Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior ‘B’ Football Final

Second half Lucan goal surge ends Gallen’s Leinster dream

Lucan CBS 5-10 Gallen CS, Ferbane……2-10

Four second half goals from Lucan CBS paved the way for the Dublin School to capture the Top Oil Leinster Schools Senior ‘B’ football title in St Loman’s Mullingar today.

Played in glorious sunshine, the Lucan men recovered from being four points down at half time to inflict a 13 point swing on the Offaly school in the second half. Gallen had chances when the game was in the melting pot but it is hard to argue that the Dublin champions were not the deserving winners.

Gallen CS raced into a 1-1 to 0-2 lead on 10 minutes with Sean Flynn grabbing both their point and the goal on the 10 minute mark.

Matthew Dunne was proving a handful for the Gallen defence and his score kept Lucan in touch before Gallen hit the target again, this time through star forward Cian Johnson before the Offaly senior football panellist found the net for Gallen’s second goal on 17 minutes.

That left Gallen leading 2-2 to 0-4 but just as they were starting to coast, Luke Walshe found a gap and let fly with a super effort to the roof of the net to bring Lucan back to life on 20 minutes.

Daire Newcombe, Captain of Lucan CBS accecpts the cup from Pat Lynagh, Leinster GAA

Gallen still led 2-6 to 1-5 at half time but the game was all to play for in the concluding 30 minutes.

Lucan CBS were level within four minutes of the restart with Emmet Allen grabbing a goal on 34 minutes to make it 2-6 each.  By the time the 45^th minute came around, Lucan had two more goals with both coming from Herkus Sviglinskas as they now lead 4-7 to 2-7.

Gallen never gave up the ghost though and three points in succession from the excellent Sean Flynn left it a three point game with 10 minutes to go.

With six minutes remaining, Gallen got a lifeline when Cian Johnson’s shot was foot blocked and they were awarded a penalty. Sean Flynn took on the responsibility but his shot blazed wide. The energetic and electric Flynn then had another chance just whiz past the post and at that stage it looked as though their luck was out with Lucan leading 4-9 to 2-10 in the last five minutes.

Matthew Dunne added a late free while in the final minute of the game, Emmet Allen converted a penalty to leave the winning margin at a flattering nine points.

THE SCORERS

Lucan CBS: Emmet Allen 2-2 (1-0 pen), Herkus Sviglinskas 2-1, Matthew Dunne 0-4 (0-1 free), Luke Walshe 1-1, Cian McHugh and Colm Walsh 0-1 each.  Gallen CS: Sean Flynn 1-7 (0-4 frees), Cian Johnson 1-3 (0-1 free).

LUCAN CBS: Harry Keogh; Aaron Foley, Rob Ward; Daire Newcombe; Colm Walsh, Anto McNulty, Cathal Shanahan; Ben Coffey; Emmet Allen; Luke Walshe, Matthew Dunne, Cian McHugh; Evan Walshe, Herkus Sviglinskas, Evan Dowling. Subs: Colin Behan (for Evan Dowling H/T), Mark Dietz (for Evan Walshe H/T), Eddie Connolly (for Rob Ward 39m).

GALLEN CS: Jack Cullinan; Clive Keena, Michael Wren, Aaron Brazil; David Nally, Jamie Kelly, Harry Balsiger; Sean P Flynn, Conor Kenny; Kieran Guinan, Bernard Corcoran, Enda Coughlan; Cian Johnson, Sean Flynn, Cathal Flynn. Subs: Sean Ibbotson (for Kieran Guinan H/T), Bill Egan (for Jamie Kelly 38m).

Referee: Mick Murtagh (Westmeath)