Leinster JFC- Glenmore well beaten by Meath champions in Navan

Glenmore’s Leinster Football championship campaign fell at the first hurdle when they lost out to Clann Na Gael in Navan on Saturday afternoon.

The Kilkenny side came into the game after months of inactivity and that rustiness probably told with their Meath opponents proving much too classy in the end.

Glenmore were chasing from the start and while they battled back with goals from Dean Croke and Ian Byrne in the second period, they were very much well beaten in the windup.

While the South Kilkenny oufit were busy on the hurling fields over the last few weeks, the football sharpness was missing for a lot of the game and it showed in the end result.

The game was played in front of a small enough attendance and Clann Na Gael threatened to run riot when they raced into a 1-3 to 0-0 lead with a Diarmaid O’Donoghue goal after only three minutes of play giving the side in green and yellow the early initiative.

Points from Croke, ByrNe and Ethan Phelan helped Glenmore remain in touch and they certaily weren’t out of it as they went into the break trailing by six points.

Clann Na Gael had star performances from the likes of Tomas Doyle, Sean Og Tiernan and Gerry O’Sullivan and while it was close for a period, the Meath team went up a few gears at the start of the second period.

Sean Og Tiernan and Tomas Doyle quickly added second half goals as the winners began to pile the pressure on Glenmore and it was an uphill battle from there.

Both goals were well taken by the team from the Royal County although the first was only given after Kidare official Paddy McDermott consulted with his umpires after the Clann Na Gael attacker knocked the ball into the net via his foot after falling to the ground.

Liam Kelleher, Dylan Doherty, Ben Corkery and Darren Kelly were others to add to the winning side’s point tally before the end and it was that variety in attacking areas that gave them an edge with eight Clann Na Gael players on the mark.

Glenmore in comparison had just the four with Croke and Byrne’s combined tally of 2-5 from play aided to by Ciaran Kirwan and Ethan Phelan.

It marks the end of the year for Glenmore who will step up to senior level in Kilkenny next term.

Teams and Scorers

Clann Na Gael- Tomas Doyle (1-8, 5fs); Sean Og Tiernan (1-2); Gerry O’Sullivan (0-4); Diarmaid O’Donoghue (1-0); Liam Kelleher, Dylan Doherty (0-2 each); Ben Corkery, Darren Kelly (0-1 each)

Glenmore- Dean Croke (1-3); Ian Byrne (1-2); Ciaran Kirwan (0-2, 1f); Ethan Phelan (0-1)

Clann na nGael - Eoin Griffin; Philip Garry, Jack Doherty, Daragh O'Reilly; Diarmaid O'Donoghue, Cormac Smith, Liam Kelleher; Daragh Griffin, Andrew Smith; Sean Og Tiernan, Paul Tuite, Dylan Doherty; Ben Corkery, Gerry O'Sullivan, Tomas Doyle.

Subs - Liam MacNamara for Corkery 37 mins, Shane McAnarney for D.Doherty 49 mins, Darren Kelly for Kelleher 52 mins, Ryan McNamee for Garry 56 mins.

Glenmore - PJ Roche; Ciaran Vareker, Richard Hennessy, Darragh Vereker; Ethan Phelan, Darragh Hartly, Padraig Cody; Tomas Mullally, Billy Reid; Paul Murphy, Ciaran Kirwan, Ian Byrne; Dean Croke, David Burke, Charlie Phelan.

Subs - Shane Duhig for Murphy half-time, Jason Cody for Phelan 41 mins, James Hendrick for Burke 49 mins, Colm Roche for P. Cody 56 mins.

Referee - Paddy McDermott (Kildare).