IHC: Na Fianna reach final

September 19, 2017

Na Fianna's Seanie Martin gets away from Benji Smith and Lorcan Maguire Kilskyre/Moylagh during the Meath IHC semi final at Lomans Park Trim

Na Fianna advanced to this years intermediate hurling final following this thrilling semi final victory over Kilskyre/Moylagh by two points after extra time.

Na Fianna 2-19 Kilskyre/Moylagh 2-15

The sides were level 1-12 apiece after normal time and again tied level 1-15 at the interval of extra time. 

When Peadar Byrne cut through the Na Fianna rearguard in the second half of extra time and passed to Jack Tunney who finished to the net , Kilskyre/Moylagh led by 3 points with only 6 minutes remaining. However such was the nature of the game from the resulting puck out from Na Fianna goalkeeper Eoin Reilly the sliotar fell to impressive substitute Will Flynn and from his left half forward spot he sped through to equalise by expertly dispatching past Derek Muldoon.

Barry Slevin then pointed a free but this was cancelled out by a point by Kilskyre/Moylagh.  Na Fianna opened a two point lead following points by Flynn & Slevin before Kilskyre Moylagh brought this back to one with full time approaching in extra time. As Killian Jones played 3 minutes of injury time Kilskyre/Moylagh were unable to force an equalising point before Sean Martin pointed to see his side advance to meet Navan O'Nahonys in this years decider on a final score line of 2-19 to 2-17.

Na Fianna started brightly with a Barry Slevin 65 but Kilskyre/Moylagh hit the next 4 points with Joe Melia accounting for 3 of these from frees. Barry Slevin pointed a free following a foul on Ronan Byrne before Sean Martin pointed as his side trailed by 1 point after 15 minutes. The next 6 points were shared between both sides with the Na Fianna points from Barry Slevin, his brother Mark and a long range point by Jonathan McCloskey as Kilskyre/Moylagh held a slender 1 point lead after 30 minutes.

The opening score of the second half arrived 9 minutes in when substitute David Kirby pointed to level the game. Kilskyre/Moylagh then hit 1-1 with substitute Jack Tunney netting his 1st goal of the game.Points by Sean Martin & Ronan Byrne reduced the deficit to 2 before Kilskyre/Moylagh pointed to stretch their lead out to 3 points after 50 minutes. Na Fianna then got an important equalising goal through Diarmuid Bailey to level matters.

Joe Melia & Barry Slevin exchanged frees before Slevin & David Kirby pointed to give their side a slender 2 point lead approaching full time in normal time. Joe Melia pointed 2 late frees for his side to bring this thrilling tie to extra time at 1-12 a piece after normal time.

The first period of extra time saw 6 points shared between the sides with the Na Fianna scorers being Mark Slevin, Will Flynn & David Kirby.

There was very little to separate these sides who were level on 11 occasions throughout this epic encounter but for Na Fianna they dug deep and showed great character to get that equalising goal in the second half of extra time by Will Flynn and composure of late points to see them advance to this years intermediate hurling decider.

It was a great team display by Pat O'Halloran charges and now they hope to turn around the group stage loss to Navan O'Mahonys and regain their senior hurling status.

Na Fianna: Eoin Reilly, Noel O'Sullivan, Evan Mullally, Christy Cosgrave,Jonathan McCloskey (0-1), Daniel Gleeson, Ethan Devine , Sean Coffey, Shane Burke, Sean Martin (0-3), Diarmuid Bailey(1-0) Cian Slattery, Ronan Byrne (0-1) Barry Slevin (0-7,6f) Mark Slevin (0-2). Substitutes David Kirby (0-3) for Mark Slevin, Niall Reilly for Shane Burke, Will Flynn (1-2) for Cian Slattery, Peter Slevin for Noel Sullivan, Mark Slevin for Peter Slevin &  Eoin Gorry for Ronan Byrne.


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