{"id":118191,"date":"2025-10-12T23:14:16","date_gmt":"2025-10-12T23:14:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/118191\/"},"modified":"2025-10-12T23:14:16","modified_gmt":"2025-10-12T23:14:16","slug":"kingscourt-stars-take-cavan-crown-on-weekend-of-upsets-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/118191\/","title":{"rendered":"Kingscourt Stars take Cavan crown on weekend of upsets \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">On a weekend of notable upsets, one of the most seismic was in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/cavan\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/cavan\">Cavan<\/a> where 4-1 underdogs Kingscourt Stars sensationally defeated a fancied Gowna side by 2-16 to 0-13 in the county final. After falling 0-4 to 0-0 behind early on, the Stars took over and goals just before half-time from Kevin Curtis and man of the match Joe Dillon saw them lead by five at the break.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Meath star Jordan Morris kicked 0-9 for the winners, who were managed by well-travelled intercounty coach Colin Kelly from Louth, as they stunned Vinny Corey\u2019s Gowna, who had beaten the Stars by 17 points in the 2023 final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">In the west, a late two-pointer from David Quinn, who finished with 1-8, earned Shamrock Gaels a dramatic draw against hat-trick-chasing Connacht champions Coolera-Strandhill in a thrilling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/sligo-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/sligo-gaa\">Sligo<\/a> final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph b-it-article-body__interstitial-link\">[\u00a0<a aria-label=\"Open related story\" class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/sport\/gaelic-games\/2025\/10\/12\/eoghan-frayne-leads-summerhill-to-meath-sfc-title-over-ratoath\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Eoghan Frayne leads Summerhill to Meath SFC title over RatoathOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">An early goal from Dillon McDermott propelled the Gaels into the lead but a goal from Leo Doherty in first-half injury time saw the favourites lead by 1-10 to 1-5 at half-time and they hit the net twice again through Ross Doherty and Se\u00e1n Murphy in the third quarter. But Quinn\u2019s retaken penalty and that late orange flag tied the game.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">Elsewhere, Ronan McGoldrick\u2019s fisted point sealed a 2-9 to 1-11 win for Emmet \u00d3g, Killoe over Colmcille in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/longford-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/longford-gaa\">Longford<\/a> decider, securing their 15th football title and maintaining their extraordinary unbeaten record in finals.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Mark Hughes netted a deflected goal before half-time to see Colmcille lead by 1-4 to 0-5, while Cian Farrelly added a second after the break. Colmcille briefly led through Cathal McCabe\u2019s goal, with Jack Macken landing a pair of two-point frees, but they couldn\u2019t add to their tally after the 47th minute, missing key late chances as Killoe held on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">There was history made in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/antrim-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/antrim-gaa\">Antrim<\/a> as Dunloy ended an 89-year wait for the county SFC title with a 3-12 to 2-8 win over four-in-a-row seeking Cargin at Corrigan Park.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-chromatic=\"ignore\" alt=\"Dunloy Cuchulainns' Eoin O'Neill lifts the trophy after the victory over Cargin in the Antrim SFC final at Corrigan Park in Belfast. Photograph: Dan Clohessy\/Inpho\" class=\"c-image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/ZUE7VZ4H7NGTPOBYFBKSW43MTM.jpg\"   width=\"800\" height=\"572\"\/>Dunloy Cuchulainns&#8217; Eoin O&#8217;Neill lifts the trophy after the victory over Cargin in the Antrim SFC final at Corrigan Park in Belfast. Photograph: Dan Clohessy\/Inpho <\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall \">Goals from Luke McFerran and brothers Se\u00e1n and Nigel Elliot sealed victory, while Cargin missed an early penalty through Tom\u00e1s McCann. Despite a late Mick McCann spot-kick, Dunloy were comfortable winners, playing some stylish attacking football.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">\u00c9ire \u00d3g, Ennis claimed their fourth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/clare-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/clare-gaa\">Clare<\/a> SFC title in five years with a 1-16 to 2-6 win over St Joseph\u2019s Doora-Barefield, completing a rare senior football and hurling double. Trailing after two early Odhr\u00e1n O\u2019Connell goals, they surged ahead with an unanswered 1-8, capped by Gavin Cooney\u2019s decisive goal.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph b-it-article-body__interstitial-link\">[\u00a0<a aria-label=\"Open related story\" class=\"c-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/sport\/gaelic-games\/2025\/10\/12\/naomh-conaill-fight-back-to-beat-gaoth-dobhair-after-extra-time-in-donegal-sfc-decider\/\" rel=\"noreferrer nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Naomh Conaill fight back to beat Gaoth Dobhair after extra-time in Donegal SFC deciderOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">Meanwhile, Portarlington\u2019s bid for a fifth <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/laois-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/laois-gaa\">Laois<\/a> SFC title in six years was halted as Courtwood earned a 2-12 to 1-15 draw. The first-time finalists missed a lot of chances early on and picked up two black cards over the hour, but 1-1 from Alan Kinsella and a free from sub Dylan Keane earned them another crack at it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">In hurling, Lilywhite dual superpower Naas claimed a seventh straight <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/kildare-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/kildare-gaa\">Kildare<\/a> SHC title with a 3-15 to 0-16 win over a young Maynooth side. Goals from Killian Harrington, Ferran O\u2019Sullivan and man of the match Cian Boran sealed victory, while Jack Sheridan hit eight points before being sent off late on. Teenager Tom Power impressed with 0-8 from placed balls for the runners-up as Naas march on to face Mount Leinster Rangers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">In the battle of the Emmets, Carnew came from behind to defeat Bray by 0-16 to 2-8 in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/wicklow-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/wicklow-gaa\">Wicklow<\/a> SHC final.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">Elsewhere, a long-range Shane Boland free went all the way to the net and proved crucial as Toureen defeated Ballyhaunis by 2-17 to 0-21 in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/mayo-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/mayo-gaa\">Mayo<\/a> hurling decider, while Middletown took the hurling honours in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/armagh-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/armagh-gaa\">Armagh<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"c-paragraph paywall b-it-article-body__text--left\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/monaghan-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/monaghan-gaa\">Monaghan<\/a> county final in football will be contested by Scotstown \u2013 who defeated Clontibret by six points in the semi-final \u2013 and Inniskeen, while Westport will meet Ballina in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/mayo-gaa\" target=\"_self\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" title=\"https:\/\/www.irishtimes.com\/tags\/mayo-gaa\">Mayo<\/a> SFC final after wins over Crossmolina (after extra time) and Knockmore respectively.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"On a weekend of notable upsets, one of the most seismic was in Cavan where 4-1 underdogs Kingscourt&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":118192,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[76],"tags":[72282,9161,18,5286,71759,19,17,72283,132],"class_list":{"0":"post-118191","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-sports","8":"tag-antrim-gaa","9":"tag-cavan-gaa","10":"tag-eire","11":"tag-gaa","12":"tag-gaa-club-football-championship","13":"tag-ie","14":"tag-ireland","15":"tag-laois-gaa","16":"tag-sports"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118191","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118191"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118191\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118192"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118191"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118191"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118191"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}