Na Gaeil 0-17

Churchill 2-6

NA Gaeil showed they are serious contenders for the Junior Premiership title  with a confident performance against local rivals Churchill in the quarter-final on Saturday evening in Killeen.

The Oakpark side did the real damage in the last 12 minutes of the first half when, from a level position, they pulled away from Churchill to lead 0-10 to 1-2 at half-time.

That left a five point gap that would never be narrowed for the rest of the game and Na Gaeil deftly kept the Churchill side at arms length.

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It started as a tight affair with the sides exchanging scores from Na Gaeil’s Diarmaid Herlihy and Churchill’s Cillian Fitzgerald, but the home side began to get the better of exchanges and points from Jack and Andrew Barry and Jamie Lowham had them three points ahead by the 13th minute.

Three minutes later though, it was level pegging as Ivan Parker weaved his way in to secure a well-taken goal and give hope to the underdogs.

However, this was the cue for Na Gaeil to step up a gear. Three frees from Darragh Carmody and a point from Jack Barry put them four ahead in the next six minutes, while any Churchill attack was snuffed out by good defensive work or thwarted by stray passes.

Pa McCarthy brought the gap to three on 27 minutes, but two more points from Stefan Okunbor and Shamie O’Neill ensured a five point lead at the break.

Na Gaeil had to lose David Culloty through injury at the break but they carried on the momentum on the resumption with two quick points in as many minutes from the boot of Diarmaid Herlihy.

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Ivan Parker and Cillian Fitzgerald cancelled out those scores, but Na Gaeil were in control and two fine points from Michael Griffin restored the seven point lead, 0-14 to 1-4, by the 41st minute.

Despite a brace from Cathal Rogers and Michael O’Brien, Na Gaeil weathered any comeback and when the Barry brothers took powered through to score two points and Diarmaid O’Connor added another on 60 minutes, the game was up.

Fiachra Griffin managed to blast the ball to the net for the visitors four minutes into injury time, but it was a consolation score.

Na Gaeil will be happy to progress in what was a tricky proposition, but you feel they have the talent to go one better than their final appearance last year. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE PHOTOS

SCORERS

Na Gaeil: Darragh Carmody 0-3 (f); Diarmaid Herlihy 0-3; Jack Barry 0-3; Andrew Barry 0-2; Michael Griffin 0-2; Stefan Okunbor 0-1; Jamie Lowham 0-1; Diarmaid O’Connor 0-1; Shamie O’Neill 0-1.

Churchill: Ivan Parker 1-1; Fiachra Griffin 1-0; Cillian Fitzgerald 0-2; Pa McCarthy 0-1; Michael O’Brien 0-1; Cathal Rogers 0-1.

TEAMS

Na Gaeil: Tadhg O’Neill; Dylan Brassil, Kieran Dineen, Eoin Doody; Kieran O’Donovan, David Culloty, Andrew Barry; Jack Barry, Stefan Okunbor; Shamie O’Neill, Michael Griffin, Ian McCarthy; Darragh Carmody, Jamie Lowham, Diarmaid Herlihy.

Subs used; Daniel O’Connor, Eoin Walsh (David Culloty, Eoin Doody half-time); Niall O’Mahony, Diarmuid O’Connor (Shamie O’Neill, Ian McCarthy 4o mins); Ryan O’Neill (Michael Griffin 60 mins).

Churchill: Eoghan O’Brien; Austin Clifford, Mitchell Holland, Matt Finnerty; John Joe Prior, Garrett Walsh, Ciaran Carmody; Cillian Fitzgerald, Fiachra Griffin; Ivan Parker, Cathal Rogers, Sean Donnellan; Oisin O’Brien, Pa McCarthy, Michael O’Brien.

Subs used; Shane Crowley (Pa McCarthy 24mins). Alan McElligott