Navan O'Mahonys 1-11
Wolfe Tones 0-7

Navan O'Mahonys proved too strong for Wolfe Tones in the hoganstand.com SFC final at Pairc Tailteann on Sunday.

Navan O'Mahonys claimed the SFC title for the first time in four years and 18th in all with a double scores success over Wolfe Tones who also came into the final on the back of a 100% win record.

Shane Gillespie's early goal set the tone for the hour and the O'Mahonys number 20 was a deserving recipient of the Colum Cromwell Man-of-the-Match award.

Apart from his goal he added a magnificent second-half point and capped his display with tremendous work rate, which included dropping to his own square to collect a pass in the latter stages as Wolfe Tones went in search of a potentially reviving goal.

After a third quarter that yielded them just a solitary point, that aforementioned Gillespie effort, David Nelson's men closed in on the Keegan Cup when outscoring the 'Tones by 0-4 to 0-2 in the latter stages which were played under lights.

Paddy Martin's men might have got in for two goals in the final quarter but were thwarted by O'Mahonys' captain Marcus Brennan.

First he turned Stephen Sheppard flick over his own bar in the 50th minute. Had it gone in the deficit would have been down to a goal.

Then in the 58th minute he diverted Cian Ward's goal attempt from a close range free over for what proved to be Wolfe Tones final score.

The elder Ward brother accounted for all bar two of Wolfe Tones' points. Sheppard and Eoghan Harrington was the other scorers for the side in purple and gold.

O'Mahonys had five scorers from play with substitute David Bray accounting for his team's penultimate score with elder brother Stephen providing the assist.

O'Mahony got off to a flying start with Shane Gillespie netting at the hospital end with the help of Alan Forde within 30 seconds of the off.

Wolfe Tones responded with two Cian Ward pointed frees. Stephen MacGabhann - whose point at the same goals forced a draw in the 2007 decider - doubled O'Mahonys' lead.

Seven scoreless minutes passed before Stephen Bray rounded off a flowing O'Mahonys' move with a point. Brian Dillon, Shane Crosby and Jake Regan were also involved.

When Jake Regan opened his account it was 1-3 to 0-2 with 14 minutes gone. A left-footed Stephen Bray increased O'Mahonys lead to five points.

In the 20th minute Marcus Brennan saved Cian Ward's goal attempt smartly.

Wolfe Tones first point from play arrived in the 22nd minute with centre-half-back Eoghan Harrington registering after midfielder Stephen Corrigan provided the assist.

There was a flurry of excitement in the 24th when Cian Ward dispossed Marcus Brennan and was subsequently fouled by the O'Mahonys' 'keeper.

Cian Ward's quick free from the 20-metre line went narrowly wide. In between O'Mahonys' had two penalty calls when Alan Forde and Shane Gillespie were grounded.

With the half-hour up a Jake Regan point moved O'Mahonys two goals clear. Cian Ward's wind-assisted point from play in the last action of the opening half left the Brews Hill side 1-6 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

Cian Ward trimmed the deficit with a pointed free in the 34th minute. The third quarter had nearly elapsed before wind-assisted O'Mahonys added to their interval tally when Shane Gillespie sent over the score of the game from close to the terrace sideline.

Navan O'Mahonys - M. Brennan; S. O'Toole, N. McKeigue, I. Matthews; B. Dillon, S. Crosby, G. O'Brien; C. McGuinness, D. Moran; P. Smyth, A. Forde, S. MacGabhann (0-1); J. Regan (0-3, 1f), S. Bray (0-5, 2fs), S. Gillespie (1-1). Subs - B. Regan for McGuinness (ht), H. Finnegan for MacGabhann (41), D. Bray (0-1) for J. Regan (52), D. Maguire for Forde (56), D. Murtagh for Smyth (60).

Wolfe Tones - D. Nolan; R. Brady, C. McLoughlin, D. Coleman; N. McLoughlin, E. Harrington (0-1), S. Glynn; S. Corrigan, A. Callaghan; A. Fox, S. Sheppard (0-1), M. Coleman; D. McGrath, C. Ward (0-5,2 fs), F. Ward. Subs - A. McKeown for D. Coleman (29), P. Byrne for McGrath (HT), C. Blaney for M. Coleman (41), P. Caffrey for Callaghan (48).

Referee - D. Coldrick (Blackhall Gaels). Tweet

Most Read Stories