Na Fianna are on course for a place in the knockout stages of the SFC with an emphatic win over Navan O'Mahonys at Trim on Saturday evening.
Na Fianna .... 3-12
O'Mahonys .... 0-11
Apart from a brief spell in the early stages the Baconstown-Enfield side were in command and wove some fine moves to pick off excellent scores and were well on their way to putting behind them their surprise loss to Seneschaltown in fhe first round when leading by 1-6 to 0-4 at the break despite playing into the breeze blowing from the town goal.
Needing a win to maintain their bid for the business end of the championship, O'Mahonys opened well from the resumption but were unable to translate those efforts into scores.
Davy Nelson's side were significantly hampered by the loss of their entire half-back line to injury in the opening 22 minutes. They were just 0-2 to 0-5 in arrears when James O'Reilly joined Cormac McGuinness and Gary O'Brien on the sideline.
Kevin Reilly was one of the subs introduced and was prominent as the Navan-man sought to soften the scoreline over the remainder of the hour.
In addition, O'Mahonys lost Ruairi O Coileain to a harsh black card before the break. Within minutes of his return he was shown a similar sanction and with it a red card.
O'Mahonys almost managed a brace of goals in this phase of the hour. Duggie Dillon flicked a Stephen Bray delivery narrowly wide. Then, Cathal Smyth's penalty was well read by Na Fianna 'keeper Shane Geraghty.
Evan Coffey had another goal chance for the Brews Hill outfit but shot into the side netting.
A feature of the second-half was Na Fianna's clinicism in front of goal while the game got a bit ragged as the clock wound down with the outcome a done deal.
Jake Regan capped his cameo with a trio of pointed frees while another sub Eoin Joyce landed two such scores.
A forward break by Oisin McCloskey led to Jack McNally netting in the 52nd minute. Six minutes later Ethan Devine placed Conor Downey for Na Fianna's third goal to leave it 3-11 to 0-7.
O'Mahonys outscored Na Fianna by 0-4 to 0-1 in the latter stages as their thoughts turn to retaining senior status. For Michael Foley's men making an impression at the business beckons.
Scorers: Na Fianna -Jack McNally 1-1, Ethan Devine, Conor Downey 1-0 each; Daniel Queeney 0-3 (2fs); Owen McDonnell 0-2; Sean Martin 0-2; Oisin McCloskey 0-2 each; Shane Walsh (f), Jamie Queeney 0-1 each.
O'Mahonys - Ruairi O Coileain, Jake Regan 0-3 fs each, Stephen Bray (1f) 0-2; Evan Coffey, Duggie Dillon, Stephen Bray 0-1 each..
Na Fianna - Shane Geraghty; Sean Rafferty, Michael Farley, Luke Kelly; Conor Downey, Oisin McCloskey, Jake McCreddin; Michael Collins, Daniel Queeney; Owen McDonnell, Sean Martin, Ethan Hawke; Shane Walsh, Jamie Queeney, Jack McNally.
O'Mahonys - Marcas Brennan; Mikey O'Reilly, Niall McKeigue, Brian Dillon; James O'Reilly, Cormac McGuinness, Gary O'Brien; Aodhan Mallon, Evan Coffey; David Dillon, Ruairi O Coileain, Alan Forde, Stephen Bray, Daragh Maguire, Cathal Smyth. Subs - Conor Finnegan for Gary O'Brien (9), Patrick Leahy for McGuinness (12), Kevin Reilly for James O'Reilly (22), Jake Regan for Forde (41), Eoin Joyce for Smyth (54). Black cards - Ruairi O Coileain (31-41), (38).
Next up: O'Mahonys v Seneschalstown, Sat Aug 29, 6.0, Dunshaughlin
Donaghmore-Ashbourne v Na Fianna, Sat Aug 29, 6.0, Trim
Referee - Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael)