NA PIARSAIGH...........2-7
CLAN NA GAEL...........0-12

Na Piarsaigh recorded a 2-7 to 0-12, one point victory over town rivals Clan Na Gael at Dowdallshill on Thursday night in IFC Group C to qualify for a quarter final meeting with O'Connell's. The result also means that Clan Na Gael top the group and play St Mochtas in the quarter final, whist the other town team in the group Sean O'Mahonys are consigned to a relegation play-off vs. Geraldines.

In a hard fought game where neither side produced their best football, Clans registered the first point from a Conal McKeever free, however then Na Piarsaigh took control and were 1-2 to 0-1 up within 3 minutes. A Michael Woods point was followed by an Alan McCartney point, before Mark Larkin tagged on a goal after a strong run by Eamonn McAuley. For all Na Piarsaigh's possession they failed to convert a number of scoring chances and the Clans who were proving more economical in front of goal had reduced the deficit to the minimum by the end of the first quarter with points from Mark McCann, Colin Hoey and Paul Gore. Na Piarsaigh responded well and a Niall Franklin goal followed by a Cormac Malone point restored a 5 point advantage (2-3 to 0-4). Three pointed frees for the Clans from Conal McKeever (2) and Adrian McGlynn left them with a two point deficit at half time, 2-3 to 0-7.

Robert Nash pointed from the throw-in at start of 2nd half, but Clans then took control and played their best football and with four unanswered points from a McKeever (free), Stephen Fitzpatrick , Padraig Staunton and Mark McCann (free) they held a one point lead, 0-11 to 2-4 by the end of the 4th quarter. A Des McCann pointed free on 47 minutes levelled the game up, before Keith Cunningham and Mark Larkin saw red following an altercation. Another Des McCann free 3 minutes from time gave Na Piarsaigh a one point advantage. However in a very exciting finish, the Clans kicked 4 wides in a row (McKeever, Cormac Woods, Ciaran Fox and Mark McCann) before Des McCann pointed in the 4th minute of injury time to leave 2 points between them. However referee Paddy Matthews kept playing and the Clans pushed forward looking for scores that would see Na Piarsaigh out of the Championship and a long ball in from Mark McCann in the 6th minute of injury time bounced over the bar to leave the minimum between them. Paddy Matthews played a further minute of injury time before calling a halt to proceedings with the scoreboard reading Na Piarsaigh 2-7 Clan Na Gael 0-12.

CLAN NA GAEL: Kevin Brannigan; Paul Gartland, Derek English, Colin Hoey 0-1, Keith Cunningham; Padraig Staunton 0-1, Adrian McGlynn 0-1(f); Mark McCann 0-3(1f), Ray McCabe, Stephen Fitzpatrick 0-1, Paul Gore 0-1; Paul Crewe; Conal McKeever 0-4(4fs), Colm Finnegan, Michael McDonnell. Subs used: Cormac Woods; Ciaran Fox, Leo Martin.
NA PIARSAIGH: Barry Teather; Chris Cotter, Ronan McCartney, Joe Woods; Damien McGeeney, Gary O'Hare, Michael Woods 0-1; Donal Hegarty; Eamonn McAuley, Cormac Malone 0-1, Alan McCartney 0-1, Robert Nash 0-1, Niall Franklin 1-0; Des McCann 0-3(2fs), Mark Larkin 1-0. Subs: David Boyle for D McGeeney, Simon Kelly for N Franklin and Gerard Smyth for R Nash.
REFEREE: Paddy Matthews Tweet

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