Trailing by a point deep into injury-time yesterday afternoon in Thurles and on the brink of a second Munster final defeat in the space of 24 months.
A major refereeing decision falls their way as the ball is moved up to within scoring range. A free 45 yards out, shifted to the right of goal, in two-point territory.
Pick one of the Geaneys that adorn their forward line to take the kick. Paul, the team captain and spiritual leader, who had despatch the only goal of the game in the first half? Dylan, the catalyst for their second-half fightback, who amassed 0-8 and minutes previously had launched over an outrageous shot with the outside of his right boot?
Instead the pressure was transferred to Conor, the most natural left-footer.
It had been hitherto a quiet afternoon for Geaney, others occupying the attacking limelight. He grabbed a through ball from younger brother Dylan three minutes in and clipped over a score from play. He popped over a close-range free in the 39th minute, at a stage of the game where Dingle were scrambling to keep St Finbarr’s within view.
But scoring opportunities and shots had been limited, one effort while off-balance earlier in the final quarter had been blocked down by the St Finbarr’s cover.
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And yet passing on the responsibility of the late kick was not an option he considered.
“That was biggest free I ever kicked or ever will kick. There was a small bit of nerves. I just wanted to get a good strike on it. I kept the head down. I didn’t really look straight away. I knew if I got a good strike on it it had a good chance of going over. There is a bit of a breeze there.
“I don’t really kick them off the ground. The easiest way was to throw it up and let the wind do the work. It was just getting it on target. There was never any issue with the distance.
“We’re absolutely over the moon. It’s the best day in the club’s history.”
Technique mixed with execution as Geaney’s kick comfortably cleared the crossbar. It brought him to 0-4 for the day, matching his return and the split in scoring sources from October’s Kerry final breakthrough at the expense of Austin Stacks, and came a fortnight after he bagged 2-2 in the Munster semi-final against Limerick’s Mungret.
Suddenly Dingle had edged a point ahead and seconds later the final whistle confirmed they were Munster senior club football champions for the first time in ther history.
On the Dingle sideline their manager Padraig Corcoran had full faith in his free-taker.
“Coming from that side of the field, Conor with his left foot. I think there was a bit of consultation between himself and Dylan. Dylan was kicking so well. Fair play to Conor because that was a huge pressure kick. He nailed it. It is a great sign of him.
“Credit to the players on the field, they had no doubt, they kept going to the very, very end and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Their heart and spirit that they showed, St Finbarr’s went up by seven twice and at times it didn’t look too good, they were holding the ball and they had a foothold in the middle of the field with kickouts.
“But I think in fairness to Gavin (Curran) in goals and the backs, they started working a few short kickouts. We got our hands on the ball and we were a bit better in possession. We didn’t turn over the ball and we just got a couple of scores that brought us into the game, and thankfully we finished strong.”
Two years ago they were floored by the manner in which they lost on penalties at this stage against Castlehaven. That afternoon the wind raged and they were lashed by showers of rain as they watched their opponents take the silverware.
The contrast was stark with yesterday, the winter sunshine breaking out as the Dingle camp embraced the feeling of being crowned Munster senior champions.
“Two years ago [Munster final loss] was the worst day for the club,” said Geaney.
“It was the worst feeling I ever had on the pitch. We had the best day about three weeks ago and now we have the best day ever.
“To get another crack at it and get over the line this time. We felt we did everything we could the last time. Maybe we just snuck it at the end (today), we just grinded it out.
“We might have felt a bit hard done by two years ago. We’re just absolutely delighted to sneak it.”
Geaney’s four points were priceless but his return was dwarfed by that produced on the opposition side. Steven Sherlock’s remarkable tally of 0-16 was a central reason why St Finbarr’s were in the ascendancy for so long.
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In the victorious Kerry camp, they saluted one of the all-time great Munster club final showings.
“Someone told me there he kicked 16 points,” stated Geaney.
“I never, ever heard of that. To kick 16 points and lose the game is just outrageous stuff.
“I thought we played decent in the first half but the two pointer frees that he kicked were just insane and then he kicked one in the second half. Every time that we got back within a few it was just like a dagger by him. Fair play to him. We were just delighted to get over the line.
“We lost a few finals, club finals, so we’ve been around the block long enough. We’re a good age now at this stage. We had that experience to get the job done today.”
October brought Kerry title glory, December delivered Munster final success.
A January All-Ireland semi-final awaits, Ballyboden St-Enda’s the next obstacle they will face.
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'That was biggest free I ever kicked. It’s the best day in the club’s history'
HERE’S THE SCENARIO facing Dingle.
Trailing by a point deep into injury-time yesterday afternoon in Thurles and on the brink of a second Munster final defeat in the space of 24 months.
A major refereeing decision falls their way as the ball is moved up to within scoring range. A free 45 yards out, shifted to the right of goal, in two-point territory.
Pick one of the Geaneys that adorn their forward line to take the kick. Paul, the team captain and spiritual leader, who had despatch the only goal of the game in the first half? Dylan, the catalyst for their second-half fightback, who amassed 0-8 and minutes previously had launched over an outrageous shot with the outside of his right boot?
Instead the pressure was transferred to Conor, the most natural left-footer.
It had been hitherto a quiet afternoon for Geaney, others occupying the attacking limelight. He grabbed a through ball from younger brother Dylan three minutes in and clipped over a score from play. He popped over a close-range free in the 39th minute, at a stage of the game where Dingle were scrambling to keep St Finbarr’s within view.
But scoring opportunities and shots had been limited, one effort while off-balance earlier in the final quarter had been blocked down by the St Finbarr’s cover.
And yet passing on the responsibility of the late kick was not an option he considered.
“That was biggest free I ever kicked or ever will kick. There was a small bit of nerves. I just wanted to get a good strike on it. I kept the head down. I didn’t really look straight away. I knew if I got a good strike on it it had a good chance of going over. There is a bit of a breeze there.
“I don’t really kick them off the ground. The easiest way was to throw it up and let the wind do the work. It was just getting it on target. There was never any issue with the distance.
“We’re absolutely over the moon. It’s the best day in the club’s history.”
Technique mixed with execution as Geaney’s kick comfortably cleared the crossbar. It brought him to 0-4 for the day, matching his return and the split in scoring sources from October’s Kerry final breakthrough at the expense of Austin Stacks, and came a fortnight after he bagged 2-2 in the Munster semi-final against Limerick’s Mungret.
Suddenly Dingle had edged a point ahead and seconds later the final whistle confirmed they were Munster senior club football champions for the first time in ther history.
On the Dingle sideline their manager Padraig Corcoran had full faith in his free-taker.
“Coming from that side of the field, Conor with his left foot. I think there was a bit of consultation between himself and Dylan. Dylan was kicking so well. Fair play to Conor because that was a huge pressure kick. He nailed it. It is a great sign of him.
“Credit to the players on the field, they had no doubt, they kept going to the very, very end and kept the scoreboard ticking over. Their heart and spirit that they showed, St Finbarr’s went up by seven twice and at times it didn’t look too good, they were holding the ball and they had a foothold in the middle of the field with kickouts.
“But I think in fairness to Gavin (Curran) in goals and the backs, they started working a few short kickouts. We got our hands on the ball and we were a bit better in possession. We didn’t turn over the ball and we just got a couple of scores that brought us into the game, and thankfully we finished strong.”
Two years ago they were floored by the manner in which they lost on penalties at this stage against Castlehaven. That afternoon the wind raged and they were lashed by showers of rain as they watched their opponents take the silverware.
The contrast was stark with yesterday, the winter sunshine breaking out as the Dingle camp embraced the feeling of being crowned Munster senior champions.
“Two years ago [Munster final loss] was the worst day for the club,” said Geaney.
“It was the worst feeling I ever had on the pitch. We had the best day about three weeks ago and now we have the best day ever.
“To get another crack at it and get over the line this time. We felt we did everything we could the last time. Maybe we just snuck it at the end (today), we just grinded it out.
“We might have felt a bit hard done by two years ago. We’re just absolutely delighted to sneak it.”
Geaney’s four points were priceless but his return was dwarfed by that produced on the opposition side. Steven Sherlock’s remarkable tally of 0-16 was a central reason why St Finbarr’s were in the ascendancy for so long.
In the victorious Kerry camp, they saluted one of the all-time great Munster club final showings.
“Someone told me there he kicked 16 points,” stated Geaney.
“I never, ever heard of that. To kick 16 points and lose the game is just outrageous stuff.
“I thought we played decent in the first half but the two pointer frees that he kicked were just insane and then he kicked one in the second half. Every time that we got back within a few it was just like a dagger by him. Fair play to him. We were just delighted to get over the line.
“We lost a few finals, club finals, so we’ve been around the block long enough. We’re a good age now at this stage. We had that experience to get the job done today.”
October brought Kerry title glory, December delivered Munster final success.
A January All-Ireland semi-final awaits, Ballyboden St-Enda’s the next obstacle they will face.
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club Conor Geaney Dingle GAA Munster