Champs see off a strong Moninne challenge

ST FECHINS 0-14 NAOMH MONINNE 0-10

THE hurlers of Naomh Moninne travelled up to Beaulieu in confident mood last Thursday evening to take on county champions St Fechins in the second round of the senior league. Victory over Pearse Og a week earlier had led to a real belief that Brian Brady’s side could really trouble the south Louth outfit.

However eight points, seven of them from frees, by Paddy Lynch would see the home side edging home by four after they had led by the minimum at the break.

The opening half was a closely fought affair with the teams level on six occasions throughout the thirty minutes. Three good points from play from midfielder Darren O Hanrahan had the Dundalk outfit leading by 0-5 to 0-3 on the quarter hour.

The home side responded with three unanswered points from Lynch (2 frees) and Michael Ryan to go in front by one on 20 minutes. The sides shared the next four points to leave the Fechins leading by 0-8 to 0-7 at the turn around.

They had the better of the exchanges on the resumption with points from Paddy Lynch (3) and David Stephenson extending their lead to five points with a quarter hour remaining. To their credit Moninne got right back into the match with successive points from a Diarmuid Murphy free and substitute Collins Connolly.

The Fechins restored their five points advantage through the sticks of Michael Ryan and substitute Vincent Hynes. Diarmuid Murphy responded with his third point from a free but his side were denied an injury time goal as the sliotar was scrambled off the goal line by the home sides defence as they held out for the win. ST FECHINS: Stephen Hackett; Cormac McAuley, Darren McDonnell, Robert Moynagh; Paddy McCormack, Cathal Ryan, Wayne Treacy; Donal Ryan, Seaghan Conneelly; Michael Ryan, John Crosbie, David Stephenson (0-1); Paddy Lynch (0-8, 7 frees), Brian Stephenson, Michael Ryan (0-4). Subs – Vincent Hynes (0-1) for B Stephenson, Sean Hodgins for J Crosbie.

NAOMH MONINNE: James Connolly; Niall Cafferkey, Chris Lennon, Andrew McArdle; Paul Challoner, Oisin Drumm, Diarmuid Murphy (0-3, 3 frees); Darren O Hanrahan (0-4), Feidhelm Joyce; Stephen Ryan, John Martin, Tadhg Moore (0-2); David Yore, Andrew Mackin, Ronan Geoghegan. Subs – Collins Connolly (0-1) for S Ryan, James Murphy for J Martin, Donal Connolly for R Geoghegan, Donal Griffin for N Cafferkey, Mark McGuinness for D Yore.

REFEREE: Gerry Keoghan (Meath).

IN the games other match last Thursday evening, Knockbridge went to the top of the league table thanks to a narrow 1-12 to 0-12 victory over Pearse Og at the DKIT.