Naomh Fionnbarra cruise to junior title success

Naomh Fionnbarra clinched the Louth JFC title with a comfortable 2-20 to 0-7 win over Roche Emmets on Sunday.

Roche could find no answer to the trip of William Woods, Bernard Osborne and Jack Butterly, who between them scored 2-16 of the Togher men’s tally.

Butterly scored the opening goal on 19 minutes to help his side to a 1-8 to 0-4 lead at the break and any hope of a turnaround were ended for Roche when Gerry Murphy was sent off at the second half.

Osborne then fired the second goal to set the Barrs on the way to a comfortable 19 point victory and a first Christy Bellew Cup since 2010.

Naomh Fionnbarra: Allan Matthews; Hugh McGrane, Kieran Lenihan 0-1, Bryan Sharkey; Conor Lenihan, Oisin McGee, Hugh Osbourne; John Doyle, Darren McConnon 0-1; William Woods 0-7, Andy McCann, Pádraig Butterly 0-2; Bernard Osborne 1-5, Jack Butterly 1-4, Stuart Osborne. Subs: Máirtin Murphy for P Butterly, Chris McGlynn for H Osbourne, James Butterly for C McGrane, Michael McArdle for C Lenihan, Padraic Murphy for B Osborne, Hugh McGrane for S Osborne.

Roche Emmets: Jamie O’Hare; Joe Bishop, Harry O’Connell, Duane Callan; Aaron Callan, Conor Traynor, Gerry Murphy; Daniel O’Connell 0-1, Eugene Murray; David O’Connell, Liam Carthy 0-2, Conor Carthy; Kevin Callaghan, Barry O’Hare 0-4, Emmet Hughes 0-1. Subs: Eoin O’Hare for C Traynor, Niall McArdle for E Murray, Liam Rice for A Callan, Sean O’Hare for E Hughes, Dermot Carthy for David O’Connell.

Referee: Kevin Brady

Sean O’Mahony’s book place in first ever Louth Senior Championship final

Dundalk side the Sean O’Mahony’s will contest the Louth Senior Championship final for the first time in their history next month.

The Point Road outfit overcame last year’s beaten finalists the Dreadnots on a 1-12 to 1-8 scoreline in Haggardstown on Saturday night to set up a final clash against holders St Patrick’s GFC in Drogheda on Sunday October 4^th.

The O’Mahony’s, winners of the Louth and Leinster Intermediate titles last year, raced into a 0-5 to no score lead inside the opening 17 minutes with Conor Finnegan scoring three points in between other scores from Stephen Fisher and Gary Mulligan.

Liam Shevlin finally managed to respond for the Clogherhead men five minutes later but another point from Fisher was followed up with a goal from Conor Crawley that left it 1-6 to 0-1.

Finnegan added two further points before the break with Shevlin responding as the O’Mahony’s led by 1-8 to 0-2 at half-time.

The gap remained at nine points when Finnegan and Ben McLaughlin cut out earlier scores from James Califf and Peter Kirwan but heading into the final quarter the Dreadnots mounted a serious charge.

Califf added a few frees when Shevlin hit the net to leave it 1-11 to 1-7 with five minutes to go.

Finnegan then scored a vital insurance point and although Califf fired over a late reply for the Dreadnots, it wasn’t enough to prevent the O’Mahony’s from advancing to the County Final.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Michael Clarke, Ronan Byrne, Kurt Murphy; Keith McLaughlin, John O’Brien, Gary Mulligan 0-1; Conor Martin, Shane Brennan; Peter Nixon, Stephen Fisher 0-2, Conor Finnegan 0-8 (5f); Stephen Kilcoyne, Conor Crawley 1-0, Johnny Connolly. Subs: Ben McLaughlin 0-1 for J Connolly, Pat O’Brien for M Clarke.

Meanwhile, eight points from Barry O’Hare and a goal from Liam Carthy helped Roche Emmets beat the Glen Emmets by 1-12 to 0-14 at Clan na Gael Park on Friday night to book their place in the Junior Final.

Six points from William Woods and a goal from Jack Butterly saw Naomh Fionnbarra beat Stabannon Parnells by 1-8 to 0-4 in the other semi-final.

Finally, Clan na Gael will take on Kilkerley Emmets in the Intermediate Championship final on Sunday in Haggardstown. Throw-in is at 4pm.