IFC final: Disappointment for Navan O'Mahony's

Duleek Bellewstown's Eamonn Armstrong and Duggie Dillon Navan O'Mahony's contest the second half throw in at Devenish Park

Navan O’Mahony’s 1-10
Duleek-Bellewstown 2-17

It wasn’t our day in the IFC Final in Dunganny on a bright Saturday afternoon, with O’Mahony’s struggling to get going throughout the match and a strong performance from Duleek-Bellewstown.

With a nervy start from both sides, there was no score for the opening nine minutes, in spite of opportunities for the two teams. Duleek-Bellewstown kicked the first score, a two-pointer, to get the scoreboard moving. Three minutes later, the sides were level again when Cormac Nugent scored twice in a minute, having been set up by Niall Higgins and Paddy Dillon.

Duleek-Bellewstown pushed on in the second quarter, kicking a two-pointer from play midway though the half and following up with four points from play and a free for the remainder. In the same period, O’Mahony’s added two with a free from Aodhán Mallon and point from Dillon, who had been set up by Ronan Clarke.

O’Mahony’s had a number of scoring opportunities gone astray in the first half with the wind against them. The ultimate winners could also have had several more scores in the opening half, with Conor Brady and Darragh Murphy making some impressive blocks and interceptions.

Navan O’Mahony’s 0-04
Duleek-Bellewstown 0-09

O’Mahony’s were facing an uphill battle but the opening ten minutes of the second half were by far their strongest of the match. Dillon reduced the gap to a single score with a two-pointer from play before Evan Coffey equalised a minute later with an impressive goal. 

Duleek-Bellewstown edged ahead again with a point before Jamie O’Reilly made a good save to deny a goal. Robbie Keelaghan, who had been introduced at half time, levelled the sides again with a well-taken score and on the forty-minute mark O’Mahony’s took the lead when Darragh Maguire found Niall McGrane with a pass.

A minute later, Mallon kicked a two-pointer from play and it looked like the momentum, along with the wind, was in O’Mahony’s favour. Duleek-Bellewstown were undeterred however and kicked three points from play in the next eight minutes.

O’Mahony’s didn’t score again for the remainder of the match and when they needed a score, it was Duleek-Bellewstown who found the net. From here, they managed to keep the scoreboard ticking over. A penalty in injury time put the game beyond O’Mahony’s reach and it was Duleek-Bellewstown who were celebrating at Andrew Smith’s final whistle.

Navan O’Mahony’s: Jamie O’Reilly, Darragh Murphy, Paddy Dillon (0-03, 1 2P), Conor Brady, Darragh Maguire, Niall McGrane (0-01), Sean Betson, Niall Higgins, Aodhán Mallon (0-03, 1 2P, 1F), Ivo Fitzherbert, Jack Quinn, Duggie Dillon, Ronan Clarke, Evan Coffey (1-0), Cormac Nugent (0-02)

Robbie Keelaghan (0-01) for Clarke, Eoghan Nugent for Maguire, Conor Finnegan for Fitzherbert, Christy Dillon for Quinn, Shane McCarthy for Dillon