7 (5fs); Fionn Murphy 0-2; Brian McGrath 0-1 (f).
Dunshaughlin – Adam McDermott; Oisin Foley, Alastar Doyle, Niall Byrne; Ciaran McCarrick, Niall Murphy (c), Adam Kealy; Ben Duggan, Conor Gray; John McDonagh, Mathew Costello, Matthew Moyles; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Luke Mitchell. Subs – Aaron Murphy for Mitchell (ht), David Fildes for McCarrick (50), Conor Jennings for Duke (55), Jared Rushe for Doyle (57), Fursey Blake for Duggan (59).
Ballyteague – Derrick Mooney; Conor Mullaney, David Randles, Ryan Webb; Donal Dempsey, Paraic Hawley, Gary Nugent; Gerry Melia (c), Seamus Hanafin; Cian Loughlin, Brian McGrath, Stephen Ennis; Fionn Murphy, Tommy Callan, Jimmy Hyland. Subs – Cathal Hanafin for Callan (ht), Conor Hanley for Loughlin (44), Glen Thorpe for Webb (47), Stephen Connolly for Nugent (57).
Referee – Fintan Pierce (Offaly)
Hogan Stand Match Report
Two goals around the mid-point of the second-half at Pairc Tailteann on Saturday set Dunshaughlin up for a ‘home’ provincial semi-final spot.
Dunshaughlin …… 2-19
Ballyteague ……….. 0-10
It took Dunshaughlin a while to find their shooting boots. It was only in the second half – when playing into the sun and the diminishing wind that Richie Kealy’s side took control.
With the sides tied at 0-6-each at half-time, Dunshaughlin appeared to be in a spot of bother. However, the effort expended when playing into the elements seemed to exhaust the Kildare-team who were heavily dependent on Jimmy Hyland for scores.
Dunshaughlin’s reward is a ‘home’ semi-final against Cooley Kickhams (Louth) in two weeks time. Their superior athleticism saw the Meath IFC winners outscore the visitors by 2-13 to 0-4 in the second-half.
Half-time sub Aaron Murphy made a notable contribution for Dunshaughlin with four points (all bar one from play).
A major breakthrough arrived for Dunshaughlin when Niall Murphy’s delivery was finished to the net, at the old swimming pool end, by midfielder Conor Gray. That left it 1-11 to 0-9 with 43 minutes gone.
Dunshaughlin wasted no time to increase their advantage. Aaron Murphy turned provider for John McDonagh to fire home his side’s second goal, in the 47th minute, to leave Richie Kealy’s side ahead by double scores, 2-12 to 0-9.
Dunshaughlin finished with nine different scorers with goalkeeper Adam McDermott wrapping up the scoring with a stoppage time 45.
Two well-turned out teams produced a gripping contest that enthused both sets of supporters until the Meath side eased clear. Wind-assisted Dunshaughlin sprung from the traps through Conor Gray and Ben Duggan and were rewarded with a free that Luke Mitchell pointed.
Dunshaughlin’s first-half highlight was Niall Murphy’s seventh minute effort deftly chipped over from 45 metres that left the Meath men 0-2 to 0-1 ahead.
Operating with 12 men behind the ball playing into the wind, Ballyteague frequently causing problems – especially Fionn Murphy in attack – for Dunshaughlin who were let down in front of the posts. By half-time their wide count was six while the Kildare side’s first miss came from Cian Loughlin’s 30th minute mark attempt.
Dunshaughlin had team captain Niall Murphy black-carded in first-half stoppage time. By the time the number six returned the team in black and amber were 0-10 to 0-9 ahead.
Over the final third of the hour, Dunshaughlin outscored the visitors – who had full-back David Randles sent off late on – by 2-9 to 0-2.
Scorers: Dunshaughlin – John McDonagh 1-2; Mathew Costello 0-4 (3fs); Luke Mitchell 0-4 (3fs); Aaron Murphy 0-4 (1f); Conor Grey 1-0; Ruairi Kinsella 0-2; Niall Murphy 0-1; Matthew Moyles 0-1; Adam McDermott 0-1 (45).
Ballyteague – Jimmy Hyland 0-7 (5fs); Fionn Murphy 0-2; Brian McGrath 0-1 (f).
Dunshaughlin – Adam McDermott; Oisin Foley, Alastar Doyle, Niall Byrne; Ciaran McCarrick, Niall Murphy (c), Adam Kealy; Ben Duggan, Conor Gray; John McDonagh, Mathew Costello, Matthew Moyles; Conor Duke, Ruairi Kinsella, Luke Kinsella. Subs – Aaron Murphy for Mitchell (ht), David Fildes for McCarrick (50), Conor Jennings for Duke (55), Jared Rushe for Doyle (57), Fursey Blake for Duggan (59).
Ballyteague – Derrick Mooney; Conor Mullaney, David Randles, Ryan Webb; Donal Dempsey, Paraic Hawley, Gary Nugent; Gerry Melia (c), Seamus Hanafin; Cian Loughlin, Brian McGrath, Stephen Ennis; Fionn Murphy, Tommy Callan, Jimmy Hyland. Subs – Cathal Hanafin for Callan (ht), Conor Hanley for Loughlin (44), Glen Thorpe for Webb (47), Stephen Connolly for Nugent (57).
Referee – Fintan Pierce (Offaly)
Leinster Leader Match Report (Kildare)
Kildare GAA: Ballyteague out of Leinster Championship after heavy defeat against Meath champions Dunshaughlin
2022 AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Football Championship Quarter Final
Dunshaughlin 2-19
Ballyteague 0-10
Dunshaughlin ran out comfortable winners over Ballyteague in their Leinster Intermediate Football Championship quarter final. The sides entered the break level on points, with Dunshaughlin having large spells of possession but struggling to break down a resilient Ballyteague defence.
