Adamstown in fine form
ADAMSTOWN ST. FINTAN’S
ADAMSTOWN REGAINED their form with a commanding display as they handed St. Fintan’s a 25-point drubbing in this Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotels Intermediate football championship Group A game in Taghmon on Sunday.
Having struggled in the championship to date with just two points from their three games played, Adamstown showed early signals of their intentions, going on to build on this dominance with some superb point-taking from long range.
In doing so the Redmond Barry-coached side served up some excellent points as they totally dismantled a depleted St. Fintan’s outfit short of key players Donal Shanley, Jim Rossiter and Joey Wadding, but one doubts if their presence would have curtailed the winners’ dominance.
The two points gained leaves Adamstown in a position to secure a quarter-final spot in their final game, while St. Fintan’s are now also reliant on their final outing to keep their championship prospects alive, in what has turned into a very tight group.
Adamstown served early notice, racing into a four-point lead inside the opening ten minutes after Conor Hickey kicked over two quick points followed by efforts from the advancing Johnny Connors and a long-range attempt from Paudie Barden.
The eventual winners were six points clear when St. Fintan’s eventually opened their account through a Shane Sinnott point, but two goals really put the issue beyond doubt.
The first arrived from a Conor Hickey penalty after 22 minutes, while Liam Stafford applied the finish four minutes later, leaving them with a 2-11 to 0-1 interval lead.
Although Conor Hickey and Shane Sinnott exchanged early second-half points, Adamstown remained in control and picked off scores at will, with their third goal arriving in the 41st minute from a Hickey penalty.
Paudie Barden got on the end of a sweeping move to finish to the net eleven minutes from the end, leaving St. Fintan’s a demoralised and totally outplayed side, although they finished off the game with a Jason Pettit pointed free.
Adamstown: Alan Bradley; Kieran Finn, P.J. Carroll, Lorcan French; Johnny Connors (0-1), Michael Furlong (0-1), Seán Barden (0-1); Barry Power, Tony French (0-1); Liam Stafford (1-0), Shane White, Ian White (01); Paudie Barden (1-3), Ian Bradley (0-1), Conor Hickey (2-8, 2-0 pens., 0-2 frees). Subs. - Harry Cosgrave for S. White, James Delaney for I. Bradley, James O’Shea for Power.
St. Fintan’s: Patrick McDonnell; Jimmy Staples, Frank Staples, Shane Sinnott; Brian Lacey, Peter Goldsmith, Jamie Sinnott; Pádraig Doyle, Shane Sinnott (Cregg); Eoin O’Callaghan, Pádhraic Rossiter, Adrian Murphy; Shane Sinnott (0-2, 1 free), Jason Pettit (0-2, 1 free, 1 ‘45), Niall Moore. Subs. - Tom Cullen for Murphy (black card), Eoin Cummins for Shane Sinnott (Cregg, inj.), Edmond Cleary for Lacey, John William Rowe for J. Sinnott.
Referee: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore).