Another trophy for Allenwood despite strong second half from St Laurences

ALLENWOOD'S unbeaten run of 11 league games prior to the the final of the Hanlon Concrete Senior Football Division 2 encounter saw them arrive at Manguard Park in rude health. They continued the form that saw them pick up both Kildare and Leinster Intermediate crowns in 2023 and despite a stern test from St Laurences they eventually ran out four point winners to pick up the crown to go with their promotion to Division 1 for 2025.

A comfortable opening 30 minutes saw the Blues lead by seven points but a brilliant second half St Laurences performance pushed them all the way. A final day draw at home to Clogherinkoe had assured the Larries of their own promotion to the top Division for next year and despite being slow out of the blocks this young side have a bright future.

Allenwood were quickly into stride and they had built up a five point lead inside the opening nine minutes. Eoin Bagnall and John Doyle combined for the opening two scores before Bagnell got his second this time from a free. St Laurences had no answer to the early onslaught and Fionn Moran and Doyle again left it 0-5 to 0-0.

It took ten minutes for Senan Murphy to fire over a left footed effort for the Larries' opener. Last year's county minor announced his name on the senior stage with an accomplished performance that certainly marks him out as one to watch for the future.

If St Laurences had Murphy it was Bagnell and Joey Cunningham who stood out for the Blues. They added the next three scores, Bagnall getting two, one from a free after Cunningham was fouled. Cunningham and Bagnall combined for 12 points in, and throw in five more from the seemingly ever youthful Johnny Doyle and you had a potent strike force.

The closing eight minutes saw the sides share four points. Stephen Mann and a Jason McHugh free helped reduce the gap but a fine Cormac Denagher effort and a second from Joey Cunningham left Allenwood 0-10 to 0-3 ahead as Damien Whelan brought the half to a close.

St Laurences decided against any changes at the break in an effort to break the Allenwood dominance. The half time words were enough and they certainly seemed to work as they hit four points to a single Allenwood white flag over the opening seven minutes. Eoin Curley, Tom Dooley and two Felix Lawlor frees came after Jack O'Brien had set up Eoin Bagnall for a mark that he fired over with ease. The gap was back to four and the Larries had renewed hope.

As was the case in the opening half Joey Cunningham was causing problems and when he used his pace to glide past two defenders a combination of his fisted ball and a late touch from Paul Clynch saw the ball over the bar. 60 seconds later the corner forward knocked over a left footed effort to push the lead out to six again as the game passed the 40th minute.

The Larries were attacking at every effort as their confidence grew. Oisin Grufferty and Murphy pointed either side of a Doyle point and then Lawlor and Dooley, from a free, reduced the gap to three as we entered the last quarter. Larries were on top and they needed a goal to regain parity. Ronan Guilfoyle and Sean Moran were solid in that Allenwood rearguard and it helped push the Larries out wide when they needed to get shots away. The men in blue used the pace of Cunningham and Bagnall as an outlet to launch quick attacks and the duo duly responded with two scores.

St Laurences then struck for the game's opening goal. A superb piece of fielding from Jason McHugh released Jack Dargan who then offloaded to Murphy and after making ground he picked out Dooley who shot low to the net.

A foul on Brendan Hanafey allowed Johnny Doyle fire over a nerve settling free for Allenwood. Bagnall and Lawlor swapped points and with two minutes of normal time remaining the gap was at three. 

The game could have swung towards Larries when Adam Steed played a brilliant pass into the path of  Murphy but with Luke Anderson beaten Murphy's shot was agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Allenwood breathed a sigh of relief and they did create a late Cunningham goal chance. It was deflected out for a 45 and with the energy of a man only starting the game Doyle drove the 45 straight over the black spot.

It was the insurance point that sealed the 0-19 to 1-12 victory. It was a second half that was of the highest quality.

Both sides will now have four weeks to rest and recover before championship comes around. Allenwood face Kilcock while St Laurences have a date with Clogherinkoe. Plenty to play for but these two sides have enough to acquit themselves in the Senior championship.

ALLENWOOD: Luke Anderson, Fionn Moran 0-1, Sean Moran, Cillian Moran, Mark Byrne, Ronan Guilfoyle, Cormac Denagher 0-1, Eanna O Neill, Rory Moran, Jack O'Brien, John Doyle 0-5 (1f,1 '45), Aaron Dunne, Brendan Hanafey, Eoin Bagnell 0-7(3fs,1m),Joey Cunningham 0-5. Subs: Callum O'Reilly for O'Brien, 38; Mark Delaney for Dunne, 51; Colm Moran for Denagher, 57; Alex Lenehan for O'Neill, 60.

ST LAURENCES: Paul Clynch, Michael O'Sullivan, Brendan Keatley, James Donnelly, Stephen Mann 0-1,Oisin Grufferty 0-1, Niall O Connor, Senan Murphy 0-2, Jason McHugh 0-1f,Jack Dargan, Tom Dooley 1-2 (1f),Kevin Eustace, Felix Lawlor 0-4 (2fs), Adam Steed, Conn Killeen. Subs: Eoin Curley 0-1 for Keatley, 18; Padraig O'Neill for Killeen, 46; Ciaran O'Sullivan for M O'Sullivan, 50; Harry Swan for Dargan, 51.

REFEREE: Damien Whelan.