Burt secure IFC status with a twelve point win over Na Rossa

Burt secured their Intermediate status for another season with a convincing twelve point win over Na Rossa in the IFC relegation play-off semi-final in Páirc Naomh Fionnan.

With a strong wind in their favour for the first half, Burt started slowly but got well ahead with Sean McHugh, Jack O’Brien and Liam McKinney all kicking scores as they led by 0-13 to 0-2 at the break.

Na Rossa didn’t get the same impact in the second half, despite Aidan McHugh’s best efforts as he kicked all six of their scores, including a two point free, and when Calvin Gallagher hit the net for Burt it looked all but over.

Odhran Molloy got a late goal for Na Rossa but Sean McHugh landed a free kick into the net in added time to secure their survival, while Na Rossa will have one last chance to stay in the second tier when they meet Cloughaneely next weekend, the losers being relegated to Junior ‘A’.

Despite being against the breeze, Na Rossa got the first two scores inside seven minutes courtesy of Aidan McHugh, the second from a free, but that was as good as it got in the first half for them.

Burt were very wasteful early on, but Sean McHugh got them level in a similar style to his namesake for the opposition, pointing from play and then from a free.

A Keith McColgan free put the Hibernian Park men in front on 18 minutes, and they really kicked into gear after this.

Liam McKinney pointed on the turn, and Jack O’Brien got his first score before another McHugh free.

Dara Grant added a good score from the right before another McHugh free, while Conor Gartland just squeezed a point inside the left post.

McKinney kicked another free as Na Rossa shot for a point through Adrian Hanlon, with Mark McElhinney doing well to catch under pressure from Gerard Breslin, looking to punch in for a goal.

Ronan McDermott split the posts next for Marty Coyle’s side before a goal chance as McKinney and O’Brien had a two-on-two, but the latter fired over for a point from close range.

McColgan ended the scoring at the break for an eleven point lead, but it was far from over as the Leitir men had the breeze for the second half.

And Aidan McHugh continued his scoring in the second half, kicking from range as McElhinney couldn’t stop it from going over the bar, despite it amazingly bouncing off the crossbar twice before going over.

McHugh then kicked a two point free as Burt had goal chances through McColgan and McDermott both flashing wide, before McDermott got a first score of the half for the Inishowen side on 48 minutes.

McHugh converted another free at the other end two minutes later, but time was ticking away as Burt got their first goal.

It came as they won the Na Rossa kick out and the ball was played over the top, with an overload of yellow jerseys, as it fell to Calvin Gallagher who kicked in from off the ground at close range.

Gartland got another score before Hanlon lumped the ball high into John Paul Breslin who punched down for Odhran Molloy and he fired into the roof of the net.

But Burt would have the final say as the heavens opened, and Sean McHugh had a free drop short and in off the woodwork into the net as they ensured their safety for another year.

Burt scorers: Sean McHugh 1-4,1-3f;  Calvin Gallagher 1-0; Liam McKinney 0-2,1f; Keith McColgan 0-2,1f; Jack O’Brien, Ronan McDermott and Conor Gartland 0-2 each; Dara Grant 0-1

Na Rossa scorers: Aidan McHugh 0-6,2f,1tpf; Odhran Molloy 1-0

Burt: Mark McElhinney; Caolan McKinney, Leo Kelly, Oisin Kelly; Dara Grant, Tom Doherty, Darren Gallagher; Stephen O’Donnell, Ronan McDermott; Andrew Walker, Sean McHugh, Keith McColgan; Jack O’Brien, Liam McKinney, Conor Gartland.

Subs: Calvin Gallagher and Martin Donaghey for O’Brien and Grant (53)

Na Rossa: Patrick Melly; Ryan Hennessey, Daniel M Melly, Ryan McCready; Conor McCahill, Christian Bonner, Oisin Caulfield; Eugene Molloy, Aidan McHugh; Odhran Molloy, Adrian Hanlon, Johnny Bonner; Gerard Breslin, John Paul Breslin, Shane Bradley.

Subs: Peter Gallagher for G Breslin (43), Daniel Molloy for Bradley (60)

Referee: Kenneth Byrne (Naomh Columba)