Wolfe Tones 1-9

St Peter’s Dunboyne 0-9

Paul Keane reports from Páirc Tailtean

MANAGING TEAMS to county senior title successes is what Micheal McDermott does best and the Cavan man has worked his magic again, guiding underdogs Wolfe Tones to an unlikely Meath SFC breakthrough.

Former Clare manager McDermott steered teams in Clare (Kilmurry-Ibrickane), Cavan (Ramor United) and Limerick (Monaleen) to senior wins over the years though this may go down as his greatest achievement.

Tones, with a solitary title to their name from 2006, were relatively long-shots for championship success at the beginning of the season though they took out holders Ratoath in the semi-finals and held firm to see off 2018 winners St Peter’s, Dunboyne.

Centre-back Shane Glynn was Man of the Match and raised the cup jointly afterwards with ex-Meath attacker Cian Ward who performed strongly as well, contributing two points.

It wasn’t a game that will live too long in the memory for neutrals with Tones restricting Dunboyne to just four points from open play.

In truth, it was a tense arm wrestle for much of the hour with Saran O Fionnagain’s seventh-minute goal for Tones ultimately separating the teams and providing a cushion for McDermott’s side throughout.

They finished the first half strongly with points from O Fionnagain, Ward, Thomas O’Reilly and Padraic Diamond to lead 1-5 to 0-4 at the interval and remained two clear after the second water break.

Dunboyne, managed by Conor O’Dononghue and with Meath captain Shane McEntee in their ranks, badly needed a goal and threw the kitchen sink at Tones late on in search of a major but it never arrived.

Free-taker Donal Lenihan was their main man in attack with 0-6 though all but a point of that tally came from placed balls.

With three Ward brothers in action for Tones and father Philip on the sideline as part of McDermott’s backroom, they secured a landmark win with points from Cian and Caolan Ward late on.

Wolfe Tones scorers: Saran O Fionnagain 1-2, Thomas O’Reilly 0-2, Cian Ward 0-2 (0-2f), Padraic Diamond 0-1, Niall O’Reilly 0-1, Caolan Ward 0-1 (0-1f).

St Peter’s, Dunboyne scorers: Donal Lenihan 0-6 (0-5f), Craig Lowndes 0-1, Stuart Lowndes 0-1, Conor Doran 0-1.

WOLFE TONES

1. Cian Farnan

21. Robert White
6. Shane Glynn
3. Adam O’Neill

5. Niall O’Reilly
7. Daniel O’Neill
4. Conor Sheppard

8. Padraic Diamond
9. Alan Callaghan

10. Stephen Sheppard
11. Cian Ward
12. Thomas O’Reilly

18. Oisin Martin
15. Saran O Fionnagain
14. Cian O’Neill

Subs:
13. Caolan Ward for Martin (46)
25. Fiachra Ward for O’Neill (51)
2. Brughach O Fionnagain for D O’Neill (57)
28. Eanna O’Kelly Lynch for White (61)

St Peter’s, Dunboyne

1. Cian Flynn

5. Sean Ryan
2. Seamus Lavin
4. Jordan McLoughlin

3. Gavin McCoy
6. Craig Lowndes
12. Conor Doran

7. Shane McEntee
8. Jack Donnelly

10. Stuart Lowndes
11. Cathal Finn
9. Ronan Jones

14. Conor Bradley
15. Donal Lenihan
21. David McEntee

Subs:
19. Liam Byrne for Donnelly (29)
13. Cathal Lacey for Finn (h/t)
23. Michael Murphy for D McEntee (45)
22. Jack Scannell for Ryan (46)
17. Niall Jones for Bradley (54)

Referee: Patrick Coyle (Curraha).