ST. FINTAN’S EDGE CLOSER
O’Brien’s 2-2 a major boost
ST. FINTAN’S 3-8 ADAMSTOWN 0-9
ST FINTAN’S edged closer to a quarter-final berth in the Amber Springs/Ashdown Park Hotel Intermediate Football Championship with a solid performance and timely victory over Adamstown in St Patrick’s Park on Saturday afternoon last.
The Ballymore boys were relieved to get the point they deserved last week, after a scoring error initially left them rooted to the bottom of the Group B table and they took full advantage with this smothering showing.
Playing like this St Fintan’s are an interesting proposition. Cathal O’Brien and Joey Wadding are as powerful a two-man full-forward line as you will find in the county and if their side can keep their core players fit they could do serious damage should they advance to the knockout stages.
A couple of Michael Furlong points had Adamstown 0-3 to 0-1 up but when O’Brien flashed home from Donal Shanley’s underhit free-kick in the 14th minute St Fintan’s had a serious foothold against the breeze.
Wadding was dragged to the ground when breaking in on goal in the 24th minute and Conor Sinnott stepped up to clinically convert the spot-kick. Adamstown chipped away, mainly though Furlong, but still trailed by three at the break (2-4 to 0-7).
The second period was an even tighter affair as Adamstown struggled to get through an excellent St Fintan’s defence. Shanley kicked two second half frees as his side led by five going into added-time. With their opponents down to 14 after the dismissal of Jonathan Moore, O’Brien put the seal on victory with a smashing late finish past Daryl Walsh.
A win or a draw against already qualified HWH-Bunclody in their last round-robin game will send St Fintan’s safely into the last eight.
They may still qualify with a loss but, should that happen, a Ballyhogue victory against Duffry Rovers could potentially see them bow out.
Things are more precarious for Adamstown, they will avoid a relegation final if the Bree boys lose their game.
Yet, they could win their own game against Ferns and still end up in the drop decider.
The New Ross district club do have a route to the last eight but their chances are so small, involving the other two results going their way and a huge overhaul of score difference, that it’s extremely unlikely.
ST FINTAN’S: Patrick McDonnell (capt.); Shane Sinnott, Eoin Cummins, Paul Cummins; Peter Goldsmith (0-1), Frank Staples, Padhraic Rossiter; Paddy Keane, Conor Sinnott (1-0 pen); Adam Devereux (0-1), Donal Shanley (0-4 frees), Eoin O’Callaghan; Robert Coakley, Cathal O’Brien (2-2), Joey Wadding. Subs. - Kevin Day for Goldsmith, inj (33), Jamie Sinnott for Rossiter (40), Adrian Murphy for E. Cummins, black card (42), Niall Moore for Devereux (49), David Moore for Coakley (57), R. Coakley for S. Sinnott, inj (60+2).
ADAMSTOWN: Daryl Walsh; Johnny Connors, P.J. Carroll, Sean Barden; Andrew Boland, Bernard Furlong, Lorcan French; Shane O’Gorman, Tony French (0-1, capt.); Jonathan Moore, Michael Furlong (0-5, 2 frees), Ian Bradley; Tomás Harrington, Peter Finn (0-1), Conor Hickey (0-1 free). Subs. - Harry Cosgrave (0-1) for Hickey (27), Michael Boland for Bradley (27).
REFEREE: Pat Kehoe (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown)