IFC semi final: Lightning start earns O'Mahony's a final spot

Jack Quinn shoots for Navan O'Mahony's as Sean Baxter St. Pats closes in during the IFC semi final at Dunsany

Navan O’Mahony’s 3-17 St Patricks 2-11

A lightning start and a ferocious workrate from Navan O’Mahony’s in the first ten minutes of the IFC semi-final was enough to secure them a spot in the final, with ten players putting their names on a score in an impressive overall team performance.

James O’Reilly opened the scoring for O’Mahony’s with a point, before Ronan Clarke added a score. A shot from Aodhan Mallon looked set to be a two-point free but it was denied by the upright. Sean Betson was there to catch the rebound and sent it to the net. From this kickout, Betson won possession and set up Cormac Nugent for another score.

The lead was extended when Duggie Dillon finished a good run with a goal. Niall Higgins and Mallon, both of whom were crucial in a number of scores, split the posts from play to give O’Mahony’s an eleven point advantage on the quarter hour mark, before St Patricks hit their first score.

The Dillon brothers responded quickly to this, with Paddy setting up a score for Duggie. Nugent then scored a free for a breach of the three-up rule. St Patricks kicked two two-pointers from play, but O’Mahony’s responded well on both occasions, with Paddy Dillon and Mallon raising whit flags.

Two O’Mahony’s scores came from Nugent, a goal and apoint from play after ferocious work from Jack Quinn, split by a St Patricks two pointer. A late opportunity for a goal from the Stamullen men was denied by pressure from Darragh Murphy and Conor Brady and the shot was forced wide. Evan Coffey extended the lead with a late point, a deserved reward for his efforts throughout.

Navan O’Mahony’s 3-11 St Patricks 0-07

Three minutes into the second half, the lead was extended to fifteen when Duggie Dillon and Nugent pointed. A St Patricks goal was quickly responded to by a point from Ronan Clarke.

The pace of the game declined somewhat in the second half, with O’Mahony’s having a strong lead and St Patricks with too much to do to bridge the first-half deficit. Nugent and Coffey split the posts before St Patricks dented the advantage with a second goal.

Two points from St Patricks, including a 45 after Niall McGrane produced a textbook block on a goal shot, reduced the gap to nine before Robbie Keelaghan kicked an impressive score on his introduction. The last score of the game was for the Stamullen men, a goal shot deflected over the bar by Murphy, leaving nine points between the sides and Darren Clarke’s charges preparing for the IFC final in two weeks time.

Navan O’Mahonys: Jamie O’Reilly, Darragh Murphy, Paddy Dillon (0-01), Conor Brady, James O’Reilly (0-01), Niall McGrane, Sean Betson (1-0), Niall Higgins (0-01), Aodhan Mallon (0-02), Ivo Fitzherbert, Jack Quinn, Duggie Dillon (1-02), Ronan Clarke (0-02), Evan Coffey (0-02), Cormac Nugent (1-05)

Robbie Keelaghan (0-01) for Quinn, Christy Dillon for Clarke, Conor Finnegan for O’Reilly, Eoghan Nugent for Dillon, Shane McCarthy for Nugent