A goal in injury time in either half proved to be decisive as Dunderry claimed the 2025 Division2 Hurling League title tonight in Batterstown. A brave comeback by the Dunboyne team had actually propelled them into a 2 point lead in the 29th minute of the 2nd half, only for an opportunistic goal by the men in black, on 31 minutes, to break St Peters hearts.

It was the Dunboyne men that started brighter and were 2 points up after 2 minutes, with quickfire scores from Simon Cunningham and Jason Gleeson (f). Dunderry responded with 4 on the bounce including a superb sideline cut from their wing forward. Three further points from the hurl of Gleeson (2f) pushed Dunboyne 1 ahead in the 15th minute of the 1st half, before Dunderry responded again with 3 points of their own (3f). Sean Quigley got a monster point from way out on the left wing on 21 minutes, leaving the score on Dunboyne 0:06 Dunderry 0:07. The remainder of the half was dominated by Dunderry and it was the key period where they also dominated the scoreboard to put daylight between the teams at half time. They closed the half outscoring Dunboyne by 1:04 (2f) to 0:02, both Gleeson frees, which left the Dunboyne men with a mountain to climb in the second half, trailing by 6 points, on a score line of 0:08 (5f) to 1:11 (6f, 1sc)

Dunderry were to push that out to 7 points in the 1st minute of the second half, but this is where Dunboyne started clawing their way back into the game. He had alot to do on the edge of the square but Smithy managed to work enough space to strike the ball into the back of the net. Jason Gleeson got another free shortly after following a foul on James Lonergan. Dunderry replied with one from play before Quiggs took a ball out of the sky with a great touch, made space for himself, and split the posts from 50 yards. It was countered immediately though by another from play for Dunderry. Score on 15 minutes of second half Dunboyne 1:10 Dunderry 1:14.

In the 16th minute Gleeson score a monster free from 80 yards, and followed it up with another 1 minute later. Two mighty scores from play from Sean Cregan and Simon Cunningham left one between the sides going into the last 10 minutes. Dunboyne had their tails up now and the substitutions were all making a positive impact on the game, while Diarmuid Delaney was immense at No.6 on his first game back after injury. Gleeson, with two more frees levelled up the game on 1:16 apiece, before Eoghan McCormack put Dunboyne ahead by one in the 25th minute, to put the Black and Amber men back into the lead for the first time since the 15th minute of the game. The lead was doubled by another Gleeson free in the 29th minute, but then disaster struck. Dunderry finished out the game with 1:02 (2f) without reply to grab victory out of the jaws of defeat.

Final Score: Dunboyne 1:18 (11f) Dunderry 2:18 (11f, 1sc)

Overall the Dunboyne camp have to be happy with the spirit they showed in the second half comeback and in-fact by their start to the year in general. The management team have blooded plenty of young players and getting to two finals (Cup and League) shows the potential in this group. Add to this also the progress made by the second team who just finished outside of a Div4 final themselves. The league is behind them now and the championship is just around the corner so they will have to lick their wounds, learn from tonight's game, and take the fight into the Intermediate championship. The club are right behind you!

Team: Paul Graves; Andy McWeeney; Evan McCrudden; Ciaran Lonergan; James Lonergan; Diarmuid Delaney; Alan Watters; Eoghan McCormack (0:01); Fergal Chawke; Jason Gleeson (0:12, 11f); Daniel Boyd; Sean Quigley (0:02); Simon Cunningham (0:02); Sean Cregan (0:01); Niall Smith (1:00) Substitutions: Adam O'Connor (for Alan Waters); Conor Gilmartin (for Fergal Chawke); Aidan Flynn (for C Lonergan); Liam Callanan (for Andy McWeeney); Ronan Conheady; Joe McGovern; Ger Murphy; Cillian Murphy; Oisin O'Dwyer; Paul Hayes; Eoghan Pearl;