Meath SFC final: O'Mahonys resist Na Fianna rally

October 26, 2015

Navan O'Mahonys Cormac McGuiunness beats Dalton McDonagh to the ball during the hoganstand.com Meath SFC Final at Pairc Tailteann

Navan O'Mahonys retained the hoganstand.com SFC with a narrow win over Na Fianna at Pairc Tailteann on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon.

O'Mahonys  0-13
Na Fianna    1-8

David Nelson's men looked set to coast to the finish line in the blustery and dull conditions until a Na Fianna stoppage time surge saw the south county men trim the gap to the minimum. Ethan Devine's goal central to this.

In the second minute of added time, O'Mahonys secured the title with Stephen Bray's fourth point of the game in the last action of the game.

Until Na Fianna's late charge it was largely one-way traffic and a dull encounter.

For most of the hour, a 20th title looked good for the Brews Hill outfit. The manner in which they responded to Na Fianna's rally made the win all the sweeter.

Goalkeeper Marcas Brennan scooped the Colum Cromwell Man-of-the-Match award, his first half penalty save from Daniel Queeney being a stand-out moment. In addition his ability to pick out team mates from restart went some way towards his side's success.

Stephen Bray's four points from play - on a blustery afternooon when scoring was slack - was another significant factor. Jake Regan's five points from placed balls, including one from a second-half 45.

Despite playing against the wind in the second-half, O'Mahonys moved six points clear twice after the break. Ultimately those scores cushioned them against Na Fianna's late charge.

O'Mahonys led by 0-12 to 0-6 with 55 minutes gone. Ethan Devine pulled a point back from a 45 before he goaled in the final minute of the hour with a shot from just outside the 13-metre line.

Backed by the elements in the opening half, O'Mahonys wasted little time in getting on the board. Barely 50 seconds had passed when Ruairi O Coileain landed a free.

In the early stages Niall McKeigue followed Dalton McDonagh to the '40' with Darragh Maguire picking up Barry Clancy.

Na Fianna got on terms through Dalton McDonagh in the sixth minute. The next score didn't arrive until the 19th minute, an O Coileain free from 50-metres.

Just before that Na Fianna were awarded a penalty but Marcas Brennan was equal to Daniel Queeney's effort.

Stephen Bray hit the first of two points from play. O Coileain's second score left it 0-4 to 0-1 to the holders after 21 minutes.

Two Daniel Queeney frees kept Na Fianna in contention. Stephen Bray's second point and a Jake Regan 45 ensured O'Mahonys had a 0-6 to 0-3 interval lead but Na Fianna had the increasing wind at their backs thereafter.

However, it was the holders who resumed on the front foot with three points within seven minutes. The sequence opened with two Jake Regan scores, one free, one 45. David Bray made it a trio of scores from citeogs.

They moved six points clear late on before Na Fianna's charge almost salvaged something for the men from Enfield, Rathmolyon and Baconstown. O'Mahonys now face Emmet Og Killoe (Longford) in the Leinster Club SFC on November 8.

O'Mahonys - Marcas Brennan; James O'Reilly, Niall McKeigue, Darragh Smyth; Brian Dillon, Darragh Maguire, Gary O'Brien (C); Cormac McGuinness, Kevin Reilly; Ruairi O Coileain (0-3, 2fs), Stephen Bray (0-4), Alan Forde; Shane Gillespie, David Bray (0-1), Jake Regan (0-5, 3fs 245s). Subs - Henry Finnegan for Forde (42), Rory Maguire for Gillespie (60), Damien Moran for O Coileain (60).

Na Fianna - Shane Geraghty; James Geagan, Christy Cosgrave, John Baldwin (C); Michael Farley, Anthony Neary, Dean Henrick; Ollie Lewis, Brian Queeney; Daniel Queeney (0-4fs), Jamie Queeney, Ethan Devine (1-2, 1 45); Barry Clancy (0-1), Dalton McDonagh (0-1), Conor Downey. Subs - Dean Barrett for B Queeney (ht), Shane Barrett for McDonagh (48).

Referee - Padraig Coyle (Seneschalstown).


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