SHC final: historic win for St Fechins
October 12, 2015
Joy for St Fechins as Stephen Hackett and Barry Devlin raise the cup in Drogheda
ST FECHINS 2-20
PEARSE OG 3-11
St Fechins are celebrating a first ever Louth Senior Hurling Championship title after scoring a six-point victory over Pearse Og in an entertaining encounter in Dunleer on Sunday afternoon.
The Termonfeckin club first introduced hurling in 1997 and the hard work that has been put in over the past 18 years paid off in style as they claimed a deserved victory over the Dundalk men.
Although the Fechins were looking the likely winners from a long way out, they had to withstand a late rally from Pearse Og before the final whistle triggered scenes of huge celebration.
Despite playing in their first final, the South Louth side showed no signs of letting the occasion get to them as they were on the front foot from the throw in.
Top-scorere Paddy Lynch got them off the mark with the first point of the game and they had three on the board before Pearse Og got off the mark.
There were no signs of the Fechins easing off and they fired over another three points before a goal from Seaghán Conneely had them 1-6 to 0-1 just after the quarter-hour.
The Dundalk side steadied the ship somewhat with three of the next four points, but Fechins responded to the challenge and when Paddy McCormack hit the net on 25 minutes his side were 2-8 to 0-4 in front.
The Dundalk men hit back with points from Mike Lyons and Gerard Smyth but at the break they were facing an uphill task as they trailed by 2-11 to 0-6.
The third quarter suggested that the Termonfeckin outfit were cruising towards victory as Niall Devlin's point on 42 minutes gave them a commanding 2-16 to 0-7 victory.
However, Pearse Og refused to let their heads drop and pulled a goal back through Gary O'Brien on 56 minutes, and almost immediately Lyons fired in a second to cut the gap to 2-18 to 2-10.
Despite a third goal from Gerard Smyth in injury time the Fechins were never in any real danger and they held out comfortably for a historic victory.
ST FECHINS: Stephen Hackett; Conor Mathews, Darren McDonnell, Robert Moynagh; Micheál Byrne, Cathal Ryan, Oisín Byrne; Gordon Daly, Donal Ryan 0-1; Vincent Hynes 0-1, Paddy McCormack 1-2, Patrick Lynch 0-11; Michael Ryan 0-2, Seaghán Conneely 1-1, Barry Devlin 0-1. Subs: Cormac McAuley for G Daly, Niall Devlin 0-1 for B Devlin, Ronan Keane for V Hynes.
PEARSE OG: Barry Myles; Shane Kelleher, Brian Minogue 0-1, Noel Callan; Andrew McDermott, Matthew Myles, Aidan Callan 0-1; Mike Lyons 1-1, Gary O'Brien 1-1; Andy McCrave, Gerard Smyth 1-6, Donnach Callan; Eamonn McAuley, Davie Mahony, Kenneth O'Hagan 0-1. Subs: Brian McCabe for N Callan, Mark Rafferty for A McDermott.
