Four-midable Clans are safe

ANCHOR TOURS SFC CLAN NA GAEL NA PIARSAIGH 4-13 0-11

CLAN Na Gael comfortably held on to their intermediate status with a 14-point derby win over Na Piarsaigh in Darver on Friday night.

The tone for a one-sided contest was set after just 15 seconds when Robbie Curran netted the first of four goals from Mark McCann’s side.

To their credit the Rock Road outfit didn’t allow their heads to drop after that disastrous start, but after working hard to draw level through Alan McCarthey, Shane Roddy and Eamonn McAuley they conceded 1-4 without reply to fall seven points behind, 2-4 to 0-3.

Conall McKeever netted the second Clans’ major, followed by points from Billy Smith, Robbie Curran and Paul Crewe.

Clans continued to press and the gap was out to nine by the time McKeever burst through for his second and Clans third goal, making it 3-7 to 0-5 at the interval.

There would be no way back from that 11-point deficit for Na Piarsaigh and they duly fell further behind as McKeever, McGeown and Smith made it 3-11 to 0-6

Last year’s beaten IFC finalists did ease off the throttle after that and Na Piarsaigh showed plenty of heart to pick off a few more scores as Robbie Murphy, Niall Franklin, Shane Roddy and Alan McCartney were all on target.

However, a fourth goal from McGeown wiped out all that good work as Clans eased to victory.

NA PIARSAIGH: Adam Molley; Fearghal Mulholland, Jarlath Lyons, Shane Roddy; Mark Larkin, Joe Woods, Stephen McGuinness; Michael Woods, Ronan McCartney; Ciaran Murphy, Gerard Smyth, Robbie Murphy; Alan McCartney, Niall Franklin, Eamonn McAuley. Subs used: Stephen Arrowsmith, Mark O’Hare.