Woods to the rescue as the Finbarrs show their mettle Finbarrs show their mettle
Nh Fionnbarra 0-13 Dundak YI 0-10
NAOMH Fionnbarra battled back from three points down early in the second-half to claim a victory over Young Irelands and set up a meeting with St Brides in the last eight.
Once again it was the scoring power of William Woods that proved decisive for the Ballygassan men as they came out on top by three points. Although Woods will be disappointed to have kicked some uncharacteristic wides over the hour, the number 15 finished with an impressive tally of eight points including two crucial injury-time efforts to seal victory.
The Finbarrs may not have produced the form which has seen them riding high in Division 2 this year, but nonetheless they will be encouraged by the character they showed particularly in the second half when the game could easily have slipped away from them.
For their part, the Young Irelands will regret not being able to push on from a strong position and allowing the game to slip from their grasp. They will also feel that luck was not on their side as they lost key players, Cian O Naraigh, Ciaran Murray and Gerry Nixon to injury in the second half, while they will also be justified in feeling aggrieved at some of the decisions of referee, Stephen Murphy.
In what proved to be a very tight and cagey affair, the game was there for the taking in the second half but ultimately the outcome hinged on passage of play after 52 minutes.
With the Young Irelands leading by 0-9 to 0-8, Dean Maguire made a surging run in behind the defence when he appeared to have been hauled down. However, rather than being awarded a penalty a free was given against him. To make matters worse, the Finbarrs broke quickly and were awarded
another free in front of the posts which Woods fired over.
The Young Irelands were running out of steam at that stage and the Barrs took full advantage with late points from Padraig Butterly and Woods (3) to seal their passage in the last eight.
It was a game that also saw the Barrs start in a positive fashion as Woods, Bernard Osborne and Hugh Osborne found their range inside ten minutes to establish a 0-3 to 0-1 lead with Jordan O’Donoghue replying for the Dundalk men.
However, Young Irelands responded well and with the help of three points from Dermot Mone they went 0-5 to 0-4 in front after 22 minutes. Woods and Conor Osborne were on target for the Ballygassan men but two well-taken scores from Cian O Naraigh at the end of the first half saw his side lead by 0-8 to 0-6.
Five minutes into the second half Dean Maguire stretched the lead to three points from a ‘45’ but his side just couldn’t kick on from there. Although the Barrs were not at their best they managed to get back to within a point after 48 minutes through two efforts from Woods.
Shortly after Maguire had his claims for a penalty turned down and the Barrs took full advantage of that let-off as they levelled soon after before going on to seal victory. Young Irelands finished with 14 men following the late dismissal of Aidan Sheeky.
NAOMH FIONNBARRA: Andy McCann; Hugh McGrane, Paddy McGrane, Michael McArdle; Conor Lenehan, Oisin McGee, Chris McGlynn; Hugh Osborne 0-1, Darren McConnon; Mairtin Murphy, Conor Obsorne 0-1, Padraig Butterly 0-1; Jack Butterly 0-1, Bernard Osborne 0-1, William Woods 0-8 (5fr).
DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheeky; Aaron Rogers, Ciaran Murray, Robbie Farrell; Aidan Sheeky, Peter Nixon, Shane O’Connell; Gerry Nixon, Derek Rogers; Dermot Mone 0-4 (3fr), Johnny Lynch, Jordan O’Donoghue 0-3 (2fr); Dean Maguire 0-1, Sean McLaughlin, Cian O Naraigh 0-2. Subs: Paddy McSorley for
C O Naraigh, Andrew Nixon for G Nixon, Alan Flood for S O’Connell, Kevin Keelan for D Maguire, Dean Maguire for P Nixon.
REFEREE: Stephen Murphy.