TWO first half goals from Joshua McAteer paved the way for Gaeil Fhánada to overcame Naomh Padraig, Muff, in the U-14 Northern Board Division 2 final at the Burn Road this evening.
Gaeil Fhánada 2-8 Naomh Padraig, Muff 1-8
In an opening an entertaining contest, both teams certainly deserve credit for what they produced. Naomh Padraig lost Dylan McCallion to a straight red card on 17 minutes for an off the ball incident and at that stage it looked as though the team from Ture were going to be well beaten.
However, despite training by eight points on two separate occasions in the first half, they got themselves right back into the game in the second and a goal from Jonathan Toye meant there was only three between them on 50 minutes.
Gaeil Fhánada, though, weathered the storm and in the end were deserving winners.
They made an excellent start, with John Friel and John McGrenaghan pointing early on before McAteer scored the game’s first goal when full-forward Friel broke into space and provided the assist.
Naomh Padraig lost McCallion soon afterwards at a stage in the contest when they’d scored just a point from Darren Davenport. And although they would increase that total to three by half-time with Toye and his centre-field companion Aidan Ferns scoring, Gaeil Fhánada were in a comfortable position as they led 2-5 to 0-3 at half-time.
McAteer had added his second goal on 22 minutes – again from a Friel lay-off – and this time the wing-forward drove low past Paul Doherty. Sean Kerr, a bouncer from Friel and Jonathan Gallagher all registered late in the half.
Three unanswered points at the start of the second half – two from Alan Clarke and one from Sam Bonner – brought some hope to Naomh Padraig’s vocal support.
Gaeil Fhánada looked hemmed in for a spell but managed to free themselves from their shackles to get another couple of points. A free from Eoin McGonigle and Eoghan McGrenaghan made it 2-7 to 0-6.
Clarke had a goal chance at the other end that went just wide but after Martin McCarron’s point, Naomh Padraig were right be in the thick of it when Toye thundered home a goal 10 minutes from the end. That made it Naomh Padraig 1-7 to Gaeil Fhánada’s 1-7.
However, Gaeil Fhánada defended for their lives and Kerr edged their lead out to four before a late reply from Bonner.
Gaeil Fhánada will now take on southern winners Naomh Muire in the All-County semi-final, with Naomh Padraig pitting their wits against Naomh Columba.
Gaeil Fhanada: Dan Friel; Sean Sweeney, Michael Sweeney, Mark Gallagher; James Howe, Liam Sweeney, Ryan McGinley; Eoghan McGrenaghan (0-3, 1f), Jonathan Gallagher; Joshua McAteer (2-0), Sean Kerr (0-2), Ronan Sweeney; Liam McGrenaghan, John Friel (0-2), Eoin McGonigle (0-1). Sub: Niall Douglas for McAteer (57).
Naomh Padraig, Muff: Paul Doherty; Joe Harley, Shaun McCauley, Prionsias Ferns; Caolan McColgan, Caolan Harkin, Martin McCarron; Jonathan Toye (1-2, 2f), Aiden Ferns (0-1); Dylan McCallion, Kevin Doherty, Darren Davenport (0-1); Ronan Lafferty, Alan Clarke (0-2), Sam Bonner (0-2). Subs: Seamus Hanley for P Ferns (9).
Referee: Michael Mulhern (St Eunan’s).
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