Naomh Muire begin Intermediate Championship with derby win over Na Rossa

Naomh Muire got off to the perfect start in the Intermediate Championship with a nine point Rosses Derby win against Na Rossa in Dooey. 

Danny O’Donnell’s men hit the net inside ten seconds through Jack O'Donnell and two pointers from Daniel Devlin kept them in control, despite the clinical free taking of Aidan McHugh in particular, and Adrian Hanlon.

The score could have been closer than four at half-time had Hanlon's penalty not come off the crossbar, but Naomh Muire were well in control after the restart.

Eoin Martin was in good form as he ended with ten points to his name to keep the opposition at bay, despite McHugh's best efforts, ending with nine scores from frees.

Naomh Muire wasted no time in getting a good start as they Patrick Gillespie won the throw-in, with Daniel Devlin finding Jack O’Donnell who rifled the ball into the top corner on ten seconds.

Eoin Martin converted a free five minutes later, but Na Rossa had a goal chance as Adrian Hanlon was fouled off the ball and when Stephen Doherty consulted with his umpire, he signalled for a penalty. 

Hanlon stepped up, but his left-footed strike cannoned off the crossbar and as Naomh Muire countered, Devlin kicked a fine two pointer. 

Fintan Doherty pointed next from the right as the visitors were doing well judging a tricky cross field breeze, but Na Rossa got off the mark through a Hanlon free on a quarter of an hour. 

Aidan McHugh then kicked a great two point free from off the ground, and he kicked for one from a free five minutes later. 

But again the men from the Banks broke quickly from the kick out and Devlin fired over his second two pointer from out on the left. 

Martin and Hanlon traded frees just before half-time, with a McHugh kicking a free on the whistle as Na Rossa trailed 1-7 to 0-6 at the break. 

Eoin Martin did quickly extend that lead to seven, with a score after a good dummy, and a two pointer followed from play, curling over. 

Hanlon kicked another free and but Martin responded with two frees of his own. 

McHugh kicked a placed ball after and as Christian Bonner won the kick out, he found Hanlon, who got Na Rossa’s first score from play on 45 minutes. 

Two Martin scores, one from play, and another Devlin point extended the lead back out to nine, and while McHugh kicked two more two point frees in quick succession, Danny O’Donnell’s men hit the last four scores to pull clear. 

Devlin and Joey Gillespie hit points from play and as the hosts got caught having two men forward, Martin converted. 

Gillespie hit the final score from a free on the hour mark to sweeten the deal for the away side. 

Na Rossa scorers: Aidan McHugh 0-9,3tpf,3f; Adrian Hanlon 0-4,3f.

Naomh Muire scorers: Eoin Martin 0-10,6f,1tp; Daniel Devlin 0-6,2tp; Jack O’Donnell 1-0; Joey Gillespie 0-2,1f; Fintan Doherty 0-1

Na Rossa: Ben Boyle; Ryan Hennessey, Daniel Martin Melly, Johnny Bonner; Matthew Smith, Christian Bonner, Ryan McCready; Eugene Mollloy, Aidan McHugh; Adam McHugh, Odhran Molloy, Conor McCahill; Adrian Hanlon, Shane Bradley, John Paul Breslin. 

Subs: Oisin Caulfield for E Molloy (40, blood sub), Molloy for Adam McHugh (50).

Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Padraig McCafferty, Patrick Rodgers; Tuathail Lunny, Ferdia Doherty, Sean Burns; Patrick Gillespie, Darragh Doherty; Jack O’Donnell, Daniel Devlin, Fintan Doherty; Joey Gillespie, Cathal Fee, Joey Gillespie.

Subs: Daniel Ward and Paul Boyle for Gillespie and Rodgers (45), Daniel Gallagher and Darragh White for Burns and Lunny (53)

Referee: Stephen Doherty (Red Hugh’s).