In a game as pulsating as yesterday’s Munster club final, there is a lot to digest and the heat emanating from the finale will take some time to cool.
Several conclusions can be true. The game had reached such a delicate point on the scoreboard due to Dingle’s stirring last quarter revival and St Finbarr’s ineffectiveness at managing the game. For instance William Buckley produced a terrific performance but his accuracy let him down twice in injury time in front of goal, while the Cork champions also only scored one point in the last 22 minutes of action. Dingle were aggrieved over the two-point frees St Finbarr’s were awarded in the first half, the second one for a foul by Matthew Flaherty on Luke Hannigan looked the most debatable.
And yet the match ultimately boiled down to the 50 metre advancement rule. St Finbarr’s had benefited in the 58th minute when play was moved up to present a chance for Steven Sherlock. Kicking into the Killinan End was trickier on the day though, as evidenced by eight of the nine two-pointers being registered into the Town End goal.
Then in the 63rd minute came the most contentious decision. The first element was the major call by Chris Maguire to penalise Ian Maguire for over-carrying, a scenario that could easily have resulted in a free the other way, particularly as it looked like Mark O’Connor’s wrap and Dylan Geaney’s push may have been interpreted as fouls. When the ball rolled loose and was picked up by Dylan Quinn, did the St Finbarr’s defender think his team had been awarded a free?
By grabbing the ball, he invited the call from the referee to judge he had not handed the ball back properly. Yet the split-second nature of the play and Dingle defender Brian O’Connor’s role in pressurising Quinn with arms outstretched, meant it didn’t feel this was the type of blatantly cynical delaying of a kick that the FRC sought to eliminate by introducing this rule.
The rule is well-intended and has been a major success in 2025 in cleaning up an ugly element of Gaelic football. In this instance was the punishment disproportionate?
That can be acknowledged while also saluting the resultant kick. Conor Geaney had not been the game’s dominant performer and was only taking his second free of the afternoon, but he held his nerve and demonstrated flawless technique to send his shot sailing over.
Dingle's match-winner Conor Geaney. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
2. The Sherlock-Geaney scoring shows
The gripping drama at the finish in Semple Stadium should not totally overshadow what had gone before, and in particular two stunning individual displays of score-taking.
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Steven Sherlock was devastated accepting his man-of-the-match award, but his 0-16 tally was impossible for the TG4 judges to ignore, even if the St Finbarr’s player had suffered defeat. He brought his Munster club return across three games to 0-31 with ten two-pointers registered in the championship. Sherlock raised six orange flags yesterday, showcasing his supreme range and accuracy from both placed ball and frees.
The pick of the bunch though was the point he clipped over off his left just before half-time, gliding along the wing past Dingle defensive challenges before scoring. In the first half he struck 0-12, seven scores from nine shots, and then hit 0-4 in the second half, three scores from five shots. A couple of dead balls went astray late on, but that is nitpicking after such a stellar individual showing.
Steven Sherlock of St Finbarr's in action. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
In opposition, one of the most critical factors in tipping the game towards Dingle was how Dylan Geaney hauled himself and his team into the game in the second half. He nailed an early point and set up one for older brother Conor, but in general was peripheral to the first-half play. But that didn’t inhibit him after the break, setting the tone by sweetly striking over points off left and right inside the first four minutes of the second half.
In total he fired 0-8 in the second half, six scores from seven shots, and bagged a pair of sublime two-pointers from the right wing, chiefly ensuring the Dingle hopes of success remained to the end.
3. Magical Saturday night for the Martin’s
Dingle’s wild celebrations at landing their first provincial title, mirrored those in the Leinster hurling equivalent on Saturrday night. St Martin’s prevailed after a terrific contest, the trophy a reward for their efforts, not just on the night but in this provincial campaign. When you defeat two of the last three All-Ireland club champions, both by a one-point margin, en route to being crowned winners, you have earned that tag.
St Martin's celebrate their Leinster final victory. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
Ballyhale Shamrocks status as Leinster and national market leaders made them a daunting prospect to face. Ben Stafford joins Ballygunner’s Harry Ruddle from 2022 as the marksmen that have delivered stunning late scores that have downed Ballyhale, remarkably the only two defeats the Kilkenny powerhouse have suffered in Croke Park.
But while it required a late scoring touch, St Martin’s were full value for landing the prize. The O’Connor brothers were in sensational form. Rory fired 0-11, including the score of the night in the second half adjacent to the Hogan Stand, while Jack smashed over six from play to land the man-of-the-match award. His interview after receiving that accolade spoke volumes, the emotion pouring out after his club enjoyed their greatest hurling day.
