Munster Club SFC final: Heartbreak for St Finbarr's as Dingle rally to win by a point
Steven Sherlock of St Finbarr's comes up against Conor Flannery of Dingle. Picture: INPHO/James Lawlor
Despite a stunning performance from Steven Sherlock, St Finbarr’s were pipped at the post by Dingle in a controversial AIB Munster Club SFC final at FBD Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The returning Cork player was absolutely outstanding in this one as he drove the Barrs to what looked like would be their sixth Munster crown, a first one since January 2022. The Togher side led by five points at half-time with Sherlock kicking over five two-pointers in that opening half. He ended up with six orange flags in total.
The Barrs looked in a decent position for large parts, they were seven points ahead after 40 minutes, but would only score one more time as Dingle came good.
This game hinged on a very controversial decision by the referee deep in added time. St Finbarr’s were one point ahead when Ian Maguire was adjudged to have overcarried the ball.
Dingle’s free wasn’t going to hurt the Barrs, but it was brought forward 50 yards after St Finbarr’s sub Dylan Quinn seemingly interfered with the quick taking of a free.
Conor Geaney then nailed a two-point free from just outside the arc to leave the Togher side devastated and aggrieved with how the closing stages panned out.
The Kerry outfit started brightly, following a slow and patient build-up play, it resulted in Paul Geaney bisecting the posts after two minutes without St Finbarr’s claiming the ball.
Conor Geaney pointed for his side before a great fetch from Brian Hayes ended up with John Wigginton-Barrett raising a white flag after three minutes.
Another of the Geaneys, this time Dylan, kicked over a point, before the sides were level when Sherlock slotted over a boomer of a two-pointer, 0-3 each after five minutes.
Another Sherlock orange flag, this time from a free, gave St Finbarr’s a two-point buffer. The teams traded points before another Sherlock two-point free put the Barrs in a decent position.
But a minute later, Dingle goaled when Paul Geaney was allowed to run and run and he made no mistake to finish the ball into the net, 0-8 to 1-4 after 16 minutes.
AFL star Mark O’Connor then drew the teams level.
St Finbarr’s though were more potent when going forward, helped by Sherlock being on song. Hayes pointed followed by Sherlock’s fourth two-pointer, this time from play, 0-11 to 1-5 with six minutes to the break.
A Paul Geaney free did cut the gap to two points for Dingle until another stunning orange flag from the best player on the pitch. Sherlock with a beauty of a free from outside the arc. It was fitting that Sherlock had the final say of the half when he kicked over a point from an acute angle, 0-14 to 1-6 at half-time.
Dingle started the new half similar to the opening 30 minutes with the first score through a Dylan Geaney point. The same player slotted over another and the game was down to three points after 34 minutes.
A point from that man Sherlock settled St Finbarr’s after a lively start by their opposition. The returning Cork player slotted over a two-pointer from a free to give the Barrs a six-point lead, 0-17 to 1-8.
St Finbarr’s were firmly in the driving seat. They kicked two of the next three points as they remained in a strong position with 20 minutes to go.
A Dylan Geaney two-pointer did leave Dingle five points behind. The teams exchanged points as St Finbarr’s led 0-20 to 1-12 with 11 minutes remaining.
A pair of Dylan Geaney frees left his side just a goal behind after 55 minutes in what was a disjointed last quarter.
Ciarán Doolan heroically denied Paul Geaney a certain goal as the Barrs were on the ropes.
A Dylan Geaney two-pointer left just one point in it going into added time.
It was on the edge of the seat stuff and a free that was debatable gave Dingle the chance to win it and it was Conor Geaney who slotted over a two-point free.
Utter devastation for St Finbarr’s.
D Geaney 0-9 (2 2pt, 0-2 f), P Geaney 1-2 (0-1 f), C Geaney 0-4 (1 2pt f, 0-1 f), T O’Sullivan 0-2, M O’Connor 0-1.
S Sherlock 0-16 (4 2pt f, 2 2pt, 0-1 f), B Hayes 0-2, L Hannigan, J Wigginton-Barrett 0-1 each.
G Curran; B O'Connor, T Leo O’Sullivan, T O’Sullivan; A O’Connor, C Flannery, P O’Connor; M O’Connor, B O’Connor; T Browne, P Geaney (c), D Geaney; C Geaney, M Flaherty, N Geaney.
M Geaney for P Geaney (41-46, temp), N Ryan for B O’Connor (41), M Geaney for T Browne (48), C Bambury for M Flaherty (60).
D Newman; B Hennessy, A O’Connor, S Ryan; C Dennehy, C Doolan, E Dennehy; I Maguire, B Hayes; E Twomey, J Wigginton-Barrett, W Buckley; L Hannigan, R Barrett, S Sherlock (c).
E McGreevy for R Barrett (41), C Myers-Murray for J Wigginton-Barrett, D Quinn for E Twomey (both 54).
Chris Maguire (Clare).
You can read Maurice Brosnan's view on the game for the Irish Examiner here.
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