U-18 B Championship
Na Gaeil Oga 4-16-1-09 Moneyglass
Kevin Herron reports from Sarsfields
Na Gaeil Oga progressed to the semi-final of the Minor B Football Championship, but patience was the key in their 4-16-1-09 win over Moneyglass at Sarsfields on Sunday morning.
Both sides should have hit the net inside of three minutes, the hosts going close through a Fionn Jemfrey shot that he flashed wide of the post, whilst Odhran Duffin saw his shot turned behind by Oisin Devlin and Ruairi Mac Aonasa’s 45’ cannoned off the bar.
The vistors were first off the mark as Callum O Muireadhaigh dropped a shot over the bar and he doubled the lead 60-seconds later, converting a free.
He stretched his sides lead with a further free midway through the half with Na Gaeil Oga hitting back from the same source after Darragh McLaughlin was felled close to the target and he stroked the resulting free between the posts.
The opening goal arrived on the 24th minute and fell to the hosts. Sean McCarthy won back possession close to the side-line midway through the half and his lay-off began a sweeping move that ended with Fionn Jemfrey slipping Jake Ward through and Ward lashed a fine shot low to the net to give his side a 1-01-0-03 lead.
Moneyglass immediately hit back with four unanswered points, O Muireadhaigh kicked successive frees inside of 60-seconds and then turned provider for Caolan Buiteach steering over from close range.
Marcas Duffin extended the lead on the stroke of half-time with Jake Ward replying from a free as Moneyglass held a 0-07-1-02 lead at the interval.
The hosts levelled within two minutes of the restart, Calum Fegan weaved his way forward and shot over before Fionn Jemfrey landed a smart score.
However, Moneyglass powered ahead for the final time when they cut through the Na Gaeil Oga defence and Eunan McErlain rifled to the net to make it 1-07-1-04.
A converted free from Conall McMahon followed and he would add another from play with Fionn Jemfrey pointing in between as parity was restored on the 39th minute.
Na Gaeil Oga hit the front again through a close-range free from Gerard Doherty, his last action Conlai Mervyn replaced him, and the substation paid instant dividends when Mervyn got on the end of a Fionn Jemfrey pass, advanced and squeezed his shot beneath Moneyglass keeper Niall Quinn and into the net to give his side a 2-08-1-07 lead.
Thereafter the hosts confidence grew with Jemfrey sending a fantastic shot over with the outside of the boot and Conall McMahon converting his second free of the half.
Moneyglass may have snuck a second goal in but Corey Camlin pushed Callum O Muireadhaigh’s free off the line and instead they had to make do with a Odhran Duffin point.
Jemfrey and McMahon helped themselves to further points in the aftermath and Calum Fegan doubled his account for the afternoon as the lead stretched further.
The hosts third goal arrived on the 53rd minute when Jake Ward played a fine pass that Sean McCarthy latched onto, despite Niall Quinn keeping out his initial effort, McCarthy guided home at the second time of asking to make it 3-13-1-08.
The sides traded scores through Jemfrey and O Muireadhaigh before Na Gaeil Oga finished strongly in added time.
A foul on Mervyn resulted in a free that Jemfrey sent rocketing into the top corner, he would add a further point from play with Calum Fegan landing an outstanding point that finished their afternoon scoring as the amalgamated side advanced to the last four.
Na Gaeil Oga: O Devlin, L Campbell, Jay Ward, D McGibbon, KB McArdle, C Fegan (0-03), C Camlin, S McCarthy (1-00), D McLaughlin (0-01f), C Devlin, F Jemfrey (1-07), C McMahon (0-03, 0-02f), R Webb, G Doherty (0-01f), J Ward (0-01f). Subs: D Fegan for R Webb (37), C Mervyn (1-00) for G Doherty (40), T Lee for L Campbell (50), P Dorothy for C Devlin (50), F McCallum for J Ward (54), C McCausland for D McGibbon (58).
Moneyglass: N Quinn, O O Domhnaill, S Graffin, T McWilliams, F McCloskey, E McErlain (1-00), R Kennedy, D Duffin, O Hamill, J Mac Dhuifinn, C O Muireadhaigh (0-06, 0-05F), M Duffin (0-01), O Duffin (0-01), C Buiteach, R Mac Aonasa. Subs: B O Domhnaill for O O Domhnaill (26), D Mhic Fhirrleinn for F McCloskey (53), G O Coinne for R Mac Aonasa (53).
Referee: Piarais McCaffrey (St Galls)
Minor B Football Championship Results
Na Gaeil Oga 4-16 Moneyglass 1-9
Portglenone 4-15 All Saints 1-8
St. Gall’s 2-13 St. John’s 1-7
Rossa 3-7 Ardoyne 1-6
