1-16 1-7

ST Fechins hopes of making a return to senior football remain on course as they proved too strong for St Kevins in this quarter-final clash at Dunleer on Saturday evening.

In a contest that illustrated the difference between Division 2 and Division 3 football, the Termonfeckin side showed the benefit of playing at the higher level as they proved too strong for their opponents in most areas of the pitch.

The Fechins were just that bit sharper throughout, assured in their passing and more potent in attack where Ronan Holcroft and Niall Devlin were a constant threat.

Although St Kevins battled gamely throughout they just couldn’t reach the level of their opposition and found they were unable to get away with some basic errors that might have gone unpunished in Division 3.

Although the Fechins emerged with a comfortable win in the end they it might have been different but for the intervention of goalkeeper, Niall McDonnell, who made two point-blank saves just before the interval.

The Philipstown side showed their battling qualities as they managed to stay with the Fechins in the opening ten minutes as points from Shane Meade and James Clarke had them on terms after Joseph Corrigan and Niall Devlin had twice put their side in front.

The Fechins were disrupted by the loss of Brian Devlin to injury after five minutes, but they soon began to assert control on proceedings. Without having to find top gear, they enjoyed a good spell in the middle third of the half and points from Holcroft (3), Bevan Duffy and Corrigan in reply to a Lee Crosbie effort to put their side 0-7 to 0-3 in front.

The Kevins raised their game before the break but couldn’t get the goal they needed as both Lee Crosbie and Patrick Clarke were denied by brilliant saves from McDonnell. To make matters worse, the Fechins picked off a couple of late points from Holcroft and Devlin to increase the gap to 0-10 to 0-4 at half time.

The Philipstown side continued to press at the start of the second half and looked as if they would make a game of it when two Clarke points cut the gap to four after 40 minutes.

However, the Fechins responded impressively to the challenge and Donal Ryan found the back of the net on 41 minutes after good work from Holcroft to put an end to the revival.

There was no way back for the