How about this for a record in your last 3 minor games ever: 1) MHC semi-final, into injury time, 2 points down and you pop up to score a goal. 2) Minor football championship final, into injury time of normal time, 2 points down and you pop and score a goal, and 3) MHC final, 3rd minute of injury time, scores are level, and you pop up to score the winner. Surely a table quiz question in years to come but that impressive run of key scores was delivered by the multitalented Joel Mangan.

Perfect conditions earlier this afternoon on the Navan O’Mahony’s pitch (Trim Road) where the St Peters Dunboyne hurlers finished off their minor careers with a well-deserved MHC Div2 win over a Loughcrew Gaels combination. Leading by 8 points heading into the final 10 minutes the Dunboyne lads were well in control of this game but a strong finish by the combination side with 1:05 (2f) without response brought parity. But a strong puck-out by Daniel Slevin in the 3rd minute of extra time, after an equalising goal, was picked up by young Mangan 50 yards out on the left-hand side. Right man Right place. He expertly split the posts to record the final, and most important score of the game.

The day didn’t get off to the best of starts when starting corner back Ed McDonnell got a knee injury in the warm-up and could not take his place. James McCarthy was sprung to fill in for the unfortunate Ed and went on to have a super game in the corner.

LCG’s (Loughcrew Gaels) were first to trouble the score board with two expertly taken frees by their centre forward from all of 70 yards. Mangan responded in the 5th minute with Dunboyne’s first of the afternoon. In the 6th minute the excellent Tadgh Brennan intercepted a through ball slipped a pass to Eoghan McDonald who hit Sean Delaney in space, and he made no mistake as he brought the two teams’ level. Two minutes later Rory Callanan hit a monster sideline into the danger zone, Shea Mooney pounced and put Black and Ambers ahead (0:03 to 0:02). LCG’s responded with a ’65 to bring parity again to proceedings in the 9th minute.

In the 12th minute LCG’s broke through the St Peters rear guard and brought a world class save out of Slevin, not for the first time this season. Mangan, another free, and Delaney from play nudged Dunboyne 2 in front in the 16th minute. LCG’s pulled one back from their lively corner forward but Rory Callanan was to have the final scoring say of the first half with a 70-yard monster free from out on the right hand touchline. This left Dunboyne heading in at the break 2 points up in a low scoring, but fiercely entertaining, first 30 minutes on a score line of Dunboyne 0:06 (3f) LCGs 0:04 (2f, 1’65)

St Peters won the throw in and Mangan put a clever ball into the on-running Evan Murphy who was taken down by the LCGs defence, another point from the resultant free from Mangan. LCGs pulled one back one minute later before another free from Mangan put them 3 up again. LCG narrowed this to 2 points in the 9th minute with a sweet strike. Darragh Harkin, brought on at half time for his cousin Neil O’Connor, popped up for a great score off his left in the 10th minute. This kick started a purple patch for St Peters, and specifically Sean Delaney, who got 3 points on the bounce each one better than the last. Score on 12 minutes: Dunboyne 0:12 LCGs 0:06.

In the 14th minute a Rory Callanan free came off the LCGs upright and Shea Mooney was the quickest to react with a ground strike that flew over the bar. LCGs pulled one back from a placed ball before two pointed frees from Managan put Dunboyne 8 points ahead in the 20th minute and looking good (0:15 to 0:07). Charlie Gallagher showed the danger he offered with a goal chance with his first touch, but the ball was agonisingly knocked from his control.

LCGs were always going to have their purple patch, and it came in the final 10 minutes of the second half. Their number 15 really began to stamp his authority on the game and registered 2 from play in the 20th and 25th minutes (0:15 to 0:09). Slevin again in the Dunboyne goal was called upon and was up to the task in the 26th minute to keep his team with a 6-point lead. But LCGs were in the ascendency at this stage of the game and were to score 1:03 (2f) without response to draw the game level on 32 minutes. But this group of Dunboyne lads never know when they are beaten and stuck the chests out once more. Slevin puckout, Managan picking up the break and splitting the posts to a rapturous applause from the sizeable attendance from the village. Referee Sean Gahan, thankfully, blew the final whistle a short time later with the MHC Div2 cup heading back to Dunboyne again for the first time since 2021 when Daire Rohan lifted the same cup following a 2point victory over Kiltale.

Final score: St Peters Dunboyne 0:16 (7f) Loughcrew Gaels 1:12 (5f, 1’65)

After the game captain Eoghan McDonald accepted the cup on behalf of this brave team with a never-say-die attitude. In his excellent victory speech Eoghan thanked all the coaches involved down through the years but a special word of thanks to the great DJ Coone who managed this fine bunch of young men since they were in the nursery.

Team: Daniel Slevin; James McCarthy; Tadgh Brennan; Cillian Cunningham; Shay Coone; Eoghan McDonald; Pierce Hayes; Rory Callanan (0:01f); Joel Mangan (0@07, 6f); Evan Murphy; Sean Delaney (0:05); Neil O’Connor; Harry Clarke-Murphy; Shea Mooney (0:02); Stephen Tighe;

Bench: Darragh Harkin (0:01) (for Neil O’Connor ht); Charlie Gallagher (for Stephen Tighe 48m); Charlie Leonard (for Harry Clarke-Murphy 57m); Liam Kennedy; Kevin Tighe; Ed McDonnell;