Junior Division 4B league in Pairc de Róiste between Roche Emmets and St. Fechins.
Roche Emmets 4-4 (HT 2-3) St. Fechins 3-8 (HT 1-4)
Roche began with a bang in the first minute when Enda Murphy goaled followed by a point from Duane Callan in the third minute. The Fechins responded with a point on the 12th minute but they slipped up in the 15th minute when a free taken by Robert O’Hanlon 30 metres out on the left found its way to the net as the Fechins defence failed to deal with the situation. Scores were proving difficult to get for both teams as the wide counts were mounting. However Fechins responded with three points and a goal from V. Mulholland before the break while Roche could only add one more point to leave the half time score Roche 2-3 Fechins 1-4.
In the second half with the brisk breeze on a sharp evening in their favour the Fechins continued to have the upper hand and scored three points without reply from N. Carrolan, V. Mulholland and K. Cullen before Philip Quinn tagged on a point, then Barry McConnon whipped in a goal on the 39th minute to leave the score 3-4 to 1-7. But the Fechins ‘missed’ count was piling up, a number from easy positions. Roche seemed to have got the upper hand in the game back and when Bernard McConnon persisted and got to a dangerous ball pushed forward, got the ball to the net ahead of several Fechins defenders including the keeper which put Roche five points ahead on the 56th minute, the points looked safe. The Fechins did not agree and mustered all their forces but continued to put chance after chance wide but two goals in the last two minutes won the spoils. On the balance of play and on the number of contests around the pitch that the Fechins were winning in the second half it was a merited win but Roche will, and it is understandable from the amount of time they were ahead in the game, they will believe that the game was stolen from them in the dying minutes.
Roche: Sean O’Hare, Joseph Bishop, Bernard Kirk, Niall Treanor, Colm Kirk, Brian McGuinness, Duane Callan 1pt, David Quigley, Robert O’Hanlon 1gl, Enda Murphy 1gl, Tom Quigley, Philip Quinn 2pts, Liam Carthy 1pt, Bernard McConnon 1gl, Barry McConnon 1gl. Subs: Patrick Quigley for T.Quigley, Seamus Haughey for Bernard McConnon.
St. Fechins: Darren O’Neill, Vincent Corrigan, David Kirwin, Robert Meegan, Conor Haughey, Harry McBride, Fergal McNally, Brian Rowan, Leo Cunningham 2pts, Owen Duffy, Seamus McBride, Niall Carrolan 1pt, Vinny Mulholland 1gl, Paul King 1pt, Kevin Cullen 2pts. Subs James King 2-2 for B.Rowan, Conor Philips for K.Cullen, Owen McEvoy.
