Jude’s surge topples Templeogue
By Fergus Balfe
THREE goals in two minutes saw St Jude’s seize control late on in a well-fought battle against Templeogue Synge Street, eventually winning out 7-10 and 4-7 in the Under 15A Football Shield Final , at St Paul’s School, Greenhills on Sunday, writes Fergus Balfe.
In damp conditions, the lead changed hands regularly throughout the high-scoring encounter, but it was Jude’s, led by forwards Kamen Bagnall and captain Padraic McNally, who eventually put some daylight between the sides on the scoreboard to prevail and clinch the prize.
St Jude's players and management are all smiles after seeing off the challenge of their neighbours to win the title
St Jude’s were first off the mark as industrious half back Niall Begley drew a foul for Bagnall to convert, before unselfishly feeding McNally to finish low into the corner moments later for an early goal.
Templeogue soon replied with sharpshooting free-taker Fintan Dignam notching his first points of the day, before a long-range effort from dangerous full forward James O’Brien dropped short, but Jude’s goalkeeper Ben Whelan could only parry it into the net.
Half-forward Dignam added two further excellent frees to put his side three points ahead, before Jude’s levelled with a great goal, when McNally and Bagnall combined down the right before the latter picked out corner forward Michael Foley to fire home.
Foley then traded points with opposing full forward Henry Horne, before Synge Street forward Seán Cooney was next to find the net, as he held off the challenge of full back Rossa Nicoletti to squeeze the ball past Whelan once more.
End-to-end
The game continued to be end-to-end, and it did not take long for Jude’s to equalise once again, as Bagnall finished off a powerful surge forward by blasting an unstoppable shot into the net.
It was a similar story after the interval, as Bagnall and half-forward Michael Lawlor slotted over, before Templeogue half-back Scott McConnell slid the ball into the corner on the rebound after an initial Whelan save.
At the other end, Begley found Foley to shoot from the left, and despite a good save from goalkeeper Niall Fitzgibbon, the rebound was dispatched by McNally for his second goal of the game.
Dignam and McNally kept the scores ticking over, before Templeogue corner forward Seán Kenny placed a shot into the corner past a static goalkeeper from the right, meaning there was nothing between the teams once again.
However, the Tymon Park side then managed to string together consecutive quickfire scores to take the game by the scruff of the neck, the first of which was blasted in by Foley after good work on the left.
Fumbled into the net
This was followed moments later by a carbon-copy of an earlier Templeogue goal, as the impressive Bagnall’s shot dropped under the bar before it was fumbled into the net.
Soon after substitute midfielder Daniel Lehane’s burst forward ended with his shot finding its way in after a deflection.
This prolific two-minute period virtually put the game out of reach for Templeogue, and their task got even harder when James O’Brien was shown a second yellow card as tempers flared.
Indeed, there was just time for Bagnall to notch three further points to add gloss to a flattering scoreline, before captain McNally collected the Shield for Jude’s.
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