Dunshaughlin 0-13 Mattock Rangers 0-7
Dunshaughlin took their first Leinster club football title in Navan this afternoon, ensuring Mattock Rangers initial taste of a provincial final was a bitter one.
Dunshaughlin took their first Leinster club football title in Navan this afternoon, ensuring Mattock Rangers initial taste of a provincial final was a bitter one.
With both clubs appearing at this level for the first time it was Mattock Rangers who made the brighter opening in their bid to secure the Andy Merrigan Cup, kicking two points in the opening minutes to put their opponents on the back foot.
But that proved to be a false dawn for the Louth club as Dunshaughlin quickly exerted their dominance, chasing feverishly to fight for possession and using the ball intelligently when it was won.
Indeed, Rangers could only add one further score in the first period as Dunshaughlin opened up a five point (0-8 0-3) half-time lead inspired by their ever prominent man-of-the-match Richie Kealy.
After the break, Mattock again opened the scoring but Dunshaughlin came back once more, extending their advantage and opening a seven point lead with 10 minutes remaining.
The men from Collon tried vainly to mount an unlikely comeback, three points in quick succession bridging the gap, but again Kealy stemmed the tide and Dunshaughlin ran out convincing winners.