Gaelic Games

Luke Keating’s late point gives Cuala the Leinster club title

Ahead by nine points with 20 minutes gone, the Dublin champions were subsequently reined in by quick-fire goals

James Power and Luke Keating of Cuala celebrating after the match. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
James Power and Luke Keating of Cuala celebrating after the match. Photograph: James Lawlor/Inpho
Daire Walsh
Sat Nov 30 2024 - 20:06

Leinster Club SFC final: Cuala 1-14 St Mary’s Ardee 2-10

Luke Keating was the hero at Croke Park on Saturday evening as his stoppage-time free helped Cuala to hold off an extraordinary fightback from Ardee St Mary’s of Louth in a pulsating Leinster Club Senior Football Championship final.

Ahead by nine points with 20 minutes gone on the clock, the Dublin champions were subsequently reined in by quick-fire goals from Ryan Rooney and Sean Callaghan in the final quarter. This led to a tension-filled conclusion at the Jones’ Road venue, but Keating produced the goods when it mattered most to ensure that Cuala claimed their first title at this grade.

Michael Fitzsimons has been chipping in with some fine scores throughout the course of Cuala’s memorable club championship run and the veteran Dublin defender got the Dalkey side up and running with an excellent fourth-minute point. Niall O’Callaghan went on to double their lead moments later, before his brother and inside partner Con scored two points in quick succession.

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The latter O’Callaghan subsequently turned provider for Conor O’Brien on the third-quarter mark, when the industrious centre-forward’s low shot rattled the net with considerable aplomb.

Further points from Con O’Callaghan and Keating moved the Dublin champions into a 1-6 to 0-0 lead, before Ardee suddenly came to life with three pointed frees from as many players – namely attacker Ciaran Keenan, wing back Jonathan Commins and goalkeeper Tiernan Markey.

There had been a notable increase in tempo from the Wee County outfit, but thanks to a fisted point from defender Eoin Kennedy in stoppage-time, Cuala nevertheless brought a convincing 1-7 to 0-3 cushion into the interval.

The start of the second half saw O’Brien and Ardee’s Commins trading points in fine style, before Louth star Keenan and Cuala’s marauding centre half back Charlie McMorrow did likewise in the 34th and 35th minutes. Although Con O’Callaghan cancelled out an impressive point from opposition defender Tadgh McDonnell, St Mary’s remained in touch heading towards the final quarter following unanswered scores from Keenan and Daire McConnon.

They received a temporary numerical advantage when Cuala’s Eoin Kennedy was black carded and while Austin O’Malley’s Metropolitan side responded with a Niall O’Callaghan point, Ardee had spectacularly wiped out their deficit by the 50th minute in GAA HQ. After substitute Rooney bagged his side’s first goal of the night when netminder Ryan Scollard failed to hold on to a high delivery by McDonnell, midfielder Callaghan also raised a green flag with a clinical finish at a right-hand angle.

This suddenly threw down the gauntlet to Cuala, who initially fired back with a Cal Doran point. Keating also found the range during a hectic period, but with Rooney splitting the uprights in a direct reply to both these scores, Ardee were threatening to pull off a sensational comeback victory.

The spectre of extra-time was beginning to loom large when Con O’Callaghan was short of the mark from a late free, but Keating kept his composure to knock over a place-ball effort of his own on 62 minutes and squeeze Cuala over the line.

CUALA: R Scollard; D Conroy, M Fitzsimons (0-1), E O’Callaghan; E Kennedy (0-1), C McMorrow (0-1), D O’Dowd; P O Cofaigh Byrne, P Duffy; C Dunne, C O’Brien (1-1), C Doran (0-1); L Keating (0-3, two frees), N O’Callaghan (0-2), C O’Callaghan (0-4, two frees). Subs: C O Giollain for Dunne, 37 mins; M Conroy for D Conroy, C Groarke for O’Brien, both 43; S Mangan for O’Dowd, 57 mins.

ARDEE ST MARY’S: T Markey (0-1, one free); T McDonnell (0-1), K Faulkner, E Keenan; J Commins (0-2, one free), D McKenny, P McKenny; RJ Callaghan, S Callaghan (1-0); C Keenan (0-3, three frees), L Jackson, K Moran; S Matthews, D McConnon (0-1), T Jackson. Subs: R Carroll for Matthews, R Rooney (1-2) for Moran, both 43 mins; C Gillespie for Commins, 53; R Leavy for RJ Callaghan, 58 mins.

Referee: S Mulhare (Laois).