Barrs raise the stakes in title race

NAOMH FIONNBARRA ST JOSEPHS 1-16 1-12

NAOMH FIONNBARRA maintained their title push with a fine win over St Joseph’s in Ballygassan.

The Joes opened the scoring with a Derek Mulligan point, but the Finbarrs replied with a couple of scores from the in-form William Woods, either side of a Hugh Osborne effort.

The Joes hit back when Conal O’Hanlon capitalised on some confusion in the Barrs defence following a long delivery into the square to net the first goal of the game. The full forward managed to squeeze the ball home through a pile of bodies to put his side 1-1 to 0-3 ahead at the end of the first quarter.

The Barrs replied with the next two scores, including a now trademark sideline point from Woods.

Jack Butterly made up for a couple of earlier wides with a super point from the left and Mairtin Murphy rounded off a productive spell for the home side as they opened a 0-7 to 1-1 lead.

However, the visitors then enjoyed a decent spell of pressure themselves, responding with five points without reply to turn a threepoint deficit into a lead of two.

Conal O’Hanlon helped himself to three points, while Alan Quigley and Derek Mulligan chipped in with one apiece to put the Joe’s in the driving seat.

And Finbarrs even had ‘keeper Andy McCann to thanks for a vital save from Alan Quigley who was put through one-on-one.

The second half saw the Finbarrs come flying out of the blocks and a monster of a 45 from Woods started a run of 1-4 without reply.

Woods converted two frees either side of a fine effort from play to edge the Barrs back in front.

A minute later another fine move that ran the length of the field ended with Conor Osborne being put through on goal and he was cool as a breeze as he calmly finished past Robert Sansom to put the Finbarrs five ahead.

A free from O’Hanlon stopped the rot at the other end, but it was to get worse for the Joes as David Kieran received a black card for a foul on Woods, who dusted himself down and sent the free over the bar.

Points from O’Hanlon and Killian Staunton kept the visitors in touch, but Conor Osborne replied at the other end before Conall Smyth sent over a sweet point.

But the Barrs were still in control and Woods fired over a 45 and Darren McConnon followed up with one from play.

Although the Joe’s badly need a goal or two, all they could muster was singles from O’Hanlon and Quigley and Woods put the issue beyond any doubt without another long-range free.

The Barrs now trail St Bride’s by two points but have a game in against basement side Na Piarsaigh, which is scheduled for Friday night on the Rock Road.

A win for the Togher men would leave it all to play for, with the Barrs and Bride’s due to meet in the final round, while Hunterstown, who trail the leaders by a point, could also still have a big say in the destination of the tile. NAOMH FIONNBARRA: Andrew McCann; Hugh McGrane, Ciaran Lenihan, Padraig McGrane; Michael McArdle, Oisin McGee, Conor Lenihan; Hugh Osborne 0-1, Darren McConnon 0-1; Martin Murphy 0-1, Conor Osborne 1-1, Padraig Butterly; Jack Butterly 0-1, William Woods 0-10, Bernard Osborne 0-1. Chris McGlynn for Máirtìn Murphy.

ST JOSEPHS: Robert Sansom; David Kieran, Shane McQuillan, Stefan Potts; Cian McGuinness, Killian Staunton 0-1, Daire Smyth; Peter Brennan, Tomas Smyth; Craig Doherty, Conal Smyth 0-1, Jack Mulligan; Alan Quigley 0-2, Conal O’Hanlon 1-6, Derek Mulligan0-2, Subs: David Mernagh for D Kieran BC, Danny O’Brien for C Doherty.