Clerkin's delight as Louth dump Dublin out of Leinster
Completing the treble line-up were the Louth minors who dumped Dublin out at the semi-final stage, 2-17 to 1-8, of the Electric Ireland Leinster Minor Football Championship at Naul on Thursday evening, in a powerful display that made Dublin, who were restricted to a solitary point in the second half, look very ordinary.
Louth will now face Offaly, a team they beat in the group stages, in the final on Monday May 5 (venue and time TBC) and will attempt to win the Fr Larry Murray Cup for the first time in 72 years.
Louth hit the ground running to lead 1-3 to 0-0 after 10 minutes but Dublin hauled themselves back into the game and only trailed by a point at the break 1-8 to 1-7, after a strong second quarter.
However, if anyone thought the Dubs would just push on after the break, they were badly mistaken. Louth dominated the second half and even the loss of Anthony Reilly to a black card had no impact as they upped their game, scoring 1-3 while the Naomh Fionnbarra man was off the pitch. Dublin's only score in the second half didn't arrive until the 52nd minute.
Louth manager Johnn Clerkin, understandably couldn't hide his delight after the final whistle and was full of praise for his young charges who got off to a perfect start.
'We've sort of been threatening that performance all year. We got the start we wanted which we didn't get the first day; I think maybe after the first day, the aura of Dublin was gone on us coming here, and that's something that we did talk to the boys about and to a man, we've 31 lads, and to a man they just all showed up today,' said the Louth minor manager.
'When you're playing one of the bigger teams and we're knocking on the door, the start was so different from when we played [Dublin] a couple of weeks ago in Parnell Park, and we had been starting well in games up until the Dublin game; [it's] something we did a bit of work on during the week, you get in, get going early and you get to feel comfortable in the game.
'And then you have a better chance of maybe managing the game when you're ahead. Yes, there are times when Dublin are going to come, no matter who you play, they'll have their wave, they'll have their purple patch. It's how you manage that.
'But credit to the lads, it's something that sometimes can happen accidentally or a group of people can come together and they buy into something and they believe in something and we're all here to move mountains and those boys certainly moved mountains tonight.'
Dublin came back strongly towards the end of the first half. They got a goal and reduced the deficit down to a one-point game at the break but at the start of the second half, Louth again hit the ground running.
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'That's what these boys do, they can manage games,' said Clerkin.
'Any team you're going to play is going to have a purple patch, it doesn't matter who you're playing, You're going to have to weather a storm somewhere along the line. And to be fair to the lads, probably in the last 10 minutes [of the first half] a couple of decisions weren't wonderful when we were on the ball and we let Dublin back in. They took a quick free kick for the goal, that sort of stuff and that's concentration.
'But look, they're kids. We've three 15 year olds and most of them are 16 and a couple of them are 17. To come up with a performance like that at their age. It can only...playing in these sort of games, in these environments, and these teams is only going to benefit Louth under-20s and Louth senior teams because these lads are going to be open to playing in a high pressure environment and to be fair to them, they take it their stride…brilliant.'
One player that needed singling out for his kicking was 15 year old Conall Kelly. He was given a roving role, he was all over the field but his long range free-taking – kicking over, with plenty to spare, from 48, 49 metres out and pressure kicks at that, but delivering them with assurance and confidence was something to behold.
'Conall's in the field [practicing] probably every day of the week, he could be in it twice a day some weeks and he's the most unassuming, quietest young fella you'll ever come across' said Clerkin.
'He came into this, him and Finn [McEneaney] and young [Conor] Marron have come on to this team and they're silent assassins, as I call them. They go about their business and they're a great bunch and sometimes there's things you can't coach, some things you can, and I believe sometimes that you just have to let a fella do his own thing and by Jesus, Connor Kelly did it tonight.'
When Andrew Reilly was dismissed for 10 minutes to a black card early in the second half, there was the fear this would open the door for Dublin but they couldn't capitalise. Indeed, it was Louth who played the better football, scoring 1-3 in Reilly's absence. This was something Clerkin wanted to highlight,
'We upped it and I think we scored 1-3 in that period but look, this team, we talk about making good decisions under pressure and playing along with teammates, and every one of them saw that the pressure was on. I didn't see what happened with Andrew [but] nevertheless, it was a black card and do you know what they did? They just pulled each other in, looked each other in the eye and said let's go at it.'
