Tommy rules the roost as Westerns see off Annaghminnon in JFC clash

Anglo Printers JFC group three

Westerns 5-14 Annaghminnon Rovers 0-11

Tommy Durnin stood out like a beach ball among bobbles at Páirc Clan na Gael on Friday night as Westerns retained hope of a place in the knockout stages of the Anglo Printers JFC.

The Louth midfielder registered 3-7, including goals at the beginning and end of his 53-minute cameo, as the Reaghstown natives put their Stonetown neighbours to the sword.

Following their round one loss to Glyde, it was imperative that Pádraig Brennan’s men prevailed here and while they managed to comprehensively, they fell well short of replicating John Mitchels’ 27-point margin of triumph over Annaghminnon, which could prove pivotal when the final tallies are up for the count.

Nonetheless, it was a job competently completed, although the outcome was never in any doubt from the moment Durnin found the top corner of the net after three minutes. Indeed, the No.8 struck Westerns’ opening 2-3, before the impressive Ryan Duffy stretched their lead midway through the half.

Rovers’ main scoring threat was David Marron, who finished with a considerable nine points, accounting for half of his team’s six-point first half haul.

Durnin, whose brother, Anthony, closed the opening period with two points, had accrued 2-5 by the break as Westerns retired with a nine-point lead, having registered 2-9. And the second half was merely seconds old when Ciarán Campbell sent the ball past Shane Russell for a third time as Rovers’ hopes of an unlikely resurrection hung lifelessly.

To their credit, the men in white battled to the bitter end, but Duffy and Durnin - from the penalty spot - added further majors to put a fair, if lobsided guise on the scoreboard. Rovers had ’keeper Russell - who produced some fine interventions - black carded.

53’ - Westerns 5-13 Annaghminnon 0-10. Tommy Durnin’s final act is to slot home from the penalty spot. Big man finishes on 3-7. pic.twitter.com/2Yuw7d7IBD

— Caoimhín Reilly (@CaoimhinReilly) July 19, 2019

Westerns: Jonathan Brennan; Liam Murray, Seán McGuinness, Andrew Murray; Michael Martin, Ciarán Scriven (0-1), Finn Duffy; Tommy Durnin (3-7, 1-0 pen & 0-6 frees), Conor Kerr; Terence Sweeney, Anthony Durnin (0-2), PJ Marron (0-1); Liam Hoey, Ryan Duffy (1-1), Ciarán Campbell (1-1, 0-1 free)

Subs: Shane Matthews, Patrick Kerley (0-1, free), Lorcan Cassidy, Peter Shields, John Murray

Annaghminnon Rovers: Shane Russell; Christopher Connolly, Paudi Murray, Pádraig Russell; Eddie Finnegan, Ronan Byrne (0-1, free), Paul McArdle; Ronan Finnegan, Kevin McKeown; Tony Brennan, David Marron (0-8, seven frees), Conor Russell; Niall Kelly, Shane McMahon (0-1), Aidan Lee

Subs: Richie Ashfield (0-1), Tiernan O’Brien, Fergal Markey

Referee: Noel Hand (Hunterstown Rovers)