'Hill make a point as Fechin's top group
Paul Gill, Dowdallshill, attempts to break clear of St. Fechin's Mark Hynes during their JFC clash at The Grove. Credit: Picture: Ken Finegan
Wednesday July 28 2010
DOWDALLSHILL hauled back a 0-9 to 0-7 deficit in the closing stages of their Group C decider with St Fechin's, but it wasn't enough to deny the Hoops top spot. The Dundalk outfit also came back from 0-6 to 0-1 down in the opening period in an entertaining contest that both sides will feel they could, and should, have won. Early points were exchanged by Richard McDonnell for Fechin's and Ciaran Sheridan for the 'Hill, but it was Fechin's who set the pace thereafter to open a commading 0-6 to 0-1 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
Dowdallshill eventually hit back with two pointed frees and another from play, all from Noel Finnegan, to close the gap to two points towards the end of the first half, but Fechin's Ronan Holcroft had the final say to earn his side a 0-7 to 0-4 half-time lead.
The Hill hit a timely purple patch to level the scores by the end of the third quarter, but Fechin's lookd to have weathered the storm when Ronan Holcroft and Niall Devlin kicked them two points ahead once more.
However, Dowdallshill weren't finished and Anton Rogers and Paul Gill levelled it up again with ten minutes remaining.
Both sides missed chances to win the game, but in the end a draw was a fair result, and with both advancing to the quarter-finals neither will be too worried about losing their 100% records.
As group winners, St Fechin's will now face Naomh Fionnbarra in the last eight after the Togher men lost their group decider against Glen Emmets on Sunday evening. Dowdallshill, meanwhile, will face the in-form Tullyallen men in their quarter-final clash. DOWDALLSHILL: Gary Corrigan; Cathal Mc Shane, Damien Fanning, Damien Murphy; Seamus Agnew 0-1, Eamon Duffy, Anton Rogers 0-1; Vincent Mc Kevitt, Peter Hughes; Noel Finnegan 0-5, Ciaran O'Callaghan, David Lynam; Ciaran Sheridan 0-1, Paul Gill 0-1, Noel Mohan. Sub: Fra Agnew for David Lynam. ST.FECHINS: Mark Savage; Conor Phillips, Brenden Fanning, David Collier; Mark Hynes, Conor Haughney, Fergal McNally, John McGlew; Bevan Duffy, Colm O'Neill; Richard Mc Donnell 0-2, Brian Devlin 0-1; Niall Devlin 0-2, Leo Cunningham, Ronan Holcroft 0-4. Subs: Owen Duffy for Brian Devlin, Jamie King for Fergal McNally.
REFEREE: Kevin Carroll.
