O’Brien nets on double

TWO DAVID O’Brien goals helped an impressive Naomh Eanna to an opening round win in the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ football championship Group A in St. Patrick’s Park.

The Gorey side were already strong but have added an impressive Minor, county team captain Michael Molloy, to their starting line-up and the youngster has really slotted in with the minimum of fuss.

Molloy was on the scoreboard himself, with his side leading by 0-4 to 0-3, when he classily picked out O’Brien on his own between the Cloughbawn full-back line and goalkeeper. The dangerous full-forward did the rest, slotting soccer-style past Billy Dunne.

Aided by a Colm Kehoe treble, Cloughbawn fought their way back into a lead and were unlucky not to grab a goal when Connal Flood thumped the crossbar. However, Naomh Eanna stuck at it and when Peter ‘Pedro’ Travers added a couple of late points they led by 1-8 to 0-10 at the break.

The second-half was a different story altogether, with Gorey scoring ten times to their opponents’ four. They already led by 1-13 to 0-12 when William Cullen was fouled for a 46th-minute penalty, and O’Brien made no mistake, firing high past the outstretched paw of goalkeeper Dunne.

From there Cloughbawn offered little resistance. Molloy brought his tally to three with a couple of quickfire points, and Seamus O’Donnell nabbed a deserved point after earlier seeing an effort strike the crossbar.

Naomh Eanna: Kenneth Byrne; Seamus O’Donnell (0-1), Tom Stafford, Joseph O’Connor; Aodhán Doyle, Pádraig Doyle, Conor Hughes; Brendan Travers (0-1), Kevin Harrington; Seán Doyle, Peter Travers (capt., 0-4), Gearóid Cullen (0-1); William Cullen (0-4, 2 frees), David O’Brien (2-3, 1-0 pen., 0-1 free), Michael Molloy (0-3). Subs. - John O’Brien for Harrington (38), Lee Kinsella for Molloy (54), Daniel Sunderland for Stafford (58), Gary Molloy for Hughes (59).

Cloughbawn: Billy Dunne; Aaron Byrne, Colin Doyle, Johnny Cullen; Gavin Murphy, David Doyle-Murphy, Harry Kehoe; Colm Kehoe (0-3, 1 ‘45), Barry Kehoe (capt.); Billy Wickham (0-2), Bob Whitty (0-2), Connal Flood (0-1); Martin Kehoe, Paul Foley (0-4 frees), Barry Carton (0-2). Subs. - Paudie Kehoe for Byrne (31), Gareth Murphy for Whitty (60), James Dempsey for Foley (60+1).

Referee: Pádraig Byrne (Kilanerin).

Well done to the Wexford Under-16 football development squad (above) on a great performance and well-deserved win against Wicklow. The final score was 4-9 to 1-13, with Noel Rowsome, Harry Kehoe and Adam Mullins all in particularly good form. They will...