Late scoring burst assured St Fechins Louth Senior Football Championship status

ANCHOR TOURS SENIOR FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP RELEGATION 2024

St Fechins 1-9                                                                                                                           

St Brides 0-5

A late scoring burst down the home-straight from St Fechins assured their Senior Football Championship status for another season at least, as they saw off St Brides, which demotes the Knockbridge side to the Intermediate ranks for 2025.

St Fechins found the scores when they needed it most, and in Harry Haughney the Drogheda side had the player of the match, with the midfielder finishing with 1-2 and 23 possessions over the hour.

It was Haughney’s late major which all but assured the Fechins’ place in the Joe Ward Cup for 2025, giving Mattie Rice’s side a six point lead in stoppage time as they gained revenge for their one point defeat to the same opponents in last year’s relegation play off semi-final in Darver.

Patrick Reilly’s presence at the edge of the square led to Robert McCaughey equalising from close range, cancelling out an early white flag from Harry Haughney for St Fechins.

Following a foul on the hardworking Bernard Laverty, Sean Marry converted a free to put the Brides ahead for the one and only time with 10 minutes on the clock.

James McGlew did likewise with a close range free of his own a few minutes later to leave it at 0-2 apiece by the end of the first quarter, in a game largely dictated by the wind and rain.

With both teams understandably struggling for any fluency in attack, the next score did not arrive until the 24 th minute, which saw the Fechins take the lead thanks to a terrific strike from Harry Haughney, which summed up his performance over the hour.

In a game where both sides allowed their opponents to take the short kickout, it ultimately came down to who could make the most of opportunities afforded to them when they regained possession from turnovers.

A fine turnover from Robbie Vallejo saw James McGlew set up Colm O’Neill for a white flag, before county man Bevan Duffy gave the Fechins a three point lead at half time, in a move where James McGlew once again impressed in his debut season in adult club football.

Second Half:

The Fechins substitutes bench also played a key role, with half time sub Aaron McGlew making a noteworthy contribution following his introduction in place of the injured Colm O’Neill.

Alongside McGlew, Eoghan Duffy also provided the Fechins with an outlet when they broke out of defence, Ciaran McGinty provided a sturdy presence in defence, while Padraig O’Donohoe played a key role in the match winning goal for Harry Haughney late on.

Louth under 20 star Aaron McGlew started things off when he set up Ronan Holcroft for a point just after the restart, before a foul on Bevan Duffy led to James McGlew converting another free to give the Fechins a 0-7 to 0-2 lead after 35 minutes.

The Brides will look back on reflect on only managing 0-5 from 17 shots over the hour, including 0-3 from 10 second half attempts, as well some missed frees as the wind picked up at the goals they were attacking in that second period.

Mark McCann’s side also lost Donal McArdle in the first half, which was a considerable loss to their survival hopes.

Despite this, Kieran McArdle did end the Knockbridge side’s wait for a score with a close range free to leave four between the sides by the end of the third quarter.

Harry Haughney who covered every blade of the Darver pitch on Friday night, picked up a loose ball in defence, in a move which was eventually finished off by Aaron McGlew to make it 0-8 to 0-3 in the Fechins favour with 10 minutes remaining.

At this stage, the Brides were getting more and more desperate for an elusive major, as they sent in long ball after long ball into the Fechins square.

A gorgeous strike from the hardworking Ronan Bailey and an Emmet Kirk free did set up a grandstand finish with just a goal between the sides heading into added time, and Joe Ward status on the line for both teams. Bailey deserved that score for his battling performance, alongside Andrew Smyth, Bernard Laverty, Ross Murnaghan and Michael Keane who fought hard for the Knockbridge cause throughout.

However, it was the Fechins who stepped up to the plate to seal their Senior Championship status for next season, when another sub Padraig O’Donohoe set up Harry Haughney to fire past St Brides’ custodian Aaron Devin who had earlier denied the marauding Eoghan Duffy following a lung bursting run on the break.

An Aaron McGlew free following a foul on the hard running Bevan Duffy left seven points between the sides at the end, with the Fechins living to do battle for another season at least, with the Brides operating in the Intermediate Championship next year.

St Fechins: Niall McDonnell; Mark Holohan, Shane Reilly, Dylan Rice; Jamie McDonnell, Robbie Vallejo, Danny Burnell; Bevan Duffy (0-1), Harry Haughney (1-2); Sean Kerrisk, Colm O’Neill (0-1), Paul Matthews; James McGlew (0-2) (2f), Joe Corrigan, Ronan Holdcroft (0-1).

Subs: Aaron McGlew (0-2) (1f) for O’Neill (HT), Eoghan Duffy for Holdcroft (39), Ciaran McGinty for Holohan (42), Padraig O’Donohoe for Corrigan (52), Colm Hackett for James McGlew (57).

St Brides: Aaron Devin; Ronan Bailey 0-1, Cillian Kirk, Stephen Hoey; Andrew Smyth, Patrick Reilly, Michael Keane; James Costelloe, Bernard Laverty; Sean Marry (0-1) (1f), Robert McCaughey (0-1), Kieran McArdle (0-1) (1f); Donal McArdle, Emmet Kirk (0-1) (1f), Ross Murnaghan.

Subs: Nathan Kirk for Donal McArdle (25), Morgan Tobin for Costelloe (41), Daniel McArdle for McCaughey (41), Darren Bailey for Laverty (52).

Referee: Gerry Corrigan (Mattock Rangers).