Minor A's beaten by Na Fianna

Na Fianna take the points in MHL1 clash

After the exam break our minors took on Na Fianna in a top of the table clash in Pairc the Burca on a beautiful sunny Summer Sunday morning. The visitors were quickest out of the blocks and were 1-1 to 0-0 inside five minutes. The locals then settled and a nice Cathal Keane point sandwiched between two Johnny Maher frees left the score at 1-3 to 0-3 after 15 minutes. Na Fianna then took over for 10 minutes scoring 4 unanswered points. A disappointing first half finished 1-9 to 0-5 and left the ‘Crokes men with a mountain to climb.

The commitment and application was much better in the second half and, thanks to some great work by Darragh Butler and Jim Gibbons in the half back line, Cian Ryan when moved forward, and a monster score from Maher, the deficit was back to 3 after 40 minutes. Na Fianna regained their composure and had tagged on 2 points when the Na Fianna keeper made two fine point blank saves, first from the hard working Alex Considine and then from Mark O’Rourke. Maher finally bulged the net with five minutes to go with a neat finish after some good work from Fergal Whitely, to bring the home team to within three. Na Fianna, however, tagged on two points to record a deserved win by 1-17 to 1-12.

Team: Cillian Fleming, Conor McNicholas, Eoin Sheehy, Stephen McEntee, Cian Ryan (0-1), Darragh Butler, Jim Gibbons, Ronan Hayes, Mark O’Rourke (0-1), Alex Considine, Johnny Maher (1-8, 0-6 frees), Michael Roche, Fergal Whitely (0-1), Cathal Keane (0-1), Fiachra O’Connor.  Subs: Stevie O’Dwyer for Roche (50 mins).