GAA | Goals galore as St Fechin’s run out winners at The Grove
Division Two League | O’Connell’s 2–15 St Fechin’s 3–19
O’Connell’s and St Fechin’s, two teams relegated from Division One last year, served up an entertaining affair at The Grove on Saturday night.
The home side got off to the perfect start with a penalty, converted by Niall Conlon, and a point from Dean Corrigan inside the first two minutes.
The Fechin’s slowly got on top and scored six points in a row, two each from their full forward line of Ronan Holcroft, Danny Burnell and Karl McDonnell before two Conlon frees were cancelled out by points from play by Ryan Sheridan and Jamie King.
Conor Culligan put the locals back on level terms with a brace on the 20th minute but the visitors controlled the remaining 10 minutes with three long range points from Burnell, Sheridan and Bevan Duffy.
A Conlon free on the stroke of half time meant St Fechin’s went in with a two-point lead at the break, 0–11 to 1–6.
Dean Corrigan reduced the lead to the minimum when the game resumed but a well worked move was finished to the net by Ronan Holcroft who then added a brace of points to put the visitors in the driving seat.
Conlon replied with three for the home team but the Termonfeckin men were well on top by now and corner-back Leo McGrane kicked a fantastic point from 40 metres.
Niall Devlin added another, followed by a Danny Burnell goal and a Karl McDonnell and another Holcroft goal left 13 points between the teams.
The O’Connells never gave up and a goal from Conor McGill and a point from Culligan was followed up by two Conlon points.
Two injury time point blank saves by Paul King made sure the Fechin’s went home with the points.
ST FECHIN’S: Paul King; Niall McCabe, Richie McDonnell, Leo McGrane (0–1); Ryan Sheridan (0–1), David Collier, Harry McArdle; Bevan Duffy (0–1), Dermot McConnell; Jamie King (0–1), Colm O’Neill, Niall Devlin (0–1); Danny Burnell (1–6, 1f), Ronan Holcroft (2–5, 1f), Karl McDonnell (0–3). Subs: Tom Burke for H McArdle; Donal Ryan for R McDonnell; Joe Corrigan for D Burnell; Sean McConnell for B Duffy; John Crosbie for K McDonnell; Niall Carolan for J King.
O’CONNELL’S: Stuart Reynolds; Emmet Byrne, Peter John Tuite, Kyle Daniel; Liam Kiernan, Andrew Sharkey, Dean Stanfield; Sean Connolly, Jackie Agnew; Dean Corrigan (0–2), Salem Rafaie, Stuart Osborne; Conor Culligan (1–2), Niall Conlon (1–10, 1–5f), Paul McKeever. Subs: Conor McGill (0–1) for D Stanfield; Micheal Cairns for PJ Tuite; Ciaran O’Brien for S Cairns.
REFEREE: Stephen Johnson.
