Nobber 3-15  St Patricks 1-11

Nobber took on St Patrick’s, Stamullen in Round 3 of the Intermediate Football Championship last Sunday afternoon in a sunny Seneschalstown.

All the talk in the media the day before was about Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford and scoring a brace on his second debut. However, 18-year-old Lorcan McEntee had different ideas and stole the headlines for the North Meath outfit. McEntee a nephew of the great Gerry McEntee like Ronaldo was making his starting championship debut for Anthony Monaghan’s charges and he didn’t disappoint. Bagging two important goals in the second half to help push the black and ambers into the quarter-finals.

The first half remained a tight affair with St Pat’s and Nobber trading scores. Approaching the first water break the Dublin border side were leading by 0 – 4 v 0 – 2. St Pat’s extended their lead to 3 points and Nobber found themselves in some difficulty with the unfortunate black card of midfielder Alan Farrell. Points from Jordan Morris, Sean Meade and Dale Larkin ensured that the 2019 intermediate champions still remained in the hunt leading into half-time. There was no separating the sides at 0 – 6 each at the half-time interval.

Nobber pushed on in the second half and showed great determination with early scores from Meade and the impressive wingback Dean Halpin. Lorcan McEntee’s two quickfire goals in the early stages of the second half ensured the win for Nobber. Nobber moved the ball well from the halfback line up through midfield and McEntee finished coolly to the net on both occasions.

St Pat’s showed good resilience and failed to give up and earned themselves a penalty in the final quarter. They dispatched it well and set up the final 10 minutes to be a tense affair. Midfield maestro Alan Farrell kicked a crucial point while Meade and Morris showed their class by kicking some important scores and keeping the North Meath men ticking over on the scoreboard. Morris dispatched to the net in the late stages of the game to ensure the win for Nobber and cement their place in the last eight of the championship.

The black and ambers overall had a very good team performance with the Cassidy brothers, Fagan and Halpin in defence along with the tenacious Brendan Heffernan around the middle, the dangerous duo of Morris and Meade up front along with two-goal debut hero McEntee and notable contribution from the bench.

Next up for Anthony Monaghan’s charges in the coming weeks is Oldcastle in the quarter-final.

Nobber: Dary Hutchinson, Cathal Cassidy, Eanna Fagan, Barry Cassidy, Dean Halpin, Niall Farrell, Richie Shields, Thomas Murtagh, Alan Farrell, Jack Contra, Jordan Morris, Dale Larkin, Lorcan McEntee, Sean Meade, Brendan Heffernan. Subs used: Stephen O’Brien for Dale Larkin, Kian Donohoe for Lorcan McEntee, Seamus Fagan for Niall Farrell, Gordon Weldon for Brendan Heffernan.

Nobber scorers: Jordan Morris 1 – 8, Lorcan McEntee 2 – 0 Sean Meade 0 – 4 Dale Larkin 0 – 1, Dean Halpin 0 – 1, Alan Farrell 0 – 1.

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