Termon into IFC decider as class eventually shows against Naomh Muire 

A spectacular fourth and final quarter from Termon sealed their progression to the IFC decider at the expense of Naomh Muire. 

Danny O’Donnell’s men were right in contention for the first three-quarters of an hour as matters were tied at 1-8 apiece in O’Donnell Park. 

However, a complete capitulation from the Lower Rosses outfit in the remaining exchanges saw Termon tag on 1-7 uninterrupted to convincingly book their spot in the final. 

The momentum seemed to swing Naomh Muire’s way when Daniel Devlin swatted home what looked like a huge three-pointer to cut a four-point gap back to one.

But with Harry Harden sin-binned directly after, it was Termon that took an emphatic grip on matters from that point on. 

Back at the outset, Naomh Muire settled quicked and moving into the second quarter found themselves three to the good as misfiring Termon clocked up five wides in between. 

Eoin Martin grabbed the game’s opening point from a free after wing back Fintan Doherty had made impressive yards from his own defensive third. 

Harden then doubled his side’s advantage with a well-executed mark on the wide right hand side. Shaun Burns made it three points from three swings for Naomh Muire as Termon continued to fluff their lines in front of the posts. 

They were finally off the mark on 18 minutes thanks to an Enda McCormick free and - two minutes later - they quickly cut the gap back to one as John James Sweeney landed. 

Still, another Martin effort, this time from a free, again put two between the sides at 0-4 to 0-2, ten minutes out from the interval. 

Bobby McGettigan made his presence felt for the first time with a fine effort while a Daire McDaid mark tied then matters up. 

Jack O’Donnell would nudge Naomh Muire back to the fore but with McGettigan again landing, matters were deadlocked at the changeover. 

The third quarter remained tight as a Harden brace was matched by McCormick and McDaid. 

Still, Termon put some real breathing space between the teams when McDaid arrowed to the back of the net and things got even better for Caolan McDaid’s charges as substitute Jamie Grant increased the gap to four.

But when Devlin palmed home from close range and with Martin following up with a point, matters were deadlocked once again. 

However, with Harden black carded, that coincided with Naomh Muire’s tent folding. Jack Alcorn, three more McDaid overs, along with points from McCormick and Grant left it 1-15 to 1-8 moving into added time. 

And, right at the death, McDaid rounded off the evening in style for Termon with a second green flag. 

Termon scorers: Enda McCormick 0-4,1f; John James Sweeney 0-1; Bobby McGettigan 0-2; Daire McDaid 2-5,1f,1m; Jack Alcorn 0-1; Jamie Grant 0-2.

Naomh Muire scorers: Daniel Devlin 1-0; Eoin Martin 0-3,1f; Harry Harden 0-3, 1,f, 1m; Shaun Burns 0-1; Jack O’Donnell 0-1.

Termon: Emmett Maguire; Cormac Gallagher, Ricky Gallagher, Cormac Brady; Patrick Fegan, Conor Cassidy, James McSharry; Bobby McGettigan, Ryan McFadden; John James Sweeney, Kevin McGettigan, Evan Coleman; Daire McDaid, Enda McCormick, Jack Alcorn. 

Subs: Jamie Grant for McSharry (ht), Ciaran Cassidy for Coleman (36); Conor Black for Sweeney (48); Aaron Reid for Fegan (56), Steve McElwaine for McCormick (58).

Naomh Muire: Declan Ward; Conor Cannon, Ferdia Doherty, Daniel Gallagher; Fintan Doherty, Padraig McCafferty, Tuathal Lunny; Darragh Doherty, Adam O’Brien; Jack O’Donnell, Darragh White, Shaun Burns; Harry Harden, Daniel Devlin, Eoin Martin.

Subs: Daniel Ward for D Gallagher (36), Paul Boyle for White (48).

Referee: Anthony McCallig (Naomh Ultan).