Na Fianna coast into ‘A’ quarters with 15-point win
NA FIANNA strolled through to the ‘A’ section of the Greenstar Under-20 football Premier championship with comprehensive first round victory over St. Anne’s in Bunclody on Sunday.
This was a one-sided affair throughout, with the HWH-Bunclody and Davidstown-Courtnacuddy amalgamation far stronger than their opponents, amassing a tenpoint lead in the opening quarter.
James Kelly, Eddie Black, Eddie Dunbar and John McCormack all got on the scoreboard before McCormack found the net midway through the half thanks to some persistent work from Kelly.
St. Anne’s had barely moved the ball into the opposition’s half at this stage, and things went from bad to worse when they lost attacker Darragh Furlong through injury.
Na Fianna struck five more scores from Dunbar, Kelly, Seán Cooper and Ciarán Kavanagh before the Rathangan side finally got off the mark in the 29th minute when Dylan O’Brien found the range.
There was very little to play for in the second-half as St. Anne’s just didn’t have the firepower to trouble their opponents who were also showing no signs of letting up, as Dunbar, Black and McCormack increased their lead immediately after the break.
And just when they were rewarded with a goal from the hard-working Dylan O’Brien, it was undone immediately by Gerry Connors who found the net at the other end only a minute later.
It was just a matter of seeing out the allotted time at that stage, as Na Fianna finished out the half with further scores from recent county Minor Kavanagh, McCormack and Dunbar to put a massive gap between the sides.
Interestingly enough, the St. Anne’s scores all came from substitute, Dylan O’Brien, who finished out the game as top scorer with a personal salvo of 2-4, with his late goal coming as little consolation in an overwhelming victory for Na Fianna.
The victors will now face Kilanerin in the quarter-final, while the losers will take on Sarsfields in the same stage of the Premier ‘B’ championship.
Na Fianna: Eddie Kelly; Lee Levingstone, Adam Hogan, Barry Nolan; Tadhg O Ceallaigh (0-1), Byron Byrne, Ciarán Kavanagh (0-2); Seán Cooper (0-2), Eddie Black (0-3, 1 free); Cathal Doyle, Eddie Dunbar (0-5), Ciarán Kavanagh; John McCormack (1-3, 0-1 free), James Kelly (0-3), Jack Regan. Subs. - Gerry Connors (1-0) for Doyle (21), Michael McGinty for Hogan (31), James Black for Kavanagh (39), Mark Kavanagh for E. Black (40), Alan Carton for C. Kavanagh (46).
St. Anne’s: Jack Donovan; Eoin Ryan, Andrew Walsh, Killian Brennan-Roche; Justin Moran, Kevin Breen, Barry Roche; Gary Sinnott, Philip Rawson; Karim Byrne, Andy Kennedy, Killian Byrne; Conor Ryan, Darragh Furlong, Evan McKay. Sub. - Dylan O’Brien (2-4) for Furlong, inj. (20).
Referee:
Eddie O’Sullivan (Kilanerin).