Fenagh hold off Aughawillan in dour arm wrestle to book Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Semi-Final spot
CONNACHT GOLD SFC: FENAGH ST CAILLINS 0-9 AUGHAWILLAN 0-8
They have been strong favourites among the fans but Fenagh St Caillins had to come from two points down to scrape by the challenge of a dogged Aughawillan in the second of the Connacht Gold Leitrim SFC Quarter-Finals in Pairc Sheain Ui Eslin last Saturday in Ballinamore.
Oisin McLoughlin’s brilliant point, curling an effort from the left corner just over two minutes from the end of normal time, ultimately separated the teams but for a team tipped as potential champions, Fenagh were mighty glad to have held off a dogged if somewhat limited Aughawillan in Ballinamore.
This was a true arm wrestle of a game - neither side could exert sufficient pressure to break the grip of their opponent with Fenagh St Caillins have the better of the first half, Aughawillan the better of the second with the fact that last year’s League champions outscored their opponents by two points in the first half ultimately the difference.
If the St Mary’s and Leitrim Gaels game was regarded as a dour contest by neutrals, they quickly changed their minds during this contest with neither side showing any of the flashes that had lit up their previous games and the longer the game went on, the harder it seemed to be for either to produce any sparkling moments.
An over-reliance on frees meant that Aughawillan could never build the sort of momentum they needed to bring off the shock while Fenagh’s high powered attacked seemed bogged down in the face of intense and sustained Aughawillan pressure, Barry Prior turning in a tour de force that rolled back the years.
Aughawillan seemed inhibited in the first half as Fenagh made most of the running but poor finishing prevented them from showing their dominance on the scoreboard. A couple of quick points after the break seemed to reinvigorate Aughawillan and as belief surged through them, they took the game to their vaunted opponents.
Pearce Dolan and Ciaran Gilheany put Aughawillan two up and when Rory McTague lined up an effort, it looked as if they were about to open a formidable three point lead but the shot drifted wide and in the next attack, Ryan O’Rourke converted a free to cut the gap to a point - on such small margins are games won and lost!
It took six minutes for the first score, Ryan O’Rourke converting a nice point before quickly adding a second mere seconds later, a long ball into Riordan O’Rourke coming back out quickly. Oisin McLoughlin saw a shot hit the woodwork before Ciaran Gilheany converted a free after an off the ball found.
Ryan O’Rourke and Gilheany swapped frees, Fenagh’s somewhat soft after it appeared as if the County man had over-carried while Jack Gilheaney was penalised for a big hit on Rory McTague. Mark Plunkett saw an effort from distance hit the woodwork before Conor Dwyer scored a fine point.
That put Fenagh 0-4 to 0-2 ahead after 21 minutes but there no more scores in the half, with three yellow cards handed out to Conor Dwyer, Fergal McTague and Pearce Dolan while Fergal McLoughlin, Gary Plunkett, Ciaran Gilheany, Brian Stringer and Dwyer all hit wides.
The second half was barely a few seconds old when Gary Plunkett scored from an acute angle to cut the gap back to a point and the sides were level four minutes in, a foul on Mark Plunkett allowing Ciaran Gilheany to point the free.
Patient Fenagh play ended in a good point for Donal Wrynn on six minutes, two minutes later, Morgan Quinn boomed over a 50 yard free to level once more and Aughawillan took the lead when Pearce Dolan finished a good move after a turnover with a fine point from the corner.
Fenagh were not missing chances and when Aughawillan broke, Jack Gilheaney was booked for a heavy challenge that stopped the move but still led to a Ciaran Gilheany free. Aughawillan almost stretched the lead to three only for Rory McTague to screw his shot wide before Ryan O’Rourke punished a foul on Riordan O’Rourke from a free.
Fenagh were now creating chances but after two missed chances, Daniel McLoughlin was found in space from a quick free and he fired over from distance on 49 minutes to tie the scores. Aughawillan edged back in front when a foul on Dolan allowed Morgan Quinn to point.
However, Ryan O’Rourke immediately converted a free to tie the scores as the game entered the final stages. Barry Prior had a long range effort to regain the lead but shot wide and when Fenagh worked the ball to Oisin McLoughlin in the left corner, he scored a magnificent point to put them in front.
McLoughlin followed up with a bad wide, Fergal McTague was lucky to avoid a second booking while Ryan O’Rourke was also booked. Aughawillan did create one last chance, Fenagh fouling some distance out - sub Tom Plunkett hit his effort goalwards but the whistle sounded for a square ball, Fenagh surviving to book their place in the semi-finals for the third year in a row.
FENAGH ST CAILLINS
Scorers: Ryan O’Rourke 0-5, 3f; Donal Wrynn, Daniel McLoughlin, Conor Dwyer & Oisin McLoughlin 0-1 each
Team: Shane Doonan, Aaron McLoughlin, Tom Gilheaney, Conal McGovern, Colm McLoughlin, Conor Dwyer, Eoin McLoughlin, Donal Wrynn, Jack Gilheaney, Daniel McLoughlin, Ryan O’Rourke, Oisin McLoughlin, Mark Keegan, Riordan O’Rourke, Fergal McLoughlin. Subs: James Gilheaney for F McLoughlin (46); Josh McNabola for T Gilheaney (54); Shane Smith for McGovern (56)
AUGHAWILLAN
Scorers: Ciaran Gilheany 0-4, 4f; Morgan Quinn 0-2, 2f; Pearce Dolan & Gary Plunkett 0-1 each
Team: Colin Maguire, Declan McGovern, Michael Quinn, Sean Quinn, Niall Stringer, Fergal McTague, Barry Prior, Mark Plunkett, Pearce Dolan, Michael Prior, Ronan Maxwell, Brian Stringer, Ciaran Gilheany, Gary Plunkett, Rory McTague. Subs: Stephen Gilheany, Morgan Quinn & Daire Maxwell for M Prior, B Stringer & R Maxwell (HT); Oran Flanagan for McGovern (46); Tom Plunkett for G Plunkett (50)
Referee: Eamonn Dolan