Connacht Gold Junior B Football Championship, Group 1, Round 3

Friday 17 September 2021

Venue: St. Farnan's Park 

Referee: John Griffin 

St. Farnan's 2-09; Eastern Harps 2-10

Eastern Harps were first off the mark in Friday evening’s clash at St Farnan’s Park to decide top spot in Group 1 of the Junior B championship with a lovely point early point from wing forward Rob Richardson. 

St. Farnan's levelled quickly matters when good defence work by Karl Hannon found Andrew Mc Munn who duly pointed his first score of the evening. 

A couple of wides from the home side followed before Eastern Harps took a decisive lead when a Thomas Cryan shot to the net from the edge of the square was allowed despite calls from the defence of a square ball. 

St. Farnan's had a goal chance themselves shortly after only to see John Quinn's shot sail across the goal and go wide.

Things went from bad to worse for the home side when Rob Richardson found the net just before the first water break to leave the score Eastern Harps 2-2, St. Farnan’s 0-1.

In the latter period of the first half scores were kept to a minimum thanks to good work by both sides defence. 

St. Farnan's added two points from play, one each from Andrew Mc Munn and Gary Hannon.  Michael Lennon added one for Eastern Harps to leave the half time score Eastern Harps 2-3, St. Farnan's  0-3. In this period St. Farnan's introduced Greg Feeney for John Mc Nulty and Shane Feeney for Kieran Devaney, whilst Cathal Coyle replaced the injured Colin McGill for the Harps. 

At half time Enda Mc Dermott replaced Gary Hannon for St. Farnan's.

Eastern Harps again opened the scoring in the second half with two pointed David Shepperd frees.

St. Farnan's got their first second half score from a pointed Keith Lang free before a well taken Andrew McMunn goal brought St. Farnan's back into the game after seven minutes Indeed they might well have scored another goal had it not been for an outstanding block by Harps wing back Darragh Madden. 

The home side introduced David Culkin for the injured Nicholas Higgins but they continued to gift scores to the Harps conceding two pointed frees against a Keith Lang point from play to leave the score at Eastern Harps 2-7, St. Farnan's  1-5 going into the second water break.

Further substitutions were made by both sides in the last period.  Eastern Harps stretched their lead with points from Michael Lennon and David Shepperd. 

St. Farnan's tried to find a way through the Eastern Harps defence to get that elusive goal but strong defending by Ross Donovan and others meant that Enda Mc Dermott had to be satisfied with a point from a goal chance.

Eastern Harps got their final score from a mark by David Shepperd to bring his tally to 7 points for the evening and give his side a seven point advantage,  2-10 to 1-6. 

St. Farnan's to their credit battled hard for the remainder of the game and tucked on 1-3 in this final period with points from Declan Cawley, David Culkin, John Quinn and the final score of the game, a goal from Keith Lang after good work from the substitute David Culkin.  

At the final whistle only, a point divided the teams. Eastern Harps, whilst having led from the start and won the game must be disappointed with the final margin of victory. 

St. Farnan’s too will also be mindful of missed chances but happy with the effort by the team in the second half. Both teams progress to the next stage of the Junior B championship. 

St. Farnan's: Fergus Hargadon; John McNulty, Karl Hannon, Conor Feeney; Darragh Gillen, Patrick Flynn, John Quinn(0-1); Nicholas Higgins, Keith Lang(1-2(1f)); Declan Cawley (0-1), Andrew  Mc Munn(1-2), Dónall Hanley; Gary Hannon(0-1) Kieran Devaney, Shane Neary. 

Subs used: Greg Feeney, Shane Feeney, Enda Mc Dermott(0-1), David Culkin(0-1)

Eastern Harps: Errol Flynn; K Judge, Finn Bruen, Diarmaid Higgins; Stephen Keane, Ross Donovan, Darragh Madden; Thomas Cryan (1-0), Colin Mc Gill; Brian Forkan, Michael  Lennon(0-2), Rob Richardson(1-1); Gavin Gardiner, David Shepperd (0-7(5f)), Alan Mc Gowan.

Subs used: Cathal Coyle, George Garvey, Barry Convey, Bryan Cregg, Colin Duffy.