Goals prove decisive as St Fechins secure hurling double

LOUTH SENIOR HURLING LEAGUE FINAL 

ST FECHINS 2-11 NAOMH MONINNE 0-13

County champions St Fechins added the League title to their earlier championship success when they got the better of Naomh Moninne in an entertaining final played in Darver on Friday evening. 

Both sides were on target inside the opening sixty seconds, firstly Fechins midfielder Danny Morgan fired over a good point which was replied almost immediately at the other end with one from Conor Murphy.

The South Louth side dominated early possession, adding further points from a David Stephenson long range free and one from play from Bob Grace.

They also wasted two clear goal scoring opportunities with Donal Connolly saving well from Seaghan Conneely before the same player fired narrowly wide. 

Despite this dominance, Moninne went in front on the quarter hour mark following another Murphy point and a brace of Darren Geoghegan frees which left the Dundalk club up by 0-4 to 0-3.

Paddy Lynch fired over successive 20 metre frees for the Fechins in between, while Fionn Cumiskey struck over a good point for the black and amber outfit. 

The Fechins grabbed the game’s first goal on 24 minutes as Conneely made up for his earlier misses when he fired low to the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

This was soon followed by two good long-range points from the sticks of Cumiskey and Geoghegan, which had their side trailing by the minimum at the break, 1-5 to 0-7.

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Half time substitute Sean Hodgins had an immediate impact on the game when he made a high catch, before firing past keeper Donal Connolly from close range for the Fechins second goal. 

The reoccurrence of an injury forced the goal scorer to be himself substituted five minutes later, but he had clearly left a vital mark on this final, helping increase his side’s cushion as they fought hard in search of the hurling double.

St Fechins extended their lead to six points with points from a Bob Grace free and another from play from Seaghan Conneely. That left them in front by those two crucial goals, 2-7 to 0-7.

To their credit Naomh Moninne got themselves right back into this match with a brace of pointed frees from Darren Geoghegan and a good score from a tight angle from full forward Dylan Carey.

A goal line clearance from the hard working Aaron McGuinness Smith denied the Fechins a third goal, before Lynch and Geoghegan exchanged pointed frees.

Two more Geoghegan points, the first from play from the right wing, cut the Fechins lead right down to the minimum, 2-8 to 0-13, and with five minutes remaining on the clock were still rightfully in the fight for the trophy. 

However, The Fechins showed why they are County champions, closing out the game with three late points from Ross Berkery, Paddy Lynch and Bob Grace from long range making sure they secured an impressive league and championship double.

Afterwards the Paddy Rice Cup was presented to the St Fechins captain Peter Fortune by County Board Chairman Peter Fitzpatrick.

This victory will give the Fechins plenty of confidence as they embark on their Leinster club campaign in a couple of weeks’ time. They are set to lock horns with Meath Intermediate Champions Dunderry at a Louth venue which has yet to be announced.

ST FECHINS: Ruairi Morrissey; Colin Griffin, Oisin Byrne, Cormac McAuley; David Stephenson (0-1 free), Peter Fortune, Ryan Walsh; Danny Morgan (0-1), Ross Berkery (0-1); Paddy Lynch (0-4, 0-3 frees), Bob Grace (0-3, 0-1 free), Paul Mathews; Barry Devlin, Seaghan Conneely (1-1), Sean Kerrisk. Subs: Sean Hodgins (1-0) for B Devlin (HT), Brian O Connell for S Hodgins (38), Jack Murray for S Kerrisk (60).

NAOMH MONINNE: Donal Connolly; Stephen Rafferty, Darren O Hanrahan, Chris Lennon; James Murphy, Mattie Fee, Aaron McGuinness Smith; Feidhelm Joyce, Padraig Fallon; Fionn Cumiskey (0-2), Darren Geoghegan (0-8, 0-5 frees), Andrew Mackin; Mark Gahan, Dylan Carey (0-1), Conor Murphy (0-2). Subs: Sean Magill for P Fallon (37), Oisin McCarthy for Chris Lennon (39).

REFEREE: Stephen Shields.