After an early second half score from Dunshaughlin’s Ruairi Kinsella, Ballyteague responded with a well-taken free kick from Jimmy Hyland. The resulting kickout was turned over by the Kildare side and the ball once again found its way to Hyland who skipped past his man and blasted a stunning left-footed effort between the posts. The score felt like a momentous one as the travelling crowd rose to their feet and roared in support.
However, the momentum would shift to the opposite side as Ballyteague’s lead was quickly erased by a Matthew Costello score. Dunshaughlin’s centre-forward had a strong second half and really took his team up a level when they needed it most.
It appeared that it would take a moment of brilliance to break through Ballyteague as they had held strong again early in the second half. It was instead a strange turning point as Dunshaughlin’s captain Niall Murphy sent a wild effort to the full-forward line that was as high as it was long.
The ball eventually came back down from the clouds with towering Dunshaughlin midfielder Conor Gray beneath it. Gray gathered the ball ahead of Derrick Mooney and the Ballyteague defence and bundled home a clumsy but goal-scoring effort to raise the first green flag of the afternoon.
The unusual goal was a blow to Ballyteague and appeared to give the eventual winners the confidence they needed to kick on. Dunshaughlin, the favourites for this fixture, had played with a tension and uncertainty to that point that was eased with Gray’s goal and subsequent five-point lead.
The home side were on top as they looked to diminish any hopes of an upset in this game. Those odds of a comeback were slashed further as half-forward John McDonagh powered through on goal and one-on-one with the keeper, he gave Derrick Mooney no chance. McDonagh blasted his effort into the corner of the net in empathic fashion.
Fionn Murphy would end a 10-minute barren spell for his side with a good score to reduce the gap to eight. Murphy was exceptional in this game, and particularly in the first half. Ballyteague were forced to sit deep and Murphy was instrumental in getting his side up the field from those deep positions with his superb ball carrying and agility. If he can add further scoring to his scoring prowess to his game, he will be yet another talismanic figure in this Ballyteague side.
Dunshaughlin would spend the remainder of the game sharing the ball around as they looked to add a further gloss to the scoreline following the 10-minute surge that ended this game as a contest. Good scores from Aaron Murphy and Ruairi Kinsella were the pick of the bunch in this spell before both sides rang in the changes.
Dunshaughlin were always favourites for this game having just come down from Senior level and now popping straight back up but they were in a game for quite a while against the Kildare champions.
The game started with the sides exchanging free-kicks as the sides respective stars in Jimmy Hyland and Luke Mitchell converted their efforts. It was a fascinating and tense opening 15 minutes as the score drawn at 0-2 each did no service to the action on show.
Ballyteague’s half-forward line were deep into their own half and working hard to make it difficult for the Meath outfit. And it is hard to say it wasn’t working as the intense defending forced wides and rushed shots at goal to great effect.
Ballyteague were soaking up the pressure and springing counter attacks, often led by the pacy Fionn Murphy and those moments were becoming more frequent as the half wore on. The scoring for the Kildare side was largely Hyland’s haul but the biggest ovation came on 23 minutes as Murphy broke away from three tackling defenders and about four fouls and struck an absolute beauty between the posts to give Ballyteague a two-point lead.
Ballyteague had a couple of what felt like momentum shifting moments but to the credit of Dunshaughlin they were always straight back on top of their opposition to stifle that forward progress. In response to Murphy’s superb score the eventual winners rattled off three scores in a row to restore their lead, pressuring and targeting the Ballyteague kickouts.
They were level at the break and Dunshaughlin would eventually pull away but nothing could be said about the effort put in by Ballyteague on the day. It is a disappointing result from them against a deserving winning team but in time it will do little to take the shine off a brilliant and historic year for The Larks.
Scorers
Dunshaughlin, John McDonagh 1-2, Matthew Costello 0-5 (0-3 frees), Aaron Murphy 0-4 (0-1 frees), Conor Gray 1-0, Luke Mitchell 0-3 (0-2 frees), Ruairí Kinsella 0-2, Niall Murphy 0-1, Matthew Moyles 0-1, Adam McDermott (0-1 frees).
Ballyteague, Jimmy Hyland 0-7 (0-5 frees), Fionn Murphy 0-2, Brian McGrath 0-1 (0-1 frees).
Teams
DUNSHAUGHLIN: Adam McDermott; Oisín Foley, Alastar Doyle, Niall Byrne; Ciarán McCarrick, Niall Murphy, Adam Kealy; Ben Duggan, Conor Gray; John McDonagh, Matthew Costello, Matthew Moyles; Conor Duke, Ruairí Kinsella, Luke Mitchell.
Subs: Aaron Murphy on for Luke Mitchell (Half time), David Fildes on for Ciarán McCarrick (49 minutes), Conor Jennings on for Oisin Foley (54 minutes), Jared Rushe on for Alastar Doyle (56 minutes).
BALLYTEAGUE: Derrick Mooney; Conor Mullaney, David Randles, Ryan Webb; Donal Dempsey, Paraic Hanley, Gary Nugent; Gerry Melia, Seamus Hanafin; Cian Loughlin, Brian McGrath, Stephen Ennis; Fionn Murphy, Tommy Callan, Jimmy Hyland.
Subs: Cathal Hanafin on for Tommy Callan (Half time), Conor Hanley on for Cian Loughlin (43 minutes), Glen Thorpe on for Ryan Webb (46 minutes), Stephen Connolly on for Gary Nugent (54 minutes), Niall Moran on for Donal Dempsey (59 minutes).
Referee: Fintan Pierce