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The 42
3 hours ago
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The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
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Advertisement Dublin 0-22 Derry 0-20 Dublin: S Cluxton (0-2tpf); S MacMahon, T Clancy, D Byrne; L Gannon (0-2), J Small (0-1), B Howard; P Ó Cofaigh Bryne, K McGinnis (0-3); N Scully, S Bugler (0-2), C Kilkenny (0-1); P Small (0-2), C O'Callaghan (0-5), C Costello (0-4, 1tpf, 1f) Subs: E Murchan for McGinnis (49), C Murphy for Clancy (49), R McGarry for Scully (54), T Lahiff for Gannon (60), N Doran for P Small (68) Yellow card: N Scully (31) Derry: B McKinless, D Baker, E McEvoy, P McGurk; C Doherty, B Rogers (0-1), P McGrogan; C Glass (0-2), D Higgins; E Doherty (0-3), P Cassidy (0-1), C McFaul; S McGuigan (0-10. 3tpf, 4f), N Loughlin (0-2, 1m), N Toner (0-1) Subs: L Murray for Toner (45), C McCluskey for McGurk (50), R Mulholland for McFaul (59), R Forbes for Cassidy (62). C McMonagle for Loughlin (68) Yellow cards: C Glass (27), P McGurk (31), R Mulholland (61), D Baker (65) Attendance: 12,242 Advertisement Referee: B Cawley (Kildare
Irish Times
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READ MORE There were periods when Derry just couldn't get out beyond the middle of the field because either Kilkenny or Ó Cofaigh Byrne repeatedly won the restarts. 'He was a real warrior tonight,' said Dessie Farrell of Kilkenny afterwards. 'To be fair to him, I think he might have had only one bad game this year so far. So he's definitely been leading the charge and showing great leadership, particularly when so many lads have gone who have the knowledge and the experience and the game IQ. He's really stepped up.' As a team, they all did. Dublin registered 18 wides in their defeat to Armagh last time out. Here, they kicked just seven 'You don't become a bad footballer overnight or for some reason you don't unlearn how to kick a ball over the bar,' said Farrell. 'There were definitely issues we needed to address but building confidence is important as well and we were well primed for today, we knew what was at stake, so delighted with the lads, the effort and the composure they showed at different stages.' Dublin's John Small in action against Derry's Dan Higgins. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho From the first throw-in Dublin looked on it. Ó Cofaigh Byrne outjumped Conor Glass for the throw-in and immediately fed Con O'Callaghan – who had started on the sideline as the nominal second midfidler and immediately raced towards acres of unoccupied lush green grass to fist over the game's opening score after only 13 seconds. It was a set-play Dublin reproduced at the start of the second half as well. Derry knew it was coming but were powerless to prevent O'Callaghan and Ó Cofaigh Byrne combining again. O'Callaghan had missed the Armagh match because of a hamstring injury and was initially named on the bench for this encounter. However, he lined out from the start and came through the entire 70 minutes. 'You're never sure, you know, and we toyed with the idea maybe of holding him and keeping him for impact,' admitted Farrell on whether to start his captain. 'But the risk with a player who's been injured and keeping him is that you use a sub and then he goes down and you have to use another sub, so we said we'd go with Con from the start and we're just delighted he was able to get through the game. 'We weren't in a position to take him off and give him some time and rest at the end unfortunately but he got through it and seems to be out the other side of it which is great.' The first half was a titanic battle. Dublin tore through Derry in a whirlwind start that left the 12,342 in attendance fearing a one-sided affair. They led 0-4 to no score after only two minutes and 23 seconds of play. Apart from Derry goalkeeper Ben McKinless – who was a late starting addition after Odhran Lynch picked up a quad injury at training on Thursday night – no Derry player had managed to get their hands on the ball during that time. The Ulster side looked in real trouble. Dublin's Peadar Ó Cofaigh Byrne is challenged by Derry's Niall Toner and Ciaran McFaul. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho But Glass – who delivered yet another tour de force – steadied the sinking ship with a point in the sixth minute and Derry started to get to grips with Dublin. Shane McGuigan was faultless in front of the posts for Derry in the first half and he kicked three two-pointers, all from placed balls. The second of those pushed Derry 0-7 to 0-6 in front in the 17th minute but Dublin were back level soon after courtesy of a Cormac Costello free. It was frenetic stuff, Kilkenny popping out of rucks with the ball from among a forest of Derry bodies, Ó Cofaigh Byrne lording the skies, Glass bursting his way through Dublin tackles like a hammer through a paper bag. The last play of the first half came after the hooter, McGuigan kicking over a two-pointer to send the sides in level, 0-13 apiece. But Dublin made their move in the third quarter. It started with O'Callaghan's point after 18 seconds of the restart and when he whipped over another score in the 50th minute the Dubs were 0-20 to 0-15 ahead. Derry never got back level. Brendan Rogers, who spent the game marking O'Callaghan, made a surge up the field just after the hour mark and found himself in a goalscoring position, only for his shot to drag wide of Stephen Cluxton's far post. Derry, who have not won a game all season, emptied themselves in search of an equaliser but they never got any closer than within two. Derry's Conor Glass and Ethan Doherty in action against Dublin's David Byrne. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho 'It's another tough one to take,' lamented Derry manager Paddy Tally. 'Coming out the wrong side of another tight game. 'We were pretty good for most of the match. We had a poor start but then by half-time we looked really back in it. There was a crucial time in that second half where Dublin got out to four, or maybe up to five points. 'We missed a couple of opportunities, we missed a goal chance but we can have no real complaints, the players played as well as they possibly could. That was a serious game of football.' Dublin finish second in the group and so will have a home preliminary quarter-final against one of the third placed teams. The draw takes place on Monday morning. 'Compared to what I saw from Dublin (against Armagh) they're like a different team today,' added Tally. 'Dublin are still a very powerful team and they're going to be there at thereabouts for the rest of the season.' Same as it ever is. DUBLIN: S Cluxton (0-1-0, 1tpf); S MacMahon, T Clancy, D Byrne; B Howard, J Small (0-0-1), L Gannon (0-0-2); P Ó Cofaigh Byrne, K McGinnis (0-0-3); C Kilkenny (0-0-1), S Bugler (0-0-2), N Scully; P Small (0-0-2), C O'Callaghan (0-0-5), C Costello (0-1-2, 1tpf, 1f). Subs: E Murchan for McGinnis, C Murphy for Clancy (both 49 mins); R McGarry for Scully (54); T Lahiff for Gannon (60); N Doran for P Small (68). DERRY: B McKinless; D Baker, B Rogers (0-0-1), E McEvoy; P McGurk, C Doherty, P McGrogan; C Glass (0-0-2), D Higgins; N Loughlin (0-0-2, 1m), P Cassidy (0-0-1), C McFaul; S McGuigan (0-3-4, 3tpf, 3f), N Toner (0-0-1), E Doherty (0-0-3). Subs: L Murray for Toner (45 mins); C McCluskey for McGurk (51); R Mullholland for McFaul (59); R Forbes for Cassidy (62); C McMonagle for Loughlin (68). Referee: B Cawley (Kildare).
