Fechins defeat Nh Moninne to retain Maurice Murphy Cup

The hurlers of St Fechins retained their Maurice Murphy Cup title, but they were made to work hard for this victory against an understrength Moninne team in this final played in Beaulieu on Thursday night.

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The Dundalk outfit opened the scoring through Sam Phelan with a good point inside the opening sixty seconds.

However, a brace of points apiece from top scorer Paddy Lynch and Darragh Stone had the home side three up on seven minutes.

Moninne were then awarded a penalty, but Eoin Murphy saw his effort saved by keeper Rory Morrissey.

The sides shared the next four points before three more points from Lynch, two from play, had the Fechins leading by 0-9 to 0-4 on 21 minutes.

A good spell from Moninne saw them outscore their opponents by five points to one, with David Yore, Eoin Murphy (3) and Fionn Cumiskey all on target.

Lynch responded with his sixth free of the half before an effort from distance by Mikey Gormley was misjudged by keeper Dylan Carey, a goal that had the Fechins leading by 1-11 to 0-9 at the break.

Murphy and Lynch exchanged early points from frees on the resumption before the aforementioned was again denied a goal by a Rory Morrissey save.

A flurry of points from Paddy Lynch (2) and substitutes Ronan Hackett and David Stephenson now had the holders leading by 1-16 to 0-11 with ten minutes remaining.

Fionn Cumiskey and Eoin Murphy again reduced the deficit before Paddy Lynch accounted for his twelfth point of the final and his ninth from frees.

Aidan Carter's side did manage a late consolation goal when Murphy fired home from a 20 metre free, but it was the south Louth side that held on for the victory.

Afterwards, the Maurice Murphy Cup was presented to the St Fechins joint captains, George Allen and Luke Black, by the County Board Chairman Sean McClean.

St. Fechins: Rory Morrissey; Paddy Reddy, Oisin Byrne, Paddy McCarthy; Brendan Christophides, Ryan McGinley, Cathal Ryan; Cathal Moynagh (0-1), Luke Black; Mikey Gormley (1-0), George Allen, Paddy Lynch (0-12, 9 frees); Zac Lennon, Barry Devlin, Darragh Stone (0-2).

Subs: Ronan Hackett (0-1) for M Gormley, Conor Higgins for P McCarthy, C Mathews for P Reddy, David Stephenson (0-1) for B Devlin, Sean Kerrisk for Z Lennon.

Naomh Moninne: Dylan Carey; Aaron Heaney, Kyle Rafferty, Cathal Azzopardi; Sean Magill, James Byrne, James Murphy; Ultan McEnaney, Fionn Cumiskey (0-2); Robbie Mathews, Tom O Dwyer, Sam Phelan (0-3); Finn Carter, David Yore (0-1), Eoin Murphy (1-7, 1-5 frees).

Sub: Ciaran Maguire for J Byrne.

Referee: Martin Dawson.