Louth GAA: Naomh Fionnbarra keep their cool against Tones in penalty decider
Naomh Fionnbarra 3-11
Wolfe Tones 3-11
Fionnbarra won 4-3 on penalties
Late extra time replacement Andy McCann, ended up as Naomh Fionnbarra’s penalty shootout hero after he coolly stroked his side into their fifth Junior decider in 13 years against a devastated Wolfe Tones.
Tones were on the brink of a first championship final appearance since they last won the Senior Championship in 1936 when Jordan Duffy took the safe option of a point in their last attack in extra time.
Duffy was one on one with Fionn McQuillan with Joe Comiskey to his right for company. Comiskey had just scored a tremendous solo effort just beforehand but Duffy took his point.
So the slow burning semi final was engulfed with flames in the finish, with the door slightly ajar, in the midst of a scramble Finbarrs full back Kalum Regan fired home a last gasp equaliser. Cue dreaded penalties.
The manner of the advancement will worry Finbarrs slightly they went 25 minutes without a score that spanned full time and the first half of extra time.
Darren Moore’s side rattled off 2-6 to no reply to fight their way back to bring the game to extra time thanks to a Garrett Cooney ’45. Chris Cudden’s second goal in that period had the Drogheda men five points ahead.
Tones ended up with their best team on the field towards the climax but Jack Butterly’s goal had the sides level by half time in extra time.
It wasn’t a day for the purists, but Hugh Osborne showed grit to land the second half goal at the back post that looked seal the dogged affair.
Yet having made the semi final for the second successive season there was a will about Wolfe Tones in an attempt to reach their first ever Louth Junior final. This is a side that have been lightly knocking on the door in recent seasons.
Their achilles heel was fluency up front All of their scores were frees up until the 50th minute when Rory Taaffe smashed the loose ball over the bar soccer style.
To be fair, the fresh gael caused havoc on Wolfe Tones first half attacks. Unable to get field position and get their shots off Naomh Fionnbarra were very much in control thanks to Ciarán Markey.
As Taidhg Rock and Cathal Bergin got to grips with their markers. Stuart Reynolds suddenly looked anxious and indicated a Tones fightback that would duly come.
However the revival didn’t seem likely when Hugh Osborne’s goal upon the resumption dampened things entirely as a spectacle.
For the Finbarrs the major signalled a job well done and they looked freewheel to the final, but they would have to hang on and rely on McCann to do so.
NAOMH FIONNBARRA: Fionn McQuillan; Kalum Regan 1-0, Adam Hanratty, Ronan Callaghan; Niall Woods, Hugh McGrane 0-1, Chris McGlynn, Josh Crosbie, Brendan Simms; Hugh Osborne 1-1, Jack Regan, Conor Osborne; Cormac Reynolds 0-1, Ciarán Markey 0-7 (5f), Jack Butterly 1-1. SUBS: Michael McArdle for J Regan (60), Máirtín Murphy for H Osborne (6, ET), Ciarán Murphy for McArdle (6, et), Andy McCann for C Osborne (ht, et).
WOLFE TONES: Johnny Lynch; Cathal Bergin, Taidgh Rock, Alan Fanning; Liam Gaffney, Sam Kelly, Dwayne Leavy 0-1; Mark Healy, Patrick Fanning; Seán Flanagan, Garrett Cooney 0-3 (2f, 1 45), Chris Cudden 2-0; Darren Weldon, Rory Taaffe 0-3 (2f), Jordan Duffy 0-1. SUBS: Dean Haggins for Cudden (18), Eoghan Brennan 0-3 (3f) for Weldon (ht), Joe Comiskey 1-0 for Duffy (39), Cudden for Flanagan (56), Duffy for Cooney (18, et).
REF: Cathal Sweeney (Stabannon Parnells).