Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells 3-9
Newtown Blues 1-9

Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells recorded a hard fought victory over Newtown Blues in the Louth U-21 Championship Quarter Final at Newtownstalaban on Wednesday evening. 

Played in very windy conditions the combination side had the strong breeze at their backs in the first half.  The 'Barrs/O'Connells took the game from the scruff of the neck straight from the throw-in and scored a point after 8 seconds.  It came from the boot of Jack Butterly after the midfielders won the throw up and no Blues player touched the ball until the goalkeeper took the resulting kick out.  Both teams were trying to play good open football and a long ball dropped in to the Blues full back line was laid off by Jack Butterly to Cian Doyle who promptly despatched the ball to the back of the Blues net. 

As is their tradition the Blues men battled hard to get on the scoreboard were unluckly to hit the post with a free.  Some stout defending from the Togher/Castlebellingham lads also helped to keep the Blues at bay.  A good attack for the combination side resulted in a foul on Cian Doyle, however the referee blew the whistle and pulled play back just as Doyle broke free from the Blues defender.  Doyle subsequently received a yellow card for taking out his frustration on the referee.  The 'Barrs/O'Connells lads won the resulting hop ball and won a free.  Robert Quigley then struck the free sweetly over the bar from out wide on the left wing about 40 metres from goal, leaving the score 1-2 to 0-0. 

The Blues showed their mettle at this stage as they broke upfield to score a good long range point from theie No. 15.  The followed this up with a 20 metre free of their own after 16 minutes taken by Robert Carr.  The Mid Louth men then hit a rich vein of form 2-4 without reply as the tookk control of the game.  Cian Doyle started the spree with a well finished point after 18 minutes.  Dean Corrigan then added his name to the score sheet with another well taken point after a good run through the Blues defence.  Throught the field the combination side were playing well as their backs were breaking up the Newtown lads attacks along with breaking out of their defence at pace.  The midfielders were proving to be good link men and the attack were finding their rhythm to create good scoring opportunities.  The long, direct ball into the danger area was paying dividends as Cian Doyle scored a goal from the rebound of a Jack Butterly shot after he had fielded well, on 22 minutes.  Robert Quigley was unlucky to blaze wide shortly afterwards as the 'Barrs/O'Connells lads sliced through the Blues defence with the move of the game. 

The Drogheda lads almost found the combination defence napping at the other end as an excellent save from John McLoughlin denied them a major after 25 minutes.  The Finbarrs/O'Connells lads then twisted the knife further with another goal this time as Doyle turned provider and Butterly the finisher.  A long ball into the heart of the Blues backline was well fielded by Cian Doyle and he laid off to Jack Butterly who scored with a great finish past the Blues keeper.  The game was really starting to heat up at this stage and it really was end to end as John McLoughlin made an even better acrobatic save to halt the Blues lads once again.  Both teams were going at it hell for leather and Cian Doyle finished the scoring for the half with a superb long range point from play after 29 minutes.  The Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells lads were well in the ascendency at this stage however, the second half would prove to be a different story facing into the strong wind.  Half time score: Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells 3-6(15) Newtown Blues 0-2(2).

To their full credit the men from Newtownstalaban regrouped at half time and came out all guns blazing in the second half.  A couple of tactical substitutions also seemed to work well as some more of this years Minor winning team were brought into the fray.  Rober Carr opened the scoring with a pointed free from 14 metres on 33 minutes.  Another soft free award by the referee David Fedigan to the Blues allowed them to add to their tally with Carr again the beneficiary.  The combination side then made a substitution as Jordan Bannon came into the game for the hardworking James Clerkin after 36 minutes.  Shortly afterwards a long ball into the heart of the 'Barrs/O'Connells defence caused consternation and Ross Nally struck an excellent goal past the previously unbeatable McLoughlin.  Robert Quigley was wide with a free at the other end as the combintation side tried hard to work the ball from the back with a more possession based game against the elements. 

Nally who had come on at half time then quickly tacked on 2 points in a row for the Drogheda men to reduce the deficit further.  There were many good battles taking place throughout the field no more so than between full back Kieran Lenihan and full forward Robert Carr who were going at it hammer and tongs.  Once again a few minutes later who else saved the day only John McLoughlin who saved well after he made a poor pass ot of the defence.  Ross Nally from the Blues pinged over the resulting 45 metre kick to reduce the margin to 5 points as the combination side's defence was starting to wobble and the supporters were beginning to become nervous.  At this stage Micheal Cairns came into the backline for Brendan Simms who had a fine game, cutting out many of the Drogheda mens advances on goal.  After conceding 1-4 without reply the Togher/Castlebellingham men finally managed to break out of their half to stem the Blues tide and Jordan Bannon was fouled in the resulting attack.  Robert Quigley pointed the 25 metre free with ease against the breeze after 22 minutes and this gave the combination side a lift.  Cian Doyle then probably hit the score of the game after Chris McGlynn hit a peach of a foot pass into his stride and he curled over from 25 metres on the right wing to leave the score at 3-8 to 1-7.

After this brief reprisal the Drogheda men fought back again this time with a good point from No. 19 from 30 metres after 23 minutes followed up with a good score again from a 45 metre kick from that man Nally 3 minutes later.  Time was running out fast for the Blues and the combination side brought on another sub Michael McArdle in place of Dean Corrigan shortly after.  Robert Carr then hit another 21m free for the Newtown men after 27 minutes to bring the lead back to 4 points.  However, try as they might the second goal that they needed was not forthcoming as the Mid Louth lads defence hald firm and they could not reduce the lead any further.  Once again the 'Barrs/O'Connells lads broke up the field, however they lost possession and Cian Doyle received a second yellow card followed by his marching orders for tripping a Blues player.  It mattered little as the combination side won the ball back and won a free which Robert Quigley unduly converted from 25 metres after 34 minutes, to lift the siege.  The Blues had one more chance to reduce the lead further however the ball went wide after a goal mouth scramble. 

All in all this was a clean hard fought game from start to end.  The victory for the Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells side was achieved on the back of excellent gaolkeeping from John McLoughlin, strong gritty defending fromt he full back line with the half back line breaking up the field to great effect, with all backs to the fore.  The midfield won plenty of ball and battled hard all the way while the Togher/Castlebellingham attack was the more fluid on the night.  Final score Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells 3-9(18) Newtown Blues 1-9(12).

Naomh Fionnbarra/O'Connells: John McLoughlin (OC), Brendan Simms (NF), Kieran Lenihan (NF), Patrick McGrane (NF), Conor Lenihan (NF), Hugh Osborne (NF), Chris McGlynn (NF), Ciaran O'Brien (OC), Conor Kiernan (OC), Dean Corrigan (OC), Robert Quigley (OC), James Clerkin (OC), Cian Doyle (OC), Jack Butterly (NF), Brendan Murphy (NF).  Substitutes: Jordan Bannon (OC) for James Clerkin, Micheal Cairns (OC) for Brendan Simms and Michael McArdle (NF) for Dean Corrigan.

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