Special night for Naomh Moninne
NAOMH MONINNE ST FECHINS 2-15 1-7
DARVER was the venue for the second meeting of these two clubs in six days but on this occasion the hurlers of Naomh Moninne were celebrating capturing the Special Hurling Championship for the first time since its introduction in 2004 with victory in the final played last Thursday night.
On that previous meeting Brian Brady’s side as defending champions were dumped out of the Senior Championship at the semi final stage.
The Dundalk outfit showing just three changes put in a much improved performance and thanks to some heroic defending in particular they restricted their opponents to just eight scores throughout the hour.
The Fechins opened the scoring when centre half David Stephenson fired over from long range on 2 minutes but it was Brian Brady’s side who gained the upper hand for the remainder of the opening quarter hour scoring 1-3 without reply. Their points were scored by Philip Englishby, Ciaran McGlynn and Darren Geoghegan before Englishby added to his opening score when he kicked the sliotar high into the net from close range on 15 minutes.
They extended their lead to seven points with a brace of points from the Geoghegan brothers Darren (free) and Ronan. The Fechins brought a halt to this run of scores conceded when they grabbed two quick points from Brian Stephenson and Evan McGrane.
Englishby added a second goal on 23 minutes when he got on the end of a good move which also involved Ronan Geoghegan and Eoin Murphy before firing past keeper Vincent Hynes. His side looked on course for victory even at this early stage when a quick brace of points from Englishby, again, and Ronan Geoghegan had them leading by 2-7 to 0-3 five minutes from the break.
It the time that remained to the interval the Fechins grabbed a goal of their own scored by David Stephenson when he fired low past keeper Graham Harrington. The sides shared the next two points to leave Moninne leading at half time by double scores 2-8 to 1-4.
Determined not to come up short on this occasion the Dundalk outfit really hit the ground running at the start of the second half scoring four points in the opening eight minutes from Ronan Geoghegan (3) and a long range free from keeper Harrington, 2-13 to 1-4.
The game would play out to its inevitable conclusion as the sides shared the next four points with Evan McGrane then firing over the last consolation point for the South Louth outfit. However this would be Moninne’s night as they captured this Special Hurling Championship title for the first time.
Afterwards the ‘Maurice Murphy Cup’ was presented by County Board Chairman Des Halpenny jointly to team captain Eoin Murhy (grandson) and long serving club secretary Josephine Maguire (daughter).
NAOMH MONINNE: Graham Harrington (0-1); Paul Challoner, Chris Lennon, James Murphy; Mattie Fee, Oisin Drumm, Stephen Rafferty; Padraic Fallon, David Yore (0-1); Philip Englishby (2-2), Tadhg Moore, Darren Geoghegan (0-1, one free); Ronan Geoghegan (0-8, two frees), Eoin Murphy, Ciaran McGlynn (0-1). Subs – Donal Connolly for C McGlynn (half time), Stephen Ryan for Eoin Murphy (40 mins), Ultan McEneaney for P Englishby (46), Tadhg Litchfield for J Murphy (52).
ST FECHINS: Vincent Hynes; Cormac McAuley, Barry Devlin, Wayne Tracey; Liam Ryan, Oisin Byrne, Colin Griffin; Jamie McDonnell, Niall Devlin; Evan McGrane (0-2), David Stephenson (1-3), Brendan Hynes; Sean Brennan, Brian Stephenson (0-2), Sean Hodgins. Subs used – Conor Higgins, Danny Morgan, Paddy Reddy, Conor Relihan, Niall Tiernan.
REFEREE: Kevin Brady.