O’Brien brace fires Éanna to victory

NAOMH ÉANNA were under the cosh early on at O’Moore Park, where Camross led by 0-5 to 0-1 after eight minutes, but they got their bearings as the game went on and eventually proved too strong for the Laois men.

With Conor McDonald causing havoc at full-forward and David O’Brien and Pádraig Doyle in similarly impressive form, they just too much firepower for Camross.

The hosts started well, with three points from Zane Keenan and one each from Ciarán Collier and Mark Dowling seeing them into a fourpoint lead early on. Naomh Éanna looked clumsy in those opening exchanges, but they sprung to life when a brilliant bit of skill by McDonald set David O’Brien up for his first goal.

Camross responded with a goal of their own, as Zane Keenan cracked a 21-yard free to the bottom corner, but the Gorey men were building momentum now. Pádraig Doyle set O’Brien up for his second goal in the 22nd minute, and they followed that up with four points in the next three minutes to stun Camross.

Then, with half-time approaching, a thunderous Conor McDonald shot from 21 yards out flew into the roof of the net, and Naomh Éanna led by 3-10 to 1-8 at the break.

Camross battled hard in the second half, but any time they got the lead down to six, Naomh Éanna found an extra gear, with Doyle’s marksmanship proving crucial.

Camross did eventually get a goal in response, through Oisín Bennett, but it was too little, too late for the Laois men.

SCORERS – Naomh Éanna: P Doyle 0-9 (5f, 65), D O’Brien 2-2, C McDonald 1-1, D Hughes 0-3 (2f), C McGuckin 0-2, G Molloy 0-1. Camross: Z Keenan 1-9 (1-8f, ’65), O Bennett 1-1, N Holmes 0-2 (1f), C Collier, D Gilmartin, E Gaughan, M Dowling 0-1 each.

NAOMH ÉANNA – B Kinsella; T Stafford, B Travers, E Conroy; S Doyle, L Kinsella, J Cullen; A Doyle, G Molloy; C McGuckin, P Doyle, D Hughes; D O’Brien, C McDonald, W Cullen. Subs:

J Cushe for Cullen (44), C Hughes for O’Brien (57), J O’Brien for D Hughes (62)

CAMROSS – T Dunphy; A Mortimer, M Moloney, J Phelan; L Burke, A Collier, D Palmer; M Collier, T Burke; C Collier, N Holmes, Z Keenan; M Dowling, D Delaney, E Gaughan. Subs: O Bennett for D Delaney (h-t), L Delaney for M Collier (49), G Burke for T Burke (50), D Gilmartin for Dowling (55)

REF – S Cleere (Kilkenny)