Dunloy 2-13 Portumna 2-10: The manicured Clones pitch, normally used for football, lent itself to sideline cuts and there was none as spectacular as, or more influential than, that from which Dunloy corner back Paudie McMullan struck a massive second-half point to inspire the Ulster champions to victory and a fourth St Patrick's Day All-Ireland club final place.
The 5,000 crowd were left in awe by the brilliance of McMullan's score, as was the former Offaly All Star Joachim Kelly, who trains the Portumna team.
Of course Kelly rued the point - scored from almost halfway - but admitted it was "pure class, truly an inspirational score".
Dunloy trailed by 2-3 to 1-8 seven minutes into the second half when McMullan produced his moment of magic, which for good measure helped compensate for the poisonous atmosphere that marked the end of the first half, when players and officials got embroiled in an ugly, 40-second altercation.
The score also led to a terrific patch by the Ulster champions,seven points on the trot within as many minutes that left Portumna dizzy and groping to find a counter-punch. That blitz meant Dunloy, the more experienced side, leapfrogged from two points down to five ahead.
McMullan's wonder point was followed up in rapid succession by points from Paddy Richmond, Conor Cunning, substitute Darren Quinn, Colm McGuckian, Richmond again, and goalkeeper Gareth McGhee, who came outfield to drive a long-distance free between the Portumna posts.
Kelly's post-match comment was valid. "We could have sneaked it," he said and added: "We were caught for two goals."
Perhaps the trainer was thinking of Ollie Canning's off-target shot in the closing stages that whizzed past the far post of McGhee's goal.
Frank Canning, Kevin Hayes and Andrew Smith had got Portumna back to within three points when Ollie Canning's luck ran out.
When that aforementioned mêlée - after the half-time whistle - had ended, Westmeath referee Barry Kelly appeared to book three players: Colm McGuckian (Dunloy) and Kevin Hayes and Ollie Canning (Portumna). The feeling is, however, that sterner action will follow on foot of the referee's report and video evidence.
"It hadn't got any bearing on the result, it was history," said Joachim Kelly afterwards.
Dunloy's manager, Seán McLean, confirmed the booked players as his own number 11 (Colm McGuckian) and Portumna's number 14 (Kevin Hayes) and number six (Ollie Canning).
The fear that there would be more trouble in the second half proved unfounded, for apart from that regrettable fracas the match was played in a thoroughly sporting manner.
McLean said: "We were fired up for the second half. I told the players to be patient at half-time and just remember that we did not train all winter to lose out here. Our experience stood to us today and we were confident that we were going to take them in the second half."
That second period was clearly Dunloy's best spell. They lost out on good chances for scores in the first half yet led at half-time by 2-3 to 1-5 after Colm McGuckian slapped home a Martin Curry cross for the lead goal going into injury time at the end of the opening period.
Dunloy were beaten by Birr after a replay in the 1995 decider,lost to Sixmilebridge two years later and lost again in the final last year to Birr.
DUNLOY: G McGhee (0-1 free); P McMullan (0-1 line ball), S Mullan, F McMullan; D McMullan, Gary O'Kane (0-1 free), M Molloy; C Cunning (0-1), M McClement; N Elliott, C McGuckian (1-2), P Richmond (1-3); M Curry, Greg O'Kane (0-3), A Elliott. Subs: D Quinn (0-1) for N Elliott (37 mins).
PORTUMNA: I Canning; M Gill, E Lynch, E McEntee; P Treacy, O Canning (0-1), A O'Donnell; D Canning (0-2 one free), L Smith; F Canning (0-3 frees), I Muldoon, D Hayes (1-1); N Hayes, K Hayes (1-1 point free), A Smith (0-2 one free). Sub: V Treacy for F Canning (52 mins).
Referee: B Kelly (Westmeath).
