SHC final: Knockbridge claim title for first time in four years
October 01, 2018
Knockbridge joint captains Mark Wallace and Andrew Smith raise the Paddy Kelly Cup.
KNOCKBRIDGE 4-12
ST FECHINS 1-9
Knockbridge claimed the Louth Senior Hurling Championship title for the first time in four years when they defeated St Fechins at Dunleer on Sunday afternoon.
Although there were 12 points between the teams at the full-time whistle, the Knockbridge side didn’t have it all their own way and on two occasions in the first half found themselves four points in arrears.
However, goals from Gareth Hall and Shane Fennell kept them in touch at the break and in the second period they found an extra gear to pull away from the Termonfeckin side as goals from Gerry McKeown and Ronan Mulholland sealed the issue.
It was the Fechins who got off to the brighter start and sent over the first three scores from Paddy Lynch, Seaghan Connelely and Paul Matthews, but Knockbridge steadied themselves when Hall hit the first goal to level the game at 1-1 to 0-4.
The South Louth side responded to the challenge and a goal and point from David Stephenson helped them lead by 1-6 to 1-2. It looked as if the Fechins would have a comfortable cushion at the break as Shane Kerrigan and Michael Ryan swapped points, but just before the short whistle, Shane Fennell found the net to reduce the deficit to just 1-7 to 2-3.
The Knockbridge side came out firing on all cylinders at the start of the second half and took a grip on the game with points from Fennell (4), Hall and Sean Marry to move 2-9 to 1-7 clear, before a goal from Gerry McKeown put his side firmly in control.
Paddy Lynch and Jamie McDonnell replied for the Fechins but there was never any prospect of a comeback as a dominant Knockbridge eased home with a goal from Mulholland putting the icing on the cake.
KNOCKBRIDGE: James King; Conor Kerrigan, Ronan Byrne, Stephen Hoey; Mark Wallace, Conor Deane, Andrew Smyth; James Costelloe, Shane Kerrigan 0-1; Liam Molloy, Peter Brennan, Shane Fennell 1-6; Sean Marry 0-2, Gareth Hall 1-2, Gerry McKeown 1-1. Subs: Ronan Mulholland 1-0, Robert Wallace, Sean Brennan, Ciaran Deane, Ricky McKeown.
ST FECHINS: Stephen Hackett; Cormac McAuley, Barry Devlin, Niall Devlin; Micheal Byrne, Oisin Byrne, Liam Ryan; Donal Ryan, Paddy Lynch 0-4; Jamie McDonnell, Paul Matthews 0-1, Vincent Hynes; Michael Ryan 0-1, David Stephenson 1-1, Seaghan Conneely 0-2. Subs: Paddy McCormack, John Crosbie, Brendan Hynes.
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