Bagnall, Cunningham, Doyle all star as Allenwood take the Division 2 title
Allenwood became Division 2 champions with an 0-19 to 1-12 win over St Laurence's
Hanlon Concrete SFL Division 2 2024 final
Allenwood 0-19
St Laurences 1-12
Allenwood put the icing on the cake adding the SFL Division 2 title to their already secured promotion to Division 1 following their two point win over St Laurence's at Manguard Park, Hawkfield on Saturday afternoon.
It was a game that was full of some great movement, top class scores and a handful of excellent individual displays.
Allenwood went through the entire league without dropping a single point and while they looked well on their way at half-time, when leading by seven points, were certainly put the pin of their collective collars as The Larries upped their game on the resumption, cutting the lead back to two points with ten minutes remaining. However Noel Mooney's boys came again, held off the challenge but were still no doubt much relieved to hear the final whistle from referee Damian Whelan, the Castledermot man having fine game throughout.
Three Allenwood player in particular stood out and probably proved the difference between the sides. The trio, led by Eoghan Bagnall, backed up by the ever-green Johnny Doyle and youthful Joey Cunningham, scored between them no less than seventeen of the nineteen points total that The Blues amassed. When the pressure came on, and before the pressure came on, it was this trio who shone brightest.
St Laurence's also had a few stand-out players in particular Felix Lawlor, centre forward Tom Dooley and influential midfielder Senan Murphy, minor last year, this is a lad that can have a big future as he matures, has two good feet, a good fetcher, gets around the field and is not too easily pushed off the ball.
It was Allenwood who opened with impressive points from Bagnall (2), Johnny Doyle(2), and a point each from Joey Cunningham and Rory Moran.
It was Senan Murphy who finally got The Larries off the mark on 11 minutes but The Blues added another three, two from Bagnall and one from Cunningham before Stephan Mann and Jason McHugh reduced to gap to five on 23 minutes.
Cormac Denagher and Cunningham stretched the lead; Larries were denied by the rear end of a defender; Alan Steed denied by a combination of defenders as the half-time whistle arrived Allenwood leading 0-10 to 0-3.
Eoin Curley reduced the deficit on the resumption before a fine move involving Sean Moran, Johnny Doyle and Eoin Bagnall ended with the latter converting a mark to leave it 0-11 to 0-4 on 32 minutes.
At this stage St Laurence's upped their game with points from Tom Dooley, a lovely effort after creating room for himself; and two frees from Felix Lawlor.
Joey Cunningham punched a point while practically on the ground and added a second a minute later.
St Laurence's however were not going away with Oisín Grufferty and Adam Steed combining before the former pointed; Senan Murphy added his second to cut the lead back to four.
Cunningham and Doyle combined, the latter pointing, but The Larries hit back with whites from Lawlor and Dooley.
Scorers were coming thick and fast at this stage and The Blues added two more from Cunningham and Bagnall but St Laurence's got right back into it when a ball in from Senan Murphy saw Tom Dooley gain possession and finding the net to leave it 0-16 to 1-11 on 50 minutes.
Niall O'Connor was denied by a great block from Fionn Moran but points from Johnny Doyle (free) and Eoin Bagnall pushed the lead out to four; Felix Lawlor got one back but it was the great JD who fired over a 45 as the final whistle arrived Allenwood winning, after an excellent game of football, on a final score line of Allenwood 0-19 St Laurence's 1-12.
Scorers: Allenwood, Eoghan Bagnall 0-7 (3 frees, mark), Joey Cunningham 0-5, Johnny Doyle 0-5 (1 free), Rory Moran 0-1, Cormac Denagher 0-1.
St Laurence's, Tom Dooley 1-2 (1 free), Felix Lawlor 0-4 (2 frees), Senan Murphy 0-2, Eoin Curley 0-1, Oisin Grufferty 0-1, Stephan Mann 0-1, Jason McHugh 0-1 (free).
ALLENWOOD: Luke Anderson; Fionn Moran, Sean Moran, Cillian Moran; Mark Byrne, Ronan Guilfoyle, Cormac Denagher; Eanna O'Neill, Rory Moran; Jack O'Brien, John Doyle, Aronn Dunne; Brendan Hanafey, Eoin Bagnall, Joey Cunningham. Subs: Callum O'Reilly for Jack O'Brien (39 minutes); Mark Delaney for Mark Byrne (51 minutes): Colm Moran for Cormac Denagher (59 minutes); Alex Lenehan for Eanna O'Neill (64 minutes).
ST LAURENCE'S: Paul Clynch; Michael O'Sullivan, Brendan Keatley, James Donnelly; Stephan Mann, Oisin Grufferty, Niall O'Connor; Senan Murphy, Jason McHugh; Jack Dargan, Tom Dooley, Kevin Eustace; Felix Lawlor, Adam Steed, Conn Killeem. Subs: Eoin Curley for Brendan Keatley (18 minutes); Padraig O'Neill for Michael O'Sullivan (51 minutes); Harry Swan for Jack Dargan (52 minutes).
REFEREE: Damian Whelan, Castledermot.