Roche brush past Seans to book JFC quarter-final date with Westerns

Anglo Printers JFC group four

Roche Emmets 5-18 Sean McDermott’s 2-5

Roche Emmets eased to a junior championship quarter-final date with Westerns by seeing off Sean McDermott’s in Darver on Tuesday night.

The round three fixture was twice postponed, leaving both teams in limbo as to their fate, although any uncertainty was swiftly laid to rest following an opening quarter blitz which had the spoils well on their way to Rathduff.

Emmets led 2-7 to no-score after 15 minutes, captain Liam Dawe and Barry O’Hare finding the net, while Kevin Callaghan added a three-pointer shortly before half-time to leave it 3-10 to two points at the turnaround, Peter Osborne and Kevin McMahon the Seans’ registrars.

Shane Byrne was Roche’s main man, though. The sturdily-built No.14 finished with 2-5, his points all coming in a first half where he gave an exhibition. O’Hare, Kevin Callaghan and Dawe each shot 1-1.

In fairness, the Seans can stew on a much improved second half, albeit the outcome was long determined. Lorcan Myles’ two goals - the second from a penalty - brought their tally into double figures, but Byrne matched his efforts at the other end as Roche ruthlessly pressed home their superiority.

Tougher challenges lie in waiting for Paddy McGuinness’ team, who must improve the speed of their play if a Christy Bellew success is to be achieved, but a 100 percent group stage return isn’t to be sniffed at either.

Roche Emmets: Jamie O’Hare; Harry O’Connell, David Quigley, Enda Murphy; Glen Stewart, Dermot Carthy (0-1), Gerard Browne; Liam Dawe (1-2), Daniel O’Connell (0-1); Seán Dawe (0-1), Liam Carthy (0-1), Eugene Murray (0-1); Kevin Callaghan (1-1), Shane Byrne (2-5), Barry O’Hare (1-5, 0-3 frees)

Subs: Adam McKay for Murphy, Conor Carthy for Callaghan, Evin Quigley for H O’Connell, Niall McArdle for S Dawe, Adam Fee for D Carthy

Sean McDermott’s: Mark McEneaney; Ian Corbally, Mark Duffy, Danny Reilly; Danny Commins, Seán McMahon, David O’Neill; Peter Osborne (0-2), Declan Carroll; Cormac Walsh, Tony Kelly, BJ Matthews; Niall McEneaney, Lorcan Myles (2-1, 1-0 pen & 0-1 free), Kevin McMahon (0-2)

Subs: Lorcan Ludden for Matthews, Danny McEneaney for Duffy, Cormac Walsh for Reilly, Evan Doheny for O’Neill, Conor Lynch for N McEneaney

Referee: Cathal O’Brien (Geraldines)