Naomh Muire turn over Gaeil Fhánada in Division 2

An early Daniel Ward goal sent Naomh Muire on their way to their third Division 2 victory of the season at Páirc Uí Shiadhail on Saturday evening.

Ward’s goal in the eighth minute put the side from the Lower Rosses four points ahead, and although Gaeil Fhánada reduced the gap to two at a stage in the first half, they were always held at arm's length by Danny O’ Donnell’s side, who hit a flurry of scores before the break to leave themselves in a comfortable position at half time.

Shaun Burns and Liam McGrenaghan exchanged early scores before Harry Harden landed a Naomh Muire point shortly before the goal after Naomh Muire drove at the heart of the Gaeil Fhánada defence.

Harden and Eoin Martin both struck frees for the visitors by the quarter-hour mark, and Adam O’Brien drove an effort between the posts from play, while Liam McGrenaghan and James Kerr kept the hosts ticking over in what was a fairly open first half.

Gaeil Fhánada responded well, with three further points in a row, a Mc Grenaghan free, and two well-worked team moves were finished off by Darren Mc Elwaine and Paddy Carr.

A break in play killed the Gaels momentum however, and Naomh Muire responded clinically, finishing the opening period with four points on the bounce, two Eoin Martin frees and a brace from play from Harry Harden to leave them six to the good at the interval.

Darren Mc Elwaine hit the opening score of the second half, but Naomh Muire answered in kind from Eoin Martin.

That trend continued in the second half, as a Liam McGrenaghan’s free was cancelled out by a Daniel Ward effort. Eoin Martin then blazed over the bar in reply to a further Mc Grenaghan score.

Naomh Muire pushed their lead out further courtesy of Martin and Fintan Doherty's points as the game went into the final 10 minutes. Liam Mc Grenaghan gave the Gaels a glimmer of hope with a well-taken goal, and a James Kerr point left only four in it after 58 minutes but Naomh Muire substitute Danny Ward pointed a minute later, and that would be the final score of the evening to seal a five-point win for the men of the Lower Rosses.

Gaeil Fhánada scorers: Liam McGrenaghan 1-5; Darren Mc Elwaine and James Kerr 0-2; Paddy Carr 0-1.
Naomh Muire scorers: Eoin Martin 0-6; Harry Harden 0-4; Daniel Ward 1-1; Fintan Doherty, Shaun Burns, Adam O’Brien 0-1.

Gaeil Fhánada: Mark McConigley; Jimmy Coyle, Paddy Heraghty, Calum McAteer; Michael McDevitt, Shaun Kerr, Brandon McClafferty; Paddy Carr, Odhrán Shiels; Eoghan Carr, Liam McGrenaghan, Mark McAteer; Paul Coyle, James Kerr, Darren Mc Elwaine. Suns: Alan McAteer for E Carr, James Gallagher for McClafferty.
Naomh Muire: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Ferdia Doherty, Dónal Gallagher; Shaun Burns, Daniel Ward, Fintan Doherty, Darragh Doherty; Adam O’ Brien; Joey Gillespie, Darragh White, Eoin Martin; Harry Harden, Daniel Devlin, Pádraig Mc Cafferty. Subs: Danny Ward for Gillespie, Patrick Gillespie for Burns.
Réiteoir: Seamus Mc Gonigle (Aodh Ruadh)