St Peter’s (Dunboyne) 1-11
Summerhill 0-9
Paul Keane reports from Pairc Tailteann, Navan
HE MADE HIS name initially on the Dublin club scene but Stuart Lowndes is quickly emerging as a key player across the border in Meath.
Three years after playing for Dublin against Meath in the 2015 O’Byrne Cup, Lowndes blasted the crucial goal that secured the Meath SFC title for Dunboyne’s St Peter’s club.
It’s only their third-ever title win — their first since 2005 — and it required a late burst of 1-2 without reply to shake off a determined Summerhill side in Navan.
Lowndes, older brother of Dublin star Eric, pounced on a loose ball in the 55th minute and blasted it to the net, turning a one-point lead into four.
Robert McCarthy scored his seventh point of the game shortly afterwards and Dunboyne held onto that five-point advantage to win by a slightly flattering margin.
It was an emotional win, also, for David Gallagher, the former Meath and Ireland goalkeeper, who is the only player to have featured in all three of the club’s title successes — the first way back in 1998.
Captain Cathal Finn gave a special mention to Sean Cox in his victory speech and urged supporters to remember the club official who was the victim of a high-profile attack in the UK earlier this year.
It wasn’t a classic encounter in truth and the Wexford representatives, who face Dunboyne in the Leinster club championship in a fortnight, won’t be intimidated by the task.
There were only nine points in the first half, four of them from frees, as Summerhill led 0-5 to 0-4.
Dunboyne began both halves with three unanswered points and took a 0-7 to 0-5 lead in the third quarter as they threatened to pull clear.
But Summerhill, champions in 2011 and 2013 and runners-up last year, refused to throw in the towel. Points from Padraig Geraghty and Barry Dardis tied it up at 0-9 apiece.
That was as good as it got for the ‘Hill as Cathal Lacey edged Dunboyne ahead before Lowndes, who previously played for St Peregrine’s in Dublin before transferring to nearby Dunboyne and representing Meath in early 2017, pounced on a breaking ball and blasted to the net.
Scorers for St Peter’s (Dunboyne): Robert McCarthy 0-7 (0-5f), Stuart Lowndes 1-0, Donal Lenihan 0-1 (0-1f), Liam Byrne 0-1, David McEntee 0-1, Cathal Lacey 0-1.
Scorers for Summerhill Barry Dardis 0-4 (4f), David Larkin 0-2, Michael Byrne 0-1, Sean Dalton 0-1, Padraig Geraghty 0-1.
St Peter’s (Dunboyne)
1. Cian Flynn
29. Cian O’Dwyer
7. Seamus Lavin
6. Gavin McCoy
5. Cathal Finn (C)
3. Shane McEntee
2. Sean Ryan
8. David Gallagher
9. Niall Jones
10. Stuart Lowndes
30. Ronan Jones
12. Liam Byrne
11. David McEntee
13. Robert McCarthy
15. Donal Lenihan
Subs: 19. Craig Lowndes for Ryan (44′); 20. Cathal Lacey for David McEntee (44′); 17. Conor Doran for Byrne (47′); 23. Shane Comiskey for Gallagher (52′); 18. Jack Donnelly for Niall Jones (58′); 4. Jack Scannell for O’Dwyer (63′)
Summerhill
1. Tony McDonnell
2. Iarla Hughes
3. Caolan Young
4. John Lavelle
7. Padraig Geraghty
6. Willie Ryan (C)
23. Ross Ryan
8. Michael Byrne
9. John Keane
10. Kevin Ryan
11. David Larkin
12. Cian Devlin
13. Sean Dalton
14. Barry Dardis
15. Davy Dalton
Subs: 17. Ronan Ryan for Lavelle (37′); 19. Ciaran Gillespie for Keane (44′); 5. Stephen Husband for Devlin (50′); 20. Paul Larkin for Sean Dalton (55′); 18. Liam Shaw for Kevin Ryan (56′)
Referee: Colm McManus (Gaeil Colmcille)
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Serious atmosphere here in Cavan. This is exactly where you want to be playing the All Ireland Champions. Whatever the result these games against the top 4 will stand to us in the summer months
It’s exactly the gate the county board needed as well
Mind blowing that people would actually travel to watch that rubbish sport.
@Ordinary lad: the much “hyped” Irish Rugby team lost yesterday. How much money do those lads earn?
Mind blowing that someone would take the time to open an article about a sport they consider to be ‘rubbish’ and then take the time to comment on it.
How can a team that receives €120k in funding compete against a team that receives €1.4million
Hahaha give over Al . Deep down you love the gaa
@Alan b..: Sure all the money we’ll be spending here we’ll double that funding for you pal ;)
a decent workout so far get rid of the Jamaican rum and redstripe against another nordie team who’s sole intention is to pull drag and hit off the ball.
Don’t know what game your watching. The hits off the ball have been 50:50.
Eh cavan is in the south of Ireland Einstein
fergal reilly should count himself lucky to share a pitch with these wonderful dublin footballers instead of going around like a drunk at a wedding looking for a fight.
That was stared by the Dublin man on the ground. You’re incredibly anti ulster football
And then mdma was the first man to get involved.
And who look for a figth at a wedding
ah lorcan stop it now.
fergal reilly would.
it’s north of me ya tit
@Alan b..: that explains why the dubs were late they looked at a map and headed north. When did this geographical transplant take place.
don’t be a tit like alan cavan play in ulster which is up north so they are nordies.
Cavan is not in Northern Ireland you don’t cross the border or use sterling
I didn’t say it was in Northern Ireland .
What do you mean by nordie then?if you are calling them that cos they’re north of you does that mean someone from cork would class Dublin as a nordie team
if they wanted to yes beacuse they would be northern to a Cork person now cavan is in ulster and part of the Republic of Ireland beacuse the brits didn’t want the kip so yes you are nordies which we where stuck with.
Stop you’re just embarrassing yourself
What part of Dublin are you from?
what difference does it make?
cavan play in the ulster champions with the other 8 nordie counties it’s no big deal just accept it is the way it is don’t be embarrassed alan.
All the complaints about dublins fans. Have any other county brought a few thousand fans with them today ?
@Gavin Byrne: In comparison Dublin have a fan base of about 10 times what other counties have. So of course they will bring large numbers with them.
Fair play today they really brought a fantastic atmosphere and plenty of money to Cavan town today
That a few time in the last three years the cavan has been delayed because of the fans.
If the dubs can’t make it to croke park on time how do you expect them to make it to cavan on time
@Lorcán Coyle: Should know by now that nothing in Cavan ever starts on time, nearest fifteen minutes, sure that’ll do.!!!
Ref jersey looks too like Dubs
We’ll save that excuse for later
Massive achievement if Roscommon can some how stay up in Division 1.
Lorcan are u watching the match