"Everybody in the stand. Everybody on the field. The people at home. I can't describe it..." St Martin's Man of the Match Jack O'Connor was a study in emotion after the Wexford champions' incredible Leinster triumph. | #RTEgaapic.twitter.com/anYe8m6cxf
O’Connor is getting married this Friday to Kilkenny camogie star Grace Walsh, before an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Ballygunner the weekend after.
The St Martin’s dream campaign keeps rolling on.
4. Ballyboden’s brilliance shines through
If the margins were wafer-thin in the Leinster hurling and Munster football deciders, it was more clearcut at Leinster football level in determining the victors. Ballyboden St-Enda’s supremacy ensured there was no mystery over the outcome. They had seven to spare at the end, but it was the 1-9 to 0-1 scoreboard position across the 20-minute period after the break, that truly expressed the power they possessed.
That theme of control was reinforced when considering this was the sixth Leinster senior title in a row claimed by the Dublin champions. It is the third such victory Ballyboden have enjoyed across the last ten seasons. They converted their 2015 breakthrough into an All-Ireland title, their hopes of adding to it subsequently foiled by Kilcoo in the January 2020 semi-final.
The Basquels, Ross McGarry, and Alex Gavin supply strong Dublin county experience, while Ryan Baynes (Mayo), Pa Warren (Kerry), Cein D’Arcy (Galway), and Peter Healy (Antrim) have added to the potency of their mix. This victory solidifies their position as All-Ireland favourites.
Céin D'arcy, Peter Healy and Patrick Warren of Ballyboden St Enda's celebrate. James Lawlor / INPHO
James Lawlor / INPHO / INPHO
5. Kilkenny veterans victorious once more
After their celebrated inter-county careers where they achieved the greatest honours in the game and starred in the biggest arenas, comes another chapter in the careers of Richie Hogan and Paul Murphy. With their Kilkenny careers parked, it is club matters that consume them and they are still finding a way to grab Leinster medals.
Danesfort’s intermediate final win yesterday in Navan was a remarkable feat for Hogan as he had been absent all year, only able to return recently to train with the squad, but still possessing the razor-sharp scoring instints as he grabbed 1-1 in his cameo off the bench, with older brother Paddy starting in goal.
"Cometh the hour, cometh the man"💪
Richie Hogan reeling back the years as he turns the ball over and sends it home for @DanesfortCLG 🟡⚫️
The success was more significant for Murphy, the centre-back who jointly lifted the trophy afterwards, a piece of silverware named after his father Tommy, who passed away in 2004.
“How many times in our lifetime are you going to see a fella lift his father’s cup?” said Hogan afterwards.
“That’s just magnificent stuff.”
They’ve one more assignment to close out 2025 with an All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary’s Upperchurch-Drombane on the weekend before Christmas.
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Two-point debates, Dingle and St Martin's celebrate milestone wins, super Sherlock
1. Late Thurles drama sparks debate
In a game as pulsating as yesterday’s Munster club final, there is a lot to digest and the heat emanating from the finale will take some time to cool.
Several conclusions can be true. The game had reached such a delicate point on the scoreboard due to Dingle’s stirring last quarter revival and St Finbarr’s ineffectiveness at managing the game. For instance William Buckley produced a terrific performance but his accuracy let him down twice in injury time in front of goal, while the Cork champions also only scored one point in the last 22 minutes of action. Dingle were aggrieved over the two-point frees St Finbarr’s were awarded in the first half, the second one for a foul by Matthew Flaherty on Luke Hannigan looked the most debatable.
And yet the match ultimately boiled down to the 50 metre advancement rule. St Finbarr’s had benefited in the 58th minute when play was moved up to present a chance for Steven Sherlock. Kicking into the Killinan End was trickier on the day though, as evidenced by eight of the nine two-pointers being registered into the Town End goal.
Then in the 63rd minute came the most contentious decision. The first element was the major call by Chris Maguire to penalise Ian Maguire for over-carrying, a scenario that could easily have resulted in a free the other way, particularly as it looked like Mark O’Connor’s wrap and Dylan Geaney’s push may have been interpreted as fouls. When the ball rolled loose and was picked up by Dylan Quinn, did the St Finbarr’s defender think his team had been awarded a free?
By grabbing the ball, he invited the call from the referee to judge he had not handed the ball back properly. Yet the split-second nature of the play and Dingle defender Brian O’Connor’s role in pressurising Quinn with arms outstretched, meant it didn’t feel this was the type of blatantly cynical delaying of a kick that the FRC sought to eliminate by introducing this rule.
The rule is well-intended and has been a major success in 2025 in cleaning up an ugly element of Gaelic football. In this instance was the punishment disproportionate?
That can be acknowledged while also saluting the resultant kick. Conor Geaney had not been the game’s dominant performer and was only taking his second free of the afternoon, but he held his nerve and demonstrated flawless technique to send his shot sailing over.
