Devenish ease into IFC decider
Devenish 3-15 Derrylin 1-10
DEVENISH cruised into the final of the Kevin Courtney Car Sales & Services IFC with a comprehensive 3-15 to 1-10 victory over Derrylin on Saturday night at Brewster Park.
Two Conor Mcgowan goals in the space of a minute in the first half put the Garrison side in firm control of the contest and they remained in command throughout the second half to secure their berth in the decider.
The two sides had met in the group stage of the competition and Devenish had a comfortable win on that occasion but it was expected that Saturday night would be closer as the O’connells came into the game on the back of three successive wins.
And Derrylin landed the opening score of the night through Luke Flanagan but Devenish then started to take control as Fionan O’brien got them up and running from a free before Derrylin had full back Declan Curry black carded after he pulled down Jamie Flanagan.
From the resultant free Terry O’flanagan nudged Devenish ahead and the lively Flanagan followed up with a point from play.
O’brien then tagged on his second point from a free to put Devenish into an early 0-04 to 0-01 lead.
A fine point by Diarmuid Owens halved the deficit but Devenish then rattled off the next three points - two from Flanagan and one from full back JJ O’brien to make it 0-07 to 0-02.
Derrylin did carve out a goal chance soon after when a great run by Owens saw him play in Jake Smith but his effort was saved by Thomas
Treacy while he fired over at the second attempt.
At the other end Devenish were much more clinical when their goal chances arrived.
Joe O’brien did well to cut in along the end line and find Mcgovern who produced a lovely palmed finish across the keeper to the net.
And moments later he was played in by O’flanagan and on this occasion be produced a low finish to make it 2-07 to 0-03 with 24 minutes on the clock.
Danny Leonard and Luke Flanagan did answer with points for Derrylin but with Fionan O’brien and Tom Treacy landing frees and Jarlath O’brien hitting a terrific score with the outside of the boot, Devenish went in with a 2-10 to 0-05 half time lead.
Derrylin did have the perfect start to the second half when Flanagan fired low to the net in the first minute but any hopes of a second half comeback where soon extinguished as a minute later Thomas Mchugh set up Ruairi Maguire and he slotted home to make it 3-10 to 1-05.
The O’connells did continue to battle and they accounted for four of the next five points with James Dolan, Ruaidhri Mcgoldrick, Donal Owens and Padraic Owens registering while Donal Owens also fired wide when through on goal.
However, the Garrison side were soon back on top as Jamie Flanagan landed a wonderful point from the right while both Joe O’brien and Mchugh blasted over when through on goal.
Fionan O’brien also tagged on a point to move Devenish into a 3-15 to 1-09 lead and although Declan Curry notched the last score of the game for Derrylin, this was merely a consolation point as Devenish sailed through to the final.