Dunboyne (Meath) 2-13
Kinsale (Cork) 2-12
Emma Duffy reports from Parnell Park
AFTER WINNING THE All-Ireland junior title in 2015, Dunboyne today added the intermediate crown to their cabinet with a one-point win over Kinsale.
Both sides have rocketed into the intermediate grade to take it by storm. Kinsale were All-Ireland finalists last year beaten on the day by Dublin’s St Maur’s.
It was a thriller from start to finish in Parnell Park, the sides level on six occasions.
Dunboyne did just enough to hold on as Dee Blayney bagged the winner and Annie Moffatt lifted the cup to roars from a strong travelling crowd.
In a Player of the Match performance, Vikki Wall was pivotal and accounted for 1-2. Emma Duggan hit the same tally, her early goal giving the champions the dream start.
It was Dunboyne who got out of the blocks the quickest, Aoife Thompson drawing first blood before Duggan rattled the net.
At the other end, it took Kinsale 10 minutes to settle into the game before Cork star Orla Finn — who finished with 1-5 — split the posts to open their account.
From there, they took off and registered a further 1-3 in four minutes.
Sadhbh O’Leary, who was key for the Cork minor side this year as they won a third successive All-Ireland crown in August, slotted home before adding a point moments later.
Finn and Faye Ahern tagged on two more before Wall, who also performed well with Meath this summer, opened her account through a free to keep Dunboyne in touch.
Finn almost hit Kinsale’s second goal of the game to add to Aoife Thompson’s previous pointed free, but Aisling Judge did well to deny her on that occasion.
Moments later however, she struck a fatal blow after some strong running through the middle by centre-half forward Jenny Murphy.
Kinsale’s Ellen Murphy and captain Aoife Keating got their name on the scoresheet, while early goalscorer Duggan and Fiona O’Neill kept matters ticking over at the other end.
Brendan Quinn’s Dunboyne side rallied on as half-time approached, Wall rounding Alison O’Sullivan to rip the net before O’Neill levelled matters at 2-7 a-piece as the whistle sounded.
On the restart, it was tit-for-tat.
Duggan opened proceedings before O’Leary responded with a well-taken point at the other end.
Wall and Sinéad Hackett edged the Meath and Leinster kingpins ahead before Keating and Finn combined to level matters once again.
Thompson stood up for her fourth of the day when it mattered most, launching the ball high and over the bar from distance with 15 minutes to go.
For the fifth time in the clash, the scoreline was levelled through a Finn free while O’Neill edged Dunboyne one up at the opposite end.
With fresh legs introduced, a nervy final 10 minutes ensued.
O’Leary struck level before Dunboyne midfielder Dee Blayney pulled off a huge effort to keep her side’s noses in front.
And that was to be the last score of the match despite no shortage of excitement in the closing stages. Dunboyne held on as the clock ran down for jubilant scenes at Parnell Park.
Scorers for Dunboyne: Aoife Thompson (0-4, 2f), Vikki Wall (1-2, 1f), Emma Duggan (1-2), Fiona O’Neill (0-3), Sinéad Hackett (0-1), Dee Blayney (0-1).
Scorers for Kinsale: Orla Finn (1-5, 2f), Sadhbh O’Leary (1-3), Aoife Keating (0-2)Faye Ahern (0-1), Ellen Murphy (0-1).
Dunboyne
1. Alison O’Sullivan
2. Rachel McDermott
3. Emma O’Byrne
4. Claire Barker
5. Beibhinn Hickey
6. Elaine Doyle
7. Annie Moffatt — captain
8. Dee Blayney
9. Julie Kavanagh
10. Emma Duggan
11. Shelly Melia
12. Sinéad Hackett
13. Fiona O’Neill
14. Vikki Wall
15. Aoife Thompson
Subs
24. Kate Birmingham for Rachel McDermott (39)
20. Carol Keenan for Beibhinn Hickey (40)
21. Alison Jones for Julie Kavanagh (54)
Kinsale
1. Aisling Judge
2. Emma O’Brien
3. Tracey McCarthy
20. Georgia Gould
5. Aideen Lynch
6. Caoimhe O’Callaghan
7. Christine Keohane
8. Nicole Quinn
9. Lorraine Copithorne
10. Ellen Murphy
11. Jenny Murphy
12. Faye Ahern
13. Aoife Keating — captain
14. Orla Finn
15. Sadhbh O’Leary
Subs
17. Georgina Buckley for Ellen Murphy (39)
30. Juliette Cronin f0r Aoife Keating (52)
19. Dara Tyner for Georgia Gould (55)
4. Aisling Lee for Lorraine Copithorne (59)
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down)
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