2. The Sherlock-Geaney scoring shows
The gripping drama at the finish in Semple Stadium should not totally overshadow what had gone before, and in particular two stunning individual displays of score-taking.
Steven Sherlock was devastated accepting his man-of-the-match award, but his 0-16 tally was impossible for the TG4 judges to ignore, even if the St Finbarr’s player had suffered defeat. He brought his Munster club return across three games to 0-31 with ten two-pointers registered in the championship. Sherlock raised six orange flags yesterday, showcasing his supreme range and accuracy from both placed ball and frees.
The pick of the bunch though was the point he clipped over off his left just before half-time, gliding along the wing past Dingle defensive challenges before scoring. In the first half he struck 0-12, seven scores from nine shots, and then hit 0-4 in the second half, three scores from five shots. A couple of dead balls went astray late on, but that is nitpicking after such a stellar individual showing.
In opposition, one of the most critical factors in tipping the game towards Dingle was how Dylan Geaney hauled himself and his team into the game in the second half. He nailed an early point and set up one for older brother Conor, but in general was peripheral to the first-half play. But that didn’t inhibit him after the break, setting the tone by sweetly striking over points off left and right inside the first four minutes of the second half.
In total he fired 0-8 in the second half, six scores from seven shots, and bagged a pair of sublime two-pointers from the right wing, chiefly ensuring the Dingle hopes of success remained to the end.
3. Magical Saturday night for the Martin’s
Dingle’s wild celebrations at landing their first provincial title, mirrored those in the Leinster hurling equivalent on Saturrday night. St Martin’s prevailed after a terrific contest, the trophy a reward for their efforts, not just on the night but in this provincial campaign. When you defeat two of the last three All-Ireland club champions, both by a one-point margin, en route to being crowned winners, you have earned that tag.
Ballyhale Shamrocks status as Leinster and national market leaders made them a daunting prospect to face. Ben Stafford joins Ballygunner’s Harry Ruddle from 2022 as the marksmen that have delivered stunning late scores that have downed Ballyhale, remarkably the only two defeats the Kilkenny powerhouse have suffered in Croke Park.
But while it required a late scoring touch, St Martin’s were full value for landing the prize. The O’Connor brothers were in sensational form. Rory fired 0-11, including the score of the night in the second half adjacent to the Hogan Stand, while Jack smashed over six from play to land the man-of-the-match award. His interview after receiving that accolade spoke volumes, the emotion pouring out after his club enjoyed their greatest hurling day.
O’Connor is getting married this Friday to Kilkenny camogie star Grace Walsh, before an All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Ballygunner the weekend after.
The St Martin’s dream campaign keeps rolling on.
4. Ballyboden’s brilliance shines through
If the margins were wafer-thin in the Leinster hurling and Munster football deciders, it was more clearcut at Leinster football level in determining the victors. Ballyboden St-Enda’s supremacy ensured there was no mystery over the outcome. They had seven to spare at the end, but it was the 1-9 to 0-1 scoreboard position across the 20-minute period after the break, that truly expressed the power they possessed.
That theme of control was reinforced when considering this was the sixth Leinster senior title in a row claimed by the Dublin champions. It is the third such victory Ballyboden have enjoyed across the last ten seasons. They converted their 2015 breakthrough into an All-Ireland title, their hopes of adding to it subsequently foiled by Kilcoo in the January 2020 semi-final.
The Basquels, Ross McGarry, and Alex Gavin supply strong Dublin county experience, while Ryan Baynes (Mayo), Pa Warren (Kerry), Cein D’Arcy (Galway), and Peter Healy (Antrim) have added to the potency of their mix. This victory solidifies their position as All-Ireland favourites.
5. Kilkenny veterans victorious once more
After their celebrated inter-county careers where they achieved the greatest honours in the game and starred in the biggest arenas, comes another chapter in the careers of Richie Hogan and Paul Murphy. With their Kilkenny careers parked, it is club matters that consume them and they are still finding a way to grab Leinster medals.
Danesfort’s intermediate final win yesterday in Navan was a remarkable feat for Hogan as he had been absent all year, only able to return recently to train with the squad, but still possessing the razor-sharp scoring instints as he grabbed 1-1 in his cameo off the bench, with older brother Paddy starting in goal.
The success was more significant for Murphy, the centre-back who jointly lifted the trophy afterwards, a piece of silverware named after his father Tommy, who passed away in 2004.
“How many times in our lifetime are you going to see a fella lift his father’s cup?” said Hogan afterwards.
“That’s just magnificent stuff.”
They’ve one more assignment to close out 2025 with an All-Ireland semi-final against Tipperary’s Upperchurch-Drombane on the weekend before Christmas.
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club Dingle GAA Munster St. Martin's Talking Points Thurles