Fechins are Senior Hurling Champs for 2022

ANCHOR TOURS LOUTH SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

ST FECHINS 2-16 KNOCKBRIDGE 2-9

by Maurice Murphy

The weather certainly matched the occasion as the sun shone down on Pairc Ui Mhuiri in Dunleer as holders St Fechins came up against Knockbridge in the Louth Senior Hurling Championship Final on Sunday afternoon.

  2020 champions Knockbridge came into this final as favourites having accounted for both Sundays opponents and Naomh Moninne in the group stage of the competition.

  They scored early goals to build up good leads in both games and were hoping for a similar start in this final.

  However things did not pan out as they would have wished and they found themselves playing catch up to the Fechins for most of the first half having conceded two early goals and trailed by seven points after just six minutes.

  Both sides had their periods of dominance throughout the match and after they went in front courtesy of their first goal the Fechins never at any stage looked like relinquishing their lead.

  The nearest Knockbridge got to their opponents was two points early in the second half but the Fechins somehow managed to hold them scoreless for most of the second half on their way to a well deserved victory.

  Knockbridge were first off the mark inside 30 seconds when Gareth Hall gained possession on the right wing to fire over the opening point.

  The holders responded with their opening score two minutes later when a David Stephenson delivery found the ever dangerous Paul Mathews who soloed through before firing past keeper Conor Kerrigan.

 Sean Marry was then pulled up by the referee for over carrying with Paddy Lynch firing over the resultant free from inside his own half.

  Lynch added another one from play in their very next attack before his side added a second goal on six minutes when Paul Mathews passed to Barry Devlin who found the net from 13 metres out, 2-2 to 0-1.

  Knockbridge responded with a long range pointed free from Ricky McKeown and a good point from the right wing by the lively Robert Wallace on 11 minutes.

 They almost grabbed a goal moments later when Shane Fennell forced a save out of County keeper Rory Morrissey at the expense of a 65 metre free.

  McKeown was off target from the resultant free and from the puck out that followed Paul Mathews made a terrific high catch before adding a good point from 45 metres, his sides first score for over six minutes.

  A good brace of points from the sticks of Hall and Wallace on 13 and 17 minutes managed to reduce the deficit to four points, 2-3 to 0-5.

  Centre half forward Seaghan Conneely was influential in getting his side through to this final accounting for 1-3 in the recent draw against Naomh Moninne and he grabbed his sides next score firing over from the right wing.

  A point from a 65 metre free by Shane Fennell was added to by a long range effort from David Kettle and now only three separated the teams.

  The Fechins managed to restore their five points lead when Sean Kerrisk set up Paul Mathews for a good point from the right wing and on 25 minutes Paddy Lynch fired over a long range free awarded for a foul on Conneely.

  These scores counted for little as Knockbridge struck for the games third goal on 27 minutes when a Ricky McKeown line ball was knocked into the path of Sean Marry by Gareth Hall as Marry give the keeper no chance.

  The Fechins found their form in the time that remained to the break and midfielder Donal Ryan scored a good point added to in injury time by a pointed free from Paddy Lynch.

  There was still time for Robert Wallace to respond with his third point of the half.

  In the last action of the half Lynch took his tally to five with the assistance of the right hand post and the teams went into the dressing rooms with the Fechins leading by 2-9 to 1-8.

  The South Louth outfit extended their lead with the opening two scores on the resumption.

  Firstly a good five man move ended with Danny Morgan scoring a good point from 20 metres after just 25 seconds.

  Seaghan Conneely then set up Sean Hodgins to score from a very tight angle before Knockbridge struck for their second goal on 34 minutes.

  It saw Sean Marry playing Robert Wallace through as he fired high into the roof of the net, 2-11 to 2-8.

  A late tackle on Liam Molloy presented Shane Fennell with the opportunity to reduce the arrears to two points which he duly did from the resultant 20 metre free.

  Despite there still been 22 minutes to play in this encounter that Fennell score would turn out to be their last score in this final.

  Paddy Lynch responded with his sides first score for some ten minutes when he fired over a free from the right wing, 2-12 to 2-9.

  Sean Marry went close to tying up matters on 45 minutes as he saw his effort go across the face of the goals, scapping the left hand post.

  Fennell should have added a badly needed point from an easy 20 metre free but his weakly struck effort was easily cleared by the Fechins defence.

  A foul on captain Peter Fortune saw Paddy Lynch pointing from half way and the eventual winners went five clear with five minutes remaining when Sean Kerrisk pointed off the end of a good solo run.

  Lynch took his match winning tally to eight points from a 20 metre free on 57 minutes.

  Moments later Danny Morgan grabbed a good point from play to leave his side now seven points to the good, the same lead they held six minutes into this match.

  A flurry of late bookings from referee Kevin Brady marred the end of the match with Knockbridge finishing with 14 men as Michael Keane received his marching orders after a second yellow card.

The Paddy Kelly Cup being presented to joint captains Peter Fortune and Cormac McAuley by Seamus Keenan from sponsor Anchor Tours and Louth GAA vice chairperson Peter Sage

  The final whistle was greeted with great celebrations among the Fechins players and supporters as the Paddy Kelly Cup headed south of the county for the second year in a row.

  ST FECHINS: Rory Morrissey; Conor Higgins, Oisin Byrne, Cormac McAuley; Conor Mathews, Peter Fortune, David Stephenson; Donal Ryan (0-1), Danny Morgan (0-2); Paddy Lynch (0-8, 6

frees) Seaghan Conneely (0-1), Sean Hodgins (0-1); Paul Mathews (1-2), Barry Devlin (1-0), Sean Kerrisk (0-1). Subs – John Crosbie for B Devlin (35), Ross Berkery for S Hodgins (54).

  KNOCKBRIDGE; Conor Kerrigan; Michael Keane, Adam Plunkett, Ronan Mulholland; Andrew Smyth, Stephen Kettle, Ricky McKeown (0-1 free); Ben Goss Kieran, Liam Molloy; Gareth Hall (0-2), Sean Marry (1-0), Robert Wallace (1-3); Shane Fennell (0-2 frees), David Kettle (0-1), Stephen Hoey. Subs – James Costello for  A Smyth (26), Peter Brennan for J Costello (41), Neil Thornton for S Fennell (51), Gavin Kerrigan for B G Kieran (56), Ronan Byrne for D Kettle (58).

  MAN OF THE MATCH: Peter Fortune (St Fechins)

  WIDES: St Fechins 4 (3 in first half); Knockbridge 5 (1 in first half).

  BOOKINGS: St Fechins – Sean Kerrisk (29), Paul Mathews (37); Knockbridge – David Kettle (30), Gareth Hall (40), Michael Keane (56), Stephen Hoey (60), Ronan Mulholland (60).

  SENDING OFF: Knockbridge – Michael Keane (60) 2nd yellow card.

  REFEREE: Kevin Brady.

LOUTH U15 HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

KNOCKBRIDGE 4-13 ST FECHINS 2-6

by Maurice Murphy

The curtainraiser to the Senior final in Pairc Ui Mhuire on Sunday afternoon was the Louth U15 Hurling Championship Final.

  In a match that was played at 13 a side, Knockbridge made the brighter start and goals from Shane Mulanney and Senan Lundon had them leading by 2-2 to 0-2 after 13 minutes.

  They extended their lead with a brace of points from Cormac Lundon and a long range free from Aidan Fitzpatrick.

  Corner forward Shane Mulanney kicked home a third goal on 18 minutes as the Fechins kept in touch with points from Cathal Moynagh and Ciaran Reynolds.

  A fourth Knockbridge goal scored by Donncha Reidy on 26 minutes had them leading by 4-6 to 0-4 at half time.

  The Fechins reduced the deficit with a pointed free from Moynagh only for the eventual winners to extend their lead with three successive pointed frees from Aidan Fitzpatrick.

  The South Louth side struck for a couple of consolation goals scored by Cathal Moynagh and Daragh O Gorman but Knockbridge were not to be denied a deserving victory with Oisin Reidy firing over the last point of the match.

  Afterwards the cup was presented to the Knockbridge captain Aidan Fitzpatrick to the delight of his team mates and supporters.

Knockbridge HC-u15 Championship Winners 2022

KNOCKBRIDGE: Tadhg Carroll; Adam Clerkin, Kevin Plunkett; Jack Smith; Ryan Holland, Aidan Fitzpatrick (0-6 frees); Kyle McConville (0-1), Senan Lundon (1-1); Oisin Reidy (0-1) Donncha Reidy (1-0), Cormac Lundon (0-4); Shane Mulanney (2-0), Ross Keenan. Subs – Cian Lundon for R Keenan, Nicky Mackin for S Mulanney.

  ST FECHINS: Andrew McCarthy; Sean McLeer, Conor Nolan; Rory Dunne, Cathal Moynagh (1-1), Jack Gallagher; Andrew O Reilly (0-1), Cameron McGuigan; Ciaran Reynolds (0-1), Ray McManus, Brian O Reilly; Aaron Reilly, Daragh O Gorman (1-3). Subs – Evan Clarke for C Nolan, Paidi Rafferty for R Dunne, Cormac Browne for B O Reilly.

  REFEREE: Paul Drumm