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Dublin U21 Footballers Seal Leinster Title with Late Goal Against Westmeath - Tue, 6 Apr 2010

Congrats to Sean Murray, Gavin McIntyre, Alan McCarrick, Cian Mullins and the Dublin U21 Footballers on their fantastic Leinster Final win over Westmeath. We are all looking forward to the All-Ireland Semi-Final versus Roscommon on April 17th.

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IT was just the Easter Rising that Dublin manager Jim Gavin wanted. The ninth Leinster U21 Football Championship title for the Dubs. They are now the joint poll toppers with Kildare. It looked like they were going to have to go the extra mile again in yesterday's Cadbury's Leinster decider at Parnell Park. Westmeath were a point behind and they were on the up as the clock ticked into the 57th minute. Twice Dublin had to endure extra-time against Louth and Carlow.

Nobody would have begrudged Westmeath the privilege, certainly not after their powerful second-half display. But then came an Easter Sunday treat from Ciarán Dorney on 58 minutes. A sharp move down the right approaching the church end involving Jonathan McDermott and Nicky Devereux. Resolve The ball came to Dorney. Off he went like Yifter the Shifter. He then brilliantly angled a drive to the roof of the net.

They'll be putting the picture of the goal up on the wall across the road at Páirc Naomh Uinsionn. "I think it's important that the guys enjoy the victory. It's not that often that Dublin have got success at underage level," noted Jim Gavin. It's now Roscommon in the All-Ireland semi-final in two weeks. Jim feels the young Dubs have much to do in the meantime. "Overall, I don't think that performance will be good enough to beat Roscommon. We have an awful lot of work to do before then. "Yet this Dublin team showed great resolve yet again. There's a great willingness to work for one another. And I thought we deserved it in the end. "The game could have gone either way. Westmeath had us on the back foot for the whole second half until the last five minutes.

"Our back six did very well. They soaked up a lot of pressure and when they had to push on, they did." It's the second successive year that the Flood Cup will reside in the capital. It was Westmeath's first final in 10 years. It won't be their last. The majority of the side are eligible again next season. They showed strength and pace. They played some decent football, and if they had been sharper in attack, they could have been celebrating their third crown. After the game, the two managers were deep in conversation in the clubhouse corridor.

They had much to reflect on...and to be proud of. The sun shone on Donnycarney. It turned into a cracking game. A huge cheer greeted Westmeath when they ran out before the off. A big contingent had travelled, outnumbering the locals by three to one. And Westmeath began well, taking the game to the Dubs, but not taking all their chances. They were behind at half-time, 0-9 to 0-3. They had much more of the ball than that scoreline suggests. "We would have liked to have been a little bit closer at half-time," reflected Westmeath boss, Brendan Hackett. "But there was a reasonable wind there. People mightn't have realised that.

It gave Dublin a fair advantage and it put them in the driving seat." The complexion changed thereafter. Prior to Dorney's late goal, Dublin had only managed one point on the restart, a quality strike from play by Dean Rock. "Being a point behind with three minutes to go, I thought at that stage that we were in the driving seat," added Hackett. "We had the momentum then. If we had taken one of our chances then, it would have been a real blow to Dublin, and it would have been difficult for them to have come back. "But, look, that's football. Sometimes it comes down to inches. "It was a great achievement for the lads to get to the Leinster final. They beat three of the big counties on the way, Kildare, Meath and Laois. "And we probably came within three minutes of beating another of the big ones here. But that's the way it goes. "It just shows you, though, that there is a lot of talent in Westmeath." One of their top players is midfielder, John Heslin. He caught a couple of brilliant balls in the second period. Measured His midfield colleague, Denis Corroon, also had some majestic moments, while centre half-back Kieran Martin is a genuine leader, often breaking from the back with purpose. Dublin's full-back, Rory O'Carroll, did the same, and, despite the pressure they were under, Dublin kept calm and continued to play measured football.

Four unanswered points from James McCarthy, Jonny Cooper, Barry O'Rorke and Dorney helped the hosts lead by five points to one in the 13th minute. Rock then added three frees before the tea. The Westmeath fans were booing loudly at the interval, feeling some decisions had gone against them.

They had plenty to shout about for all the right reasons on the restart as Conor Lynam's two frees gave them the start they wanted. Rock then slotted over from wide on the left before three Lynam points, two frees, plus a Paul Sharry point, just left one between them in the 46th minute, 0-10 to 0-9. Westmeath were attacking the home defence with speed. James Durkan came close to a goal. Dorney's wonder goal ended the drama. Ted Furman and another Rock free added the chocolate buttons. Jim's Gems had made it back to the last four -- the hard way.

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