Latest news with #StFechins
Irish Independent
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Dundalk's Naomh Moninne can stop St Fechins drive for five championship titles in-a-row
The two sides last met in the final in 2023 with St Fechins making it three in-a-row with a 3-20 to 1-14 victory and avenging the 2019 result when Naomh Moninne edged a 1-13 to 0-14 scoreline. Should St Fechins win on Sunday they'll pick up their seventh Paddy Kelly Cup but they'll still be a long way off Naomh Moninne, the championship kingpins in Louth with 22 titles going back to 1964. Curiously the two sides only meet in cup competitions with the three senior hurling teams in Louth playing their league hurling in neighbouring counties – St Fechins in Meath, Naomh Moninne in Armagh and Knockbridge in Monaghan. St Fechins and Naomh Moninne had already met three times this season before the Championship opener on July 10 – twice in the Colm Geary Cup with Naomh Moninne winning the group game 1-12 to 1-10 but St Fechins coming good in the final 1-17 to 1-13. In the Maurice Murphy Cup it was St Fechins who triumphed 1-13 to 0-11. The championship clash between the two sides may have given an indication as to the potential final we may see on Sunday. Naomh Moninne, took the game to St Fechins, from the start opening up an eight point lead in the first half however, St Fechins clawed their way back into the game and ran out seven point winners thanks to two goals from Séan Kerrick but also, in no small part, goalkeeper Dan O'Neill. A draw in their next game with Knockbridge was enough for St Fechins to book their final place while Naomh Moninne defeated of the same side to put them into the championship decider. St Fechins and Naomh Moninne have a raft of county players in their starting 15s and while St Fechins are favourites, this is what should make for a close game. Naomh Moninne's Aaron McGuinness was Louth's outstanding defender this season, going about his business with quiet efficiency and even earning a place on the GAA Hurling Team of the Week after a 9/10 performance against Lancashire. Conor Murphy is another Naomh Moninne player who came to the fore during the Allianz League, with his robust style of play making him a difficult player for any defender to get to grips with. Mark Gahan's was ultimately one of Louth's most consistent player-makers with an ability to get scores at crucial times. Murphy and Gahan perhaps have not clicked in the same way in the club championship but Sunday would be the ideal time to reproduce their county form. One player who has carried on his outstanding Louth performances is Darren Geoghegan. Scoring 0-66 in the Allianz League, Naomh Moninne's ace marksman has scored 0-27 in his two club championship games including 21 from frees and two '65s. And it is Geoghegan's accuracy from frees, from any angle and from his own '65 metre line out, that should act as a warning to St Fechins – fouls will be punished. It's also Geoghegan's midfield play and his positioning off the ball that has been most notable, earning him the Player of the Match in the first round clash between these two teams, even though he was on the losing side. Naomh Moninne have also been boosted by the inclusion of John Casey joining their ranks. The versatile Corkman, who played his hurling with Setanta in Dublin, was part of the Louth defence this season and his inclusion has given Naomh Moninne manager Aidan Carter additional options with Casey about to play in both defence and attack. For their part, the major talking point for St Fechins is the transfer from Belmont of former Offaly senior hurler Leon Fox. A Christy Ring and Joe McDonagh medal holder, Fox had an outstanding season for Louth this year. Leading from midfield, a majestic, teak-tough hurler who has that split-second more on the ball a top-class player always appears to have, has scored 0-11 (7f) in his first two Louth Senior Hurling Championship games. Add in the scoring power of Seaghan Conneely, Paul Mathews and Séan Kerrisk up front and the defensive knowhow of Seán Hodgins and Peter Fortune, to the leadership and reliability of goalkeeper Dan O'Neill, and St Fechins possess a formidable side. However, as both Naomh Moninne and Knockbridge (who drew with them in the championship) have proven, take the game to St Fechins, nullify the threat of Fox and Fortune and shackle Kerrisk and St Fechins are beatable. Can Naomh Moninne take the game to the reigning champions for the full hour…that's what it will take to bring the Paddy Kelly Cup back to Dundalk.
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Player of the Match award for Louth's Céire Nolan and an All-Ireland medal...there are no better days
Covering every blade of grass, from one end of Croke Park to the other, defending when it mattered, involved in so much of Louth's attacks and getting on the scoresheet herself for good measure, the St Fechins club player was outstanding in the final, from first whistle to the final hooter – no other player came near her on the day. 'This is what dreams are made of,' Nolan told Louth local journalists after the game. 'We come to Croke Park and every day in Croke Park is an unbelievable day but this just tops it off. After the work we've put in all year, this group of girls, we've worked so hard and we