Disappointing campaign ends with dreaded drop for Irelands

ST FECHINS YOUNG IRELANDS 1-12 0-10

YOUNG Irelands suffered relegation to Division 3 for 2018 after going down to St Fechins in their final league outing at Beaulieu on Saturday evening.

The Dundalk side needed to get something from this game to have any chance of avoiding g the drop, but in keeping with a disappointing season they were unable to get the better of their hosts who came out onn top by five points.

St Fechins got on top in the early stages of the game and a goal from Niall Devlin helped them establish a 1-6 to 0-3 lead at the interval.

The Young Irelands improved in the second half and with Shane O’Connell, Johnny Breen and Dermot Mone all finding their range they remained in contention.

However, the Fechins were able to respond at the other end as Ronan Holcroft (pipictured left) finished with eighteig points, meaning that the Irelanders needed a goal to ggive themselves any hope. UnfortunatelyUn for the Dundalk da men they were unable to bbreach the home defence and as a result their return to the Junior league was c confirmed.

STS FECHINS: Paul King; Harry McMcArdle, David Collier, Donal Ryan; EoEoghan Euffy, Niall McCabe, Mark HynHynes; Brian Devlin, Ryan Sheridan; ColColm O’Neill, Niall Devlin 1-0, Bevan DufDuffy 0-1, Brian Devlin 0-2, Ronan HolHolcroft 0-8, Niall McDonnell 0-1. YOUNGYOU IRELANDS: Fergal Sheeky; PetePeter Flynn 0-1, Ciaran Murray, Peter McCourt; Kevin Keelan, Peter Nixon, Shane O’Connell 0-2; Andrew Nixon 0-1, Derek Rogers; Dermot Mone 0-2, Dean Maguire, Johnny Lynch 0-1; Jordan O’Donoghue 0-1, Johnny Breen 0-2, Aaron Rogers. Subs: Sean McLaughlin for D Maguire, Alan Flood for S O’Connell.