Moninne keep final quest on right track
FOR the second week running the hurlers of Naomh Moninne were involved in a dramatic tussle in the Louth Senior Championship, this time against town rivals Pearse Og at St Brigids Park Dowdallshill on Thursday evening.
The only difference on this occasion was that they needed to rely on the three goals they scored in injury time to get the better of their neighbours as the previous sixty minutes could not separate the teams.
The sides were level on no fewer than ten occasions throughout the opening sixty minutes with the lead changing hands several times before the late drama saw Moninne sealing the win and also putting them within one game of their first county final appearance since 2010.
Knockbridge also made it two wins from two with a 2-14 to 1-12 victory over holders St Fechins in Darver on the same night. The reward for the winners of the third round clash between Moninne and Knockbridge this coming Thursday night (August 24) will be a place in the county final on Sunday September 24 with the losers meeting either St Fechins or Pearse Og again in the semi final.
Top scorer Ronan Geoghegan opened the scoring for Moninne with a point from a 65m free after three minutes to which he added one from play almost immediately to double his side’s early lead.
A brace of pointed frees from Gerard Smyth had the sides tied at two a piece on the quarter hour before the lively David Yore struck over a good point from play for the black and amber outfit.
A point from open play from Andrew McCrave restored parity and it was Pearse Og who went in front for the first time on 20 minutes when Aidan Callan split the post, 0-4 to 0-3.
Moninne responded with three unanswered points from Geoghegan (free), Darren O Hanrahan and John Martin before Dean Walsh left just one point between them again as half time approached.
In the time that remained to the break, substitute and ex Mattock Rangers player Johnny Carter raised the white flag for Brian Brady’s charges but there was still time for Gerard Smyth to fire over his third pointed free of the half to leave his side trailing Moninne by 0-7 to 0-6 at the turn over.
Ronan Geoghegan added to his tally with the first point on the resumption but it was Pearse Og who rallied with three unanswered points, all from the stick of Gerard Smyth to leave them in front 0-9 to 0-8 on 40 minutes.
They had two good goal opportunities that both fell to Dean Walsh in the second half with Moninne keeper Paul Delaney denying him first with a good save, while he blazed the second opportunity over the bar with the goal at his mercy.
The sides continued to trade points in this second half with a terrific long range 80 metre point on 51 minutes from Shane Callan tying up matters for an eight time in this match. Pearse Og led three times in the final ten minutes but on each occasion pointed frees from Geoghegan brought the sides level.
The sides were tied at 0-14 a piece as the game entered 9 minutes of injury time. In that time Moninne struck for three goals with David Yore grabbing a brace in successive attacks. Firstly he reacted quickest to a breaking ball from a miss hit Diarmuid Murphy free to fire pass Barry Myles in the Pearse Og goals.
In the very next attack he cut in from the left to drive an unstoppable shot to the top right hand corner of the net before substitute Donal Connolly sealed the win with goal number three on 65 minutes which went in off the upright.
Despite two successive defeats in the competition, all is not lost for the hurlers of Pearse Og as they will now take on holders St Fechins this Thursday night with the winners claiming a spot in the semi final a fortnight later. NAOMH MONINNE: Paul Delaney; Paul Challoner, Chris Lennon, Andrew McArdle; Mattie Fee, Oisin Drumm, Diarmuid Murphy (0-1 free); Darren O Hanrahan (0-3), Feidhelm Joyce; Collins Connolly, John Martin (0-1), Ronan Geoghegan (0-8, 6 frees 1 65m free); David Yore (2-1), Andrew Mackin, Stephen Rafferty. Subs – Johnny Carter (0-1) for S Rafferty (19 mins), Stephen Ryan for C Connolly (47), Donal Connolly (1-0) for R Geoghegan (63), James Murphy for A McArdle.
PEARSE OG: Barry Myles; Noel Callan, Brian Minogue, Adam Traynor; Shane Kellegher, Shane Callan (0-1), Gerard Smyth (0-6 frees); Mick Lyons, Gary O Brien (0-1 free); Dean Walsh (0-2), Andrew McCrave (0-2), Padraig McCarthy (0-1); Aidan Callan (0-1), David Mulholland, Gerry Hoey. Subs – Paul Grimes for G Hoey (41 mins), Cian Shalloe for S Callan (55).
REFEREE: Jim O Rourke (Monaghan). NA Piarsaigh defied the odds with a stunning relegation play-off victory over St Fechin’s at The Grove on Sunday morning.
The black and amber were heavy underdogs going into the clash and would even have been most people’s favourites to drop down to the junior ranks, but they refused to follow the script.
St Fechin’s were the architects of their own downfall to some extent as indiscipline proved costly once again, Ken Finegan