AIB Munster Club SFC Final

Dingle 1-18 St Finbarr’s 0-20

By Stephen Barry at FBD Semple Stadium

Conor Geaney’s last-gasp two-point free sent Dingle from the edge of despair to elation in a classic Munster final victory over St Finbarr’s.

The Kerry champions never led from the fourth minute until the fourth minute of added time to clinch a first provincial title in front of 2,714 spectators.

They trailed by five with seven minutes of normal time to play, but closed out with consecutive two-pointers from brothers Dylan (0-9) and Conor Geaney (0-4).

The final free was advanced 50 metres by referee Chris Maguire after Dylan Quinn was adjudged not to have handed the ball back to Dingle in their own half.

It prevented Steven Sherlock from lifting the silverware on a day when he ruled Semple Stadium for long spells. The Barrs captain scored 0-16 from 14 shots, thanks to a remarkable haul of six two-pointers in a man-of-the-match performance.

Instead, Paul Geaney accepted the cup as Dingle advance to an All-Ireland semi-final against Ballyboden St Enda’s.

The winners started brightly into a light breeze with three points inside four minutes from Paul, Conor, and Dylan Geaney against a lone John Wigginton-Barrett response.

But this soon developed into the Steven Sherlock Show. He would end the half with 12 of the Barrs’ 14 points, including five two-pointers.

He booted back-to-back orange flags in the fifth and eighth minutes, losing Conor Flannery for the leveller before perfectly judging a free for the lead score.

Tom O’Sullivan cut through to pull one back before two more Sherlock orange flags. The first was produced by a swift counter-attack, taking Wigginton-Barrett’s kick pass on the run and curling over. Then, his free made it 0-8 to 0-4.

Dingle got their lifeline from the kick-out. Niall Geaney won the break and pumped a long ball into his cousin Paul. The All-Ireland winner’s footwork bamboozled Sam Ryan before tucking the ball low past Darragh Newman. AFL star Mark O’Connor then levelled, 0-8 to 1-4.

The Barrs would outscore them by six points to two from there to half-time. Brian Hayes tidied up a rare Sherlock shot dropped short before their free-scoring captain lashed another double over the cover.

Now, Dingle pushed Kerry corner-back O’Sullivan back onto Sherlock. The centre-forward wasn’t perturbed. He launched a huge two-point free over before a stunning one-pointer; jinking away to lose his marker and slotting from an acute angle off his left foot. They led by five, 0-14 to 1-6, at half-time.

Dingle switched Patrick O’Connor onto Sherlock during the break. O’Sullivan was tasked with quietening William Buckley’s brilliant ball-carrying while influencing the game going forward. He laid on the first of Dylan Geaney’s two points to bring it back to one score.

Sherlock kicked the next three points, including a two-point free, followed by one from Luke Hannigan. That seven-point cushion was their greatest lead.

Dingle finally began to get some purchase, sparked by a Dylan Geaney two-pointer followed by a Tom O’Sullivan point.

Hayes notched one in response, but that 49th-minute point would prove the Barrs’ final score.

Dylan Geaney slotted two frees. Their comeback still looked unlikely when Paul Geaney’s shot on goal was blocked by Ciarán Doolan.

But Dylan Geaney escaped down the blindside for a two-pointer, and Mark O’Connor forced the final free from Ian Maguire, which was ultimately marched forward 50 metres.

Scorers for Dingle: Dylan Geaney 0-9 (2 2pt, 2f), Paul Geaney 1-2, Conor Geaney 0-4 (1 2ptf, 1f), Tom O’Sullivan 0-2, Mark O’Connor 0-1.

Scorers for St Finbarr’s: Steven Sherlock 0-16 (4 2ptf, 2 2pt, 1f), Brian Hayes 0-2, John Wigginton-Barrett, Luke Hannigan 0-1 each.

Dingle: Gavin Curran; Conor Flannery, Aidan O’Connor, Tom Leo O’Sullivan; Brian O’Connor, Tom O’Sullivan, Patrick O’Connor; Mark O’Connor, Billy O’Connor; Niall Geaney, Matthew Flaherty, Tadhg Browne; Conor Geaney, Paul Geaney, Dylan Geaney.

Subs: Mikey Geaney for P Geaney (40-46, temp), Ned Ryan for Billy O’Connor (41), M Geaney for Browne (48), Cathal Bambury for Flaherty (60).

St Finbarr’s: Darragh Newman; Billy Hennessy, Alan O’Connor, Sam Ryan; Enda Dennehy, Ciarán Doolan, Conor Dennehy; Ian Maguire, Brian Hayes; Ethan Twomey, John Wigginton-Barrett, William Buckley; Luke Hannigan, Rickey Barrett, Steven Sherlock.

Subs: Eoin McGreevy for Barrett (41), Dylan Quinn for Twomey (55), Cillian Myers-Murray for Wigginton-Barrett (55).

Referee: Chris Maguire (Clare).