Naomh Fionnbarra 3-13 (22)

Oliver Plunketts 1-9 (12)

Naomh Fionnbarra continued their perfect record in Division 2 as they swept past Oliver Plunketts with 10 points to spare in a balmy John Markey Park on Tuesday evening in conditions superb for football.  It was the men from Mell that had a blistering start with a goal and 2 points on the scoreboard after 2 minutes.  The Barrs responded with a good move that ended in a lovely point from play from Bernard Osborne a minute later.  Both teams were fighting like dogs in the middle third for the upper hand and it was the Plunketts who spurned a few good chances as well as being thwarted by a good save from Finbarrs keeper Daithi Woods.  The Togher men were having problems of a different nature as they gave possession away on numerous occasions with some poor passing.   They were in good form in midfield with John Doyle and Darren McConnon wining their fair share of possession from the Brodigan brothers.  The defence was also in good health with Patrick McGrane and Oisin McGee particularly prominent.  It looked like it was only a matter of time before the Barrs would find their rythm.  

A barren spell of 7 minutes was ended by a free from William Woods after he himself was fouled.  There was action aplenty but scores were slow to come by as both sides missed chances.  Another Woods free on 17 minutes ended the drought.  Jack Butterly followed up with a point from play after a goal mouth scramble, as calls for a penalty fell on deaf ears a minute later.  The Barrs burst to life on 22 minutes as they finally clicked with a flowing move involving Hugh Osborne, Bernard Osborne and Woods with Hugh Osborne scoring an excellent goal.  Woods followed up with a point immediately afterwards and Máirtìn Murphy was unlucky not to score after a good burst through the middle.  The Plunketts showed that they would not roll over easily with a point in reply, to reduce the deficit and on the stroke of half time they scored another minor to leave 1 point between the sides.  Another Daithi Woods save had earlier kept the men from Mell at bay.  Half time score: Naomh Fionnbarra 1-5(8)  Oliver Plunketts 1-4(7).

 

The Barrs made the better start to the second half with 2 points from play, 1 each for Woods and Jack Butterly whose fisted effort clipped the bar.  The Drogheda men burst to life and reeled off 3 points from play in a row, from Emmett Kelleher ,Connor Early and Robbie Brodigan.  The scores were now level pegging and it was anyones game.  An excellent catch from John Doyle stemmed the tide ad broke the Plunketts momentum.  A good Woods point from play was quickly followed up with a free from the same man.  A break in play followed after John Doyle was injured after falling heavily onto his shoulder after contesting a kick out in the middle of the field.  A Niall Murtagh point left a single point between the sides, while Emmet Kelliher levelled the game again on 51 minutes.  

 

The game was there to be won by both sides at this stage but the Barrs showed the grit, determination and the superior fitness to take control.  A 7 minute scoring burst decided the game as Jack Butterly started off the spree with a nice point.  A goal chance was saved and fell kindly to the hard working and ever alert Conor Osborne who finished to the net.  The Plunketts were trying hard to revive their fortunes but found the Barrs backs too tough to crack with a good block from Hugh McGrane as well as striking the crossbar twice in the second half.  Hugh Osborne scored a fine point followed by a screamer of a goal from Jack Butterly into the top left corner of the net.  Woods rounded off the scoring with 2 good points from play as the Plunketts found the Finbarrs forward line too hot to handle.  Full time score: Naomh Fionnbarra 3-13(22)  Oliver Plunketts 1-9(12)

Naomh Fionnbarra: Daithi Woods; Hugh McGrane, Patrick McGrane, Michael McCardle; Hugh Osborne 1-1, Óisìn McGee, Chris McGlynn; John Doyle, Darren McConnon; Máirtìn Murphy, Conor Osborne 1-0, Pádraig Butterly; Jack Butterly 1-3, Bernard Osborne 0-1, William Woods 0-8(3fr).  Subs: Niall Woods for John Doyle(inj), Nicholas Butterly for Conor Osborne, Caolan Leech for William Woods.

Oliver Plunketts: Luke Haggins, Barry Reynolds, Frank Daly, Killian Matthews, Garry Keogh, James Quinn, Cian Matthews, Robbie Brodigan 0-2, Adam Brodigan, Connor Early 0-1, Emmett Kelleher 1-2, David Lambe, Niall Murtagh 0-2, Trevor Walsh 0-1, Gerrard Horan 0-1.

The club would like to wish John Doyle a speedy recovery from his shoulder injury.

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