Aughawillan rue missed chances as Ryan O'Rourke leads Fenagh to victory

If ever a scoreline was misleading this is it as a wasteful Aughawillan were ruthlessly punished by a clinical Fenagh St Caillins, led by the superb Ryan O'Rourke, over the final ten minutes of Saturday's Connacht Gold SFC clash in Pairc Sean O'Laodain.

For those of us of a certain vintage, it was like sitting in a time machine as one team threw everything they had at their opponents only for their inaccuracy to be exploited by their more efficient rivals - only this time it was the Willies who were on the receiving end of a classic rope-a-dope!

Fans enjoy cracking encounter as Fenagh see off Aughawillan - GALLERY

If Fenagh always looked to have an extra gear and that bit of sheer class in attack, they'll admit too that Aughawillan had more than enough chances to be ahead at the crucial point when a block on their own goal-line prevented an equalising goal with just six minutes to go.

 Fenagh broke and broke with intent as Ryan O'Rourke's pass eventually came to Oisin McLoughlin who produced an outrageous piece of skill to dummy solo past a defender and blast to the net. That turned a potential equaliser into a six point lead and Fenagh never looked back, Riordan O'Rourke adding a third goal in added time.

If Aughawillan are right to bemoan  missed chances and the absence of the suspended Fergal McTague and Noel Plunkett, they'll admit too that Ryan O'Rourke ran the show on Saturday. The county star was missing for the Division 2 Final and you could see the difference here.

O'Rourke's pace we all know about but he made a series of acrobatic catches and tortured the Aughawillan defence - Fenagh were simply a different team with him in their ranks.

They'll have concerns about their defence who coughed up enough chances that  Aughawillan just didn't exploit but this was a much improved display from the Division 2 League Final and they'll meet Mohill with a good deal of optimism.

Fans enjoy cracking encounter as Fenagh see off Aughawillan - GALLERY

For Aughawillan, their small numbers haunt them but they showed enough here, even with wides that are uncharacteristic of them, to suggest that they can make an impact in this competition. But they won't be able to afford missing the sort of chances they did last Friday

After Mark Plunkett, from a mark, and Riordan O'Rourke swapped points, Aughawillan edged into a lead thanks to a fine Barry Prior point but it was short-lived as good work from Riordan O'Rourke on the wing saw him feed his cousin Ryan who took off on a run before crashing a rocket to the Aughawillan net after just three minutes.

Michael Quinn was yellow carded for a late foul on Riordan O'Rourke but the Willies were threatening as Mark Plunkett was twice denied a goal by last gasp blocks in the same move. Tom Gilheaney and Plunkett from a fifty swapped points before Fenagh went four clear after two Ryan O'Rourke scores.

Two excellent points from Ciaran Gilheany, one a free, got the gap back to two but there was a three point gap at the water break thanks to another from Ryan O'Rourke. Coming out of the water break, Fenagh extended their lead thanks to an Aaron Smith score.

Aughawillan surged once more with Gilheaney scoring a beauty from the corner after he held off his man before Gary Plunkett notched two lovely scores. The half ended with Ryan O'Rourke making a soaring catch before coming down to earth to score and Gilheany tapping over a free to leave it 1-8 to 0-9 in favour of Fenagh at the break.

Oisin McLoughlin opened the second half scoring with a superb point but as Aughawillan kicked four wides, left one short and hit the crossbar, Riordan O'Rourke extended the home team's lead after Oisin McLoughlin's quick thinking from a mark.

Morgan Quinn got his team's first score of the second half ten minutes in as Aughawillan gobbled up a poor Fenagh pass and Ciaran Gilheany fired over after a powerful Pearce Dolan run. With both sides missing chances, Ryan O'Rourke steadied his teammates with two points, the second a free that was called back after the Leitrim star saw a shot saved despite being dragged back.

Aughawillan, true to their nature, refused to lie down and saw a high ball into the area fisted wide with nine minutes left and the feeling that they had momentum was reinforced when Morgan Quinn tapped over a free.

With six minutes left, another turnover saw Aughawillan charge forward but two efforts were blocked on the line, Donal Wrynn making one and from the clearance, Fenagh went the length of the field - Ryan O'Rourke's perceptive pass found Conor Dwyer, he sent it on to Oisin McLoughlin who bamboozled the defence before launching a rocket to the Aughawillan net.

Aughawillan looked for an immediate response but in keeping with their luck all evening, sub Reece Maher saw his shot crack off the crossbar before going over and Fenagh, released from the pressure added three unanswered points from Donal Wrynn (free), Ryan O'Rourke and Fergal McLoughlin. 

The coup de grace came from Riordan O'Rourke, collecting a pass from Ryan after a poor kickout, to fire home from close range before he added one more point.

Dates and venues confirmed for Connacht Gold SFC Rd 2 and Smith Monumentals IFC Rd 1

FENAGH ST CAILLINS

Scorers: Ryan O'Rourke 1-8, 1M, 2f; Riordan O'Rourke 1-3; Oisin McLoughlin 1-1;  Donal Wrynn (f), Fergal McLoughlin, Tom Gilheany & Aaron Smith 0-1 each

Team: Shane Doonan, Tom McKeon, Mark Keegan, Diarmuid McHugh, Conor Dwyer, Jack Gilheany, Aaron McLoughlin, Fergal McLoughlin, Donal Wrynn, Michael Doonan, Tom Gilheany, Oisin McLoughlin, Riordan O'Rourke, Aaron Smith. Subs: Caillin O'Rourke for A McLoughlin (40); Niall Butler for McHugh (63) 

AUGHAWILLAN

Scorers: Ciaran Gilheany 0-5, 2f; Mark Plunkett (M & 50), Gary Plunkett & Moran Quinn (f) 0-2 each; Barry Prior & Reece Maher 0-1 each 

Team: Colin Maguire, Declan McGovern, Michael Quinn, Niall Stringer, Sean Quinn, Barry Prior, Rory McTague, Pearce Dolan, Daire Maxwell, Ronan Maxwell, Gary Plunkett, Christy Prior, Morgan Quinn, Mark Plunkett, Ciaran Gilheany. Subs: Reece Maher for R Maxwell (HT)

Referee: Gareth Foley