GAA | Finnegan plays a starring role as DkIT raise the curtain on their season with a thumping win over Trinity
DkIT 4–20 Trinity College Dublin 1–9
Electric Ireland HE GAA Senior Division 2 Group A
Cathal Finnegan played a leading role as DkIT opened their 2019 Electric Ireland HE Division 2 Group A campaign in storming fashion against Trinity College on Thursday night.
With pre-Halloween fireworks lighting up the night sky, the Seneschalstown player let fly with a couple of rockets of his own, finishing the game with a healthy tally of 2–5 as Oisin McConville’s side cut loose in the second period.
The scoreline suggests otherwise, but the first half was an evenly matched affair which saw DkIT go in just three points ahead of their Dublin counterparts who saw off Ulster University in their opening group game.
Finnegan didn’t take long to get into his groove, wooing the spectators with a sublime left-footed free from the right-hand side of the pitch with less than two minutes played. His second of the night, a pearler from open play with his right foot, was just as good, if not better.
With James Wilson, Shane Hamilton, Eunan Walsh and Ciaran McGlynn all helping out on the scoresheet, DkIT held a 0–9 to 0–4 lead with 20 minutes played but Trinity kept themselves in it when Ryan O’Reilly, who saw an earlier effort thunder off the crossbar, beat Naomh Fionnbarra goalkeeper Matthew O’Reilly with a stunning drive.
Daniel Morgan followed that up with a confident score after cutting in from the right but the local college restored their cushion with another Finnegan free and the final score of the half from Cormac Boylan.
Early second-half points from Morgan and Luke Nolan left just one between the sides but DkIT reeled off the scores after that, hitting 3–6 without reply with substitute Lorcan Smith adding his name to the list of goalscorers.
Finnegan’s sweetly struck finish made it 2–14 to 1–7 and Wilson and the physically imposing Gary Mohan, who scored 1–8 for the Freshers against Jordanstown on Monday, added to their respective hauls.
Trinity were looking for the bus home at this stage and Finnegan and substitute Terence Kelly of the Sean O’Mahony’s heaped more misery on goalkeeper Kieran Westerberg with a couple more goals.
Mohan hit a couple of late, booming scores before the death to put the cap on an impressive display and with the likes of Rian O’Neill, Sam Mulroy and Ross Nally still to return, McConville will be more than satisfied with his side’s opening night performance.
DkIT: Matthew O’Reilly; Ben Goss, Hugh Osborne, Mark Byrne; Ciaran McGlynn (0–1), Conor Magennis (0–1), Keelan O’Neill; Shane Hamilton (0–1), Eunan Walsh (0–2); Micheal Begley (0–1), Cathal Finnegan (2–5, 3f), Rory Farrell (0–1); Cormac Boylan, Gary Mohan (0–4), James Wilson (0–4). Subs: Lorcan Smith (1–0) for C McGlynn; Gavin Daly for C Boylan; Oisin Martin for M Begley; Terence Kelly (1–0) for R Farrell.
