Saints book final date with Knockbridge

ANCHOR TOURS SHC ST FECHINS 2-12 NAOMH MONINNE 1-12

ST Fechin’s dashed Naomh Moninne’s two-in-a-row hopes with a gutsy comeback in last Saturday’s Louth SHC semi-final.

With Knockbridge topping the groups stage to secure a direct route to the final, Moninne looked a good bet to join them when they opened 1-7 to 0-3 lead towards the end of the opening half.

The opening exchanges were even enough, but 1-4 without reply, including a rather fortunate Feidhlim Joyce goal saw them open a seven-point lead.

However, their opponents hit back straight away and 1-1 from Vincent Hynes in injury-time made for much more appealing half-time deficit for the Termonfeckin men as they trailed by 1-7 to 1-4.

Monnine seemed to be holding them at bay after the break as they extended their lead to four, 1-10 to 1-6, but a clinical purple patch from Fechin’s saw them seize control of the contest.

They drew level with a fierce shot from Paddy Lynch that gave an unsighted Graham Harrington no chance and a free from Paddy Lynch and a Paul Matthews point saw them hit the front for the first time since the opening minutes of the game.

The accurate Darren Geoghegan managed to cut the gap to the minimum, 2-10 to 2-12, but Fechin’s finished strongly as points from Lynch, from a ‘65’ and Niall Devlin booked their place in the final as they bid to regain their title from 2016.

ST FECHINS: Stephen Hackett; Cormac McAuley, Barry Devlin, Niall Devlin (0-1); Michael Byrne, Oisin Byrne, Liam Ryan; David Stephenson, Donal Ryan; Seaghan Conneely (0-1), Vincent Hynes (1-1), Paddy Lynch (1-6, five frees); Paddy McCormack, Paul Matthews (0-1), Michael Ryan (0-1). Subs - John Crosbie (0-1) for D Stephenson (37 mins), Brendan Hynes for C McCauley (58).

NAOMH MONINNE: Graham Harrington; Mattie Fee, Chris Lennon, Paul Challoner; David Yore (0-1), Diarmuid Murphy, Stephen Rafferty; Darren O Hanrahan (0-1), Feidhelm Joyce (1-0); Philip Englishby, Johnny Carter, Darren Geoghegan (0-9, seven frees); Tadhg Moore, Oisin Drumm, Ronan Geoghegan (0-1). Subs - Padraic Fallon for J Carter (27), Eoin Murphy for R Geoghegan (52), Daire Flanagan for P Fallon (58), Ciaran McGlynn for Darren O Hanrahan (60).

REFEREE: Jim O Rourke (Monaghan).