Naomh Fionnbarra 1-8
Stabannon Parnells 0-4

Naomh Fionnbarra set up a meeting with Roche Emmets in the Junior Championship Final after seeing off the stubborn challenge of Stabannon Parnells on Saturday night.

The Ballygassan side went into the game in Haggardstown as hot favourites but they didn't have it all their own way against a Stabannon side who battled gamely throughout.

The Parnells made their intentions clear from the outset and boosted by two Aidan Shevlin points they took the early initiative. They preserved that advantage thanks to some good defending, with captain Cathal Halpenny leading by example.

It wasn't until the 17th minute that the Finbarrs got off the mark through William Woods and soon after they were level thanks to a Padraig Butterly free.

Woods then put the Togher men ahead with a 45 however Stabannon drew level with the only score from play in the first half, a point from Shane Sweeney, to make it three points apiece at the break.

The Finbarrs then upped the tempo slightly in the second half and had Stabannon on the back foot from the start as they gradually ground down their resistance.

William Woods struck two points while the introduction of Bernard Osborne about 10 minutes into the half added pace to the Togher attack and he quickly added a good point from play.

A moment of good fortune for the Finbarrs attack followed soon after as a miss-hit shot from Stuart Osborne caused confusion in the Stabannon full back line as the goalkeeper and corner back collided leaving Jack Butterly free to pounce and drill the ball into the back of the unguarded net.

The game began to get scrappy as the Stabannon men had Shane Sweeney and Wayne Lynch sent off following a melee and Peter Shearman was also sent off a few minutes later.

Two more William Woods points followed, one from a free, as the Togher men closed out the game.  In terms of positives the Finbarrs did look fairly secure at the back and never looked in danger of conceding a goal.

Overall it was a very flat performance for the Togher men who will be happy to have reached the final, however they will need to up their performance significantly when they take on Roche in the final on October 11.

NH FIONNBARRA: Allan Matthews; Hugh Osborne, Kieran Lenihan, Bryan Sharkey; Conor Lenihan, Óisín McGee, Chris McGlynn; John Doyle, Darren McConnon; Máirtín Murphy, Stuart Osborne, Pádraig Butterly 0-1; Andy McCann, William Woods 0-6, Jack Butterly 1-0. Subs: Colin McGrane for B Sharkey, Bernard Osborne 0-1 for A McCann, Andy McCann for S Osborne.

STABANNON PARNELLS: Anthony Briscoe; Ken Lynch, Sean Halpenny, Alan Lynch; Conor Fanning, Niall Cluskey, Peter Shearman; Wayne Lynch, Shane Sweeney 0-1; Andrew Mackin, Colm Giggins, Peter Lynch; Aidan Shevlin 0-3, Aonghus Giggins. Cathal Halpenny. Subs: Daniel Bannon for C Fanning, Anthony Byrne for S Halpenny, Tom Byrne For P Lynch, Thomas McBride for D Bannon.

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