Defeat for Scoil Uí Chonaill in Leinster Intermediate Football Final

ALLENWOOD 4-12 

SCOIL UÍ CHONAILL 3-5

Scoil Uí Chonaill’s hopes of claiming the AIB Leinster Intermediate Football Championship title were dashed on Saturday afternoon as they succumbed to Allenwood by ten points in their entertaining decider at Parnell Park.

The concession of two goals before the interval proved a body blow from which Scoil never truly recovered and their inability to score in the third quarter saw their opponents build on an unassailable lead.

For Scoil, who had delivered some incredible comebacks during their campaign to date, the bridge proved too far as they had to concede second best to a talented Allenwood side.

It was the Kildare champions that opened the scoring in the 2^nd minute through an Eoin Bagnall free only for Scoil to restore parity only for Brendan Murray to level matters two minutes later with an excellent point from play.

The first goal of the game arrived in the 6^th minute as Scoil opened up a three-point lead through full-forward Colm Geraghty but their concentration lapsed in the immediate aftermath, allowing Bagnall to fire home for Allenwood.

An Emmet Rogan free edged Scoil back in front as the contest settled to a large degree with parity restored once again by the end of the first quarter as Bagnall popped over his second free of the half.

The lull didn’t last too long however as the Dublin champions restored their three-point advantage in the 17^th minute as Kevin Cagney netted and that lead could and should have been doubled in an instant.

Scoil were awarded a penalty following a foul on but the normally reliable Andy Bunyan arrowed his spot kick narrowly wide to offer Allenwood an immediate reprieve.

Arron Dunne kicked Allenwood’s first point from play to reduce their arrears to two points by the 19^th minute but Robert Kennedy replied two minutes later as Scoil maintained a tangible grip on proceedings.

The nip and tuck continued as Cagney and Darragh Malone exchanged points but a defensive lapse from Scoil was punished in the 26^th minute as substitute Mark Delaney made an instant impact when firing past Bunyan for a levelling score.

Bagnall nudged Allenwood in front two minutes later and matters deteriorated for Scoil approaching the break as Bagnall’s point attempt cannoned from the upright into the grateful hands of Dunne, who made no mistake from close range.

Trailing by 3-5 to 2-4 at the break, Scoil saw their deficit widen in the 32^nd minute with Bagnall once again on target and Allenwood continued to control matters as Malone pushed his team six points clear by the 38^th minute.

The evergreen Johnny Doyle was beginning to exert a strong influence for Allenwood as a free from Dunne pushed then further clear and matters looked bleak for Scoil by the end of the third quarter as a Johnny Byrne free saw them trail by 3-9 to 2-4.

A long-distance free by Bunyan finally opened Scoil’s second-half account in the 48^th minute but it proved an isolated moment of encouragement as Doyle gained tangible reward for his efforts with a smart score a minute later.

The contest continued to move away from Scoil Uí Chonaill as Bagnall kicked two points from play in quick succession although they were offered a glimmer of hope as Rogan netted in the 54^th minute.

That glimmer was dimmed immediately however as Allenwood plundered a fourth goal through Billy Maher two minutes later, putting the seal on a dominant second-half showing by the winners.

Scorers – Allenwood: E Bagnall 1-5 (0-2f), A Dunne 1-2 (0-1f), B Maher 1-1, M Delaney 1-0, D Malone 0-2, J Byrne (f), J Doyle 0-1 apiece. Scoil Ui Chonaill, E Rogan (0-1f), K Cagney 1-1 apiece, C Geraghty 1-0, B Murray, R Kennedy, A Bunyan (f) 0-1 apiece.

ALLENWOOD: L Anderson; F Moran, S Moran, B Hanafey; G Malone, D Malone, R Guilfoyle; J Doyle, R Moran; A Dunne, J Byrne, B Maher; C Denagher, E Bagnall, E Judge. Subs: M Delaney for G Malone (25), C Moran for E Judge (49), J O'Brien for Denagher (52), D Judge for Dunne (54), D Byrne for Maher (58).

SCOIL UI CHONAILL: A Bunyan; B Moloney, M Tierney, P Conlon; A McCrea, B Fleming, S Costello; K Cagney, N Doherty; E Rogan, R Keane, B Murray; N O'Flynn, C Geraghty, R Kennedy. Subs: E Doyle for Doherty (half-time), C Coady for Keane (half-time), C Dixon for Neil O'Flynn (39), B O'Connell for B Murray (54).

Referee: Fintan Pierce (Offaly).