Delight for Jude’s minor footballers securing championship

ST JUDE’S were crowned 2024 Dublin Minor A Football champions after a 4-05 to 0-08 win over St Patricks Donabate in O’Toole Park on Sunday morning.

The winning margin was tough on a St Pat’s team that more than held their own for the large part but the ability of their opponents to find the net at pivotal times ultimately proved the difference between the well-matched sides.

In what was a maiden Minor A final in either code, Jude’s dual player Callum Graham plundered a brace of goals in the first-half to hand his side a 2-02 to 0-03 half-time lead and Billy Shouldice was on the end of two excellent moves after the break to help secure his side a deserved success.

The final unsurprisingly began with both sides displaying nerves, before Jude’s opened the scoring through Hugh O’Neil after three minutes.

Donabate were enjoying their fair share of possession and they duly levelled matters two minutes later as Adam Conroy showed his talent with smart score on the turn.

Momentum swung back in Jude’s favour following a fortuitous goal and a penalty save from their keeper Joe Moore.

Matters deteriorated further for Pats in the 23rd minute as Graham highlighted his predatory instincts when he fired into the roof of the net after Collins had produced a superb save to deny O’Neill.

Five points separated the sides at the interval after an exchanging of points on the stroke of half time.

Donabate started the second-half on the front foot through a brace of scores from Conway and should have trimmed their arrears even further but for some hesitant attacking play.

In stark contrast, Jude’s were far more clinical in possession as they restored their healthy lead through the boot of Shouldice.

Fionn Hickey and Billy Standbridge took the fight to Jude’s, but their fate was effectively sealed following a fisted point from Shouldice following some good build up play.

Scores from Oisin Costello, Oisin O’Brien, Paddy Keighran and Oisin Gough put an added gloss on the scoreline for Jude’s, to secure a first ever Minor A football championship.

Speaking following the game, manager Ian Bassett said,” “It’s a huge achievement for the club because historically very few Dublin clubs win senior without winning a minor one first.”

“It shows the work the club has put in at underage, we have a huge juvenile section coming through so hopefully this is the start of something.”

Jude’s will also take part in a Minor A hurling final this weekend, with the opportunity to scoop the highest honour in both codes at the level, an achievement which has not been done for a number of years.

Juggling both codes may be seen as daunting for other clubs, but it is a reality for Jude’s.

“I’ve been involved for 14 years working with Sean McCarthy who is the Minor Hurling Manager, and we have a great relationship.

15 players from the Minor A winning side will take part in the hurling final at the weekend, as they look to become one of the few who have won the highest honour at both codes.