Goals give Gorey a convincing win

NAOMH EANNA were too strong for Our Lady’s Island in their Permanent TSB Junior ‘B’ football championship semi-final in Hollymount on Saturday.

A goal in either half for the Gorey outfit was enough to comfortably book their place in the final on a wet and slippery afternoon.

Of the two teams in action, they started the stronger. Early Paul Timmons and Michael Molloy minors were added to when the former supplied John O’Brien to blast high into the net in the 14th minute.

A further Dara McDonald point extended Gorey’s lead to five (1-4 to 0-2), and they had already scored more than the Island would in 60 minutes.

Our Lady’s Island did rally through Cathal Devereux and Cian Meyler, but two Molloy minors meant the lead at the break stayed at five.

After the re-start Devereux added his third and final dead-ball point of the game before Naomh Eanna’s first score of the half effectively ended the contest.

McDonald’s pass found Eoin Conroy who danced inside and fired home off the underside of the crossbar to make it a three-score game (2-6 to 0-5).

Gorey were rarely troubled for the remaining 25 minutes and coasted their way to a spot in the final.

After their score in the first minute of the half, it took the south Wexford side another 22 to register again. Quinn Saunders’ second point was a sign of them going out with a whimper rather than a bang.

After the second goal, Naomh Eanna only scored twice more themselves. The first was an impressive free from distance by wing-back Eoin Conroy, before Molloy added his fifth.

As the game petered out both Nicky Keane and Pat Cullen saw red for an off-the-ball incident, but Gorey cantered over the line and into a championship final meeting with Bannow-Ballymitty.

Naomh Eanna: Derick Woods; John Lillis, Pat Cullen, John Doyle (0-1); Jack Cullen (0-1), Simon Doran, Eoin Conroy (1-0); Stephen Byrne, Darragh Cullen; Michael Molloy (capt., 0-5, 2 frees) Dara McDonald, Barry Kinsella; Paul Timmons (0-1), Niall Kirwan, John O’Brien (1-0). Subs. - Eoin McGuckin for Kirwan (40), Joseph Naughton for Doyle (56), Alan McPartlan for O’Brien (57).

Our Lady’s Island: Brian Moore; Robert Cloney, Davy Corish, James Vaughan; Damien Breslin, Noel Dempsey, Gary Walsh; Fintan Mullins, Joey Murphy (capt.); Quinn Saunders (0-2), Nicky Keane, Cathal Devereux (0-3 frees); Cian Meyler (0-1), Dean Maloney, Eoin Wright. Subs. - Rory Reville for Vaughan (23), Dylan Murphy for Murphy (31), Kevin Wright for Walsh (52), Nicky White for E. Wright (54), Shane Kehoe for Saunders (56).

Referee: Pádraig McMahon (Shelmaliers).