Louth GAA club | Holders Naomh Moninne book place in Louth SHL final

As current holders of the Paddy Kelly Cup, the hurlers of Naomh Moninne will return to the scene of their 2025 success, as they qualified for the Senior Championship Final with this well-merited victory over St Fechins in Round Three played at St Brigid's Park in Dowdallshill last Thursday night.

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In his second year as manager, Aidan Carter knew that his team were below par as they needed an injury-time point from captain Darren Geoghegan to salvage a draw in their opening round encounter with Knockbridge.

Clearly over the two weeks leading up to Thursday night's game, they put the work in, and they were ready for anything that the Fechins threw at them.

When the Dundalk side hit the front with Conor Murphy's fourth-minute goal, they managed to lead for the entire match, and despite their opponents closing the gap to just two points on 43 minutes, they made no mistake running out worthy seven-point winners at the full-time whistle.

These two teams will renew their rivalry again when they meet in the final, which has been confirmed for the Integral GAA Grounds in Drogheda on Sunday afternoon, August 9 (3pm).

In the first meaningful attack of the game, Moninne won a 65-metre free which Darren Geoghegan struck over to open the scoring.

Paddy Lynch responded with a point direct from a sideline cut from the left wing before the ever-dangerous Conor Murphy fired home the game's opening goal from the left of the post on four minutes.

From the resultant puck out, the experienced David Stephenson halved the deficit with a good point from the right wing.

Murphy almost added a second goal when his effort went past the right-hand post as keeper Ruairi Morrissey could only look on.

A quick-fire brace of points followed from the sticks of Lynch and Darragh Stone before a foul on Sean Magill saw Geoghegan firing over from halfway.

The sides shared the next two points before points from Geoghegan, Mark Gahan, Magill and Conor Murphy in between, which Paddy Lynch accounted for his third of the half, had the black and amber outfit leading by 1-8 to 0-6 on the quarter hour.

The Fechins kept in touch with points from Lynch (free) and Sean Kerrisk, in between which centre half Tom O Dwyer was on target, added to by another from Murphy.

His side opened up a six-point lead with Geoghegan's fifth of the half, and they still maintained that advantage late in the half.

The same player, with a terrific point from play from the right wing, now saw seven between the teams.

However, the south Louth outfit are never one to drop their heads and a neat pass from Darragh Stone played Ronan Hackett through, who fired low under the out-rushing Conor Whyte for the game's second goal.

From a foul on Conor Murphy close to goal, the reliable Geoghegan struck over the resultant 20-metre free that had the holders heading into the dressing rooms at the break leading by 1-15 to 1-10.

Both sides opened their second half accounts with pointed frees before Geoghegan continued that trend with another from right of the post following a foul on Sam Phelan.

The Fechins then hit three points in a row from Ciaran Brennan, Paddy Lynch (free) and substitute Ryan Walsh, with the deficit now down to just three on 40 minutes.

The sides then exchanged good points from play from Mark Gahan and Ciaran Brennan again, the latter taking advantage of some sloppy defending by Moninne.

Their lead was soon cut to just two points when Lynch struck over a free from inside his own half 1-18 to 1-16.

The concession of frees continued to unsettle the Fechins as Geoghegan fired over another brace, both from long range. He added another from play from distance as his side now appeared to be on course for the victory.

The sides exchanged points from play before Conor Murphy was alert to take a quick pass from Ciaran McKelvey's free to seal the victory with his second goal from close range.

In the time added on by the referee, who it must be mentioned had a good game, Paddy Lynch took his tally to ten points with another brace.

Darren Geoghegan sealed his team's place in the final on Sunday week as group winners with point number fourteen, inevitably from a long-range free.

Naomh Moninne: Conor Whyte; Darren O Hanrahan, Aaron McGuinness Smith, Kyle Rafferty; Sean Magill (0-1), Michael O'Shea, Finn Carter; Darren Geoghegan (0-14, 11 frees), James Murphy; Sam Phelan (0-1), Tom O Dwyer (0-1), John Casey; Mark Gahan (0-3), Conor Murphy (2-3), Ciaran McKelvey.

Subs: Mattie Fee for J Murphy (half time), Coran Trainor for S Phelan (39), Gavin Baxter for D O Hanrahan (44), Ultan McEnaney for C Murphy (60), James Byrne for M O'Shea (60).

St. Fechins: Ruairi Morrissey; Ryan McGinley, Cathal Moynagh, Cathal Ryan; Conor Higgins, Peter Fortune, Sean Hodgins; Donal Ryan, David Stephenson (0-2); Danny Morgan, Sean Kerrisk (0-1), Ciaran Brennan (0-2); Paddy Lynch (0-10, 7 frees), Darragh Stone (0-1), Ronan Hackett (1-1).

Subs: Ian O Connor for D Morgan (30), Ryan Walsh (0-2) for S Hodgins (38), Darragh O Gorman for S Kerrisk (56).

Referee: PJ Murray.