A second Dublin title for Cuala
Cuala secured their second ever PTSB Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship title with a 3-15 to 1-6 win over Castleknock at Parnell Park on Sunday afternoon, Dublin GAA reported.
The final scoreline was one-sided, but the opening minutes belonged to Castleknock. Lenny Cahill kicked the first score within forty seconds, and Conor Chawke doubled the Castleknock lead after two minutes, according to the Dublin GAA report.
Cuala’s reply came through Niall O’Callaghan in the fifth minute, after a strong burst by Charlie McMorrow, the report said. McMorrow then pointed himself to level matters by the seventh minute.
From there, the report describes a game that moved steadily away from Castleknock.
The penalty that changed the first half
Con O’Callaghan palmed over the crossbar in the 13th minute to put Cuala ahead for the first time, Dublin GAA reported. A Dan O’Sullivan score doubled the lead in the 19th minute, and an Eoin Kennedy two-pointer soon after reflected Cuala’s growing superiority, the report said.
The Dublin GAA report said Con O’Callaghan converted a free after being fouled himself in the 22nd minute, and from the next attack he was fouled close to goal. He hammered the resultant penalty high past John Vahey in the 23rd minute.
With Castleknock scoreless for 29 minutes, Cuala added points through Michael Fitzsimons and McMorrow to lead 1-9 to 0-2 at half-time, according to the report.
Castleknock’s goal, and Cuala’s answer
Rob Shaw pointed within two minutes of the restart for Castleknock, but Con O’Callaghan, from a free, and Eoghan O’Callaghan replied for Cuala, the report said. Fitzsimons added another Cuala score in the 40th minute.
Castleknock were handed a lifeline three minutes later. A Senan Forker point attempt dropped short, and Kevin Stephenson turned sharply before scoring a goal past Darragh O’Dowd from eight yards, according to Dublin GAA.
That hope did not last. Con O’Callaghan, from a free, and substitute Jamie Conroy pointed early in the final quarter, and O’Callaghan kicked his third free of the half in the 49th minute to restore a twelve-point lead, the report said.
Even a missed second penalty did not change the direction of the final. In the 53rd minute, the Dublin GAA report said, O’Callaghan saw his second penalty cannon off the crossbar, the rebound fell into his path, and he scored to take his personal tally to 2-5.
Conroy then slipped through on goal in the 57th minute to score Cuala’s third goal past Vahey, according to the report.
Castleknock added late scores through Ger McDermottroe and Chawke, Dublin GAA reported, but had to concede second best to Cuala.
Scorers from the Dublin GAA report
Dublin GAA listed the scorers as follows. For Cuala: C. O’Callaghan 2-5 (1-0 penalty, 0-4 frees); J. Conroy 1-1; M. Fitzsimons, E. Kennedy (1 two-pointer) and C. McMorrow 0-2 each; E. O’Callaghan, D. O’Sullivan and N. O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
For Castleknock: K. Stephenson 1-0; G. McDermottroe (1 two-pointer) and C. Chawke 0-2 each; R. Shaw and L. Cahill 0-1 each.
The referee was Ian Howley of O’Dwyer’s, according to the Dublin GAA report.
The report said Cuala look set for an extended run through Leinster. That is Dublin GAA’s assessment in its match report, and it is the note on which a Dublin club final should end: champions at Parnell Park, and a provincial campaign next for the Dalkey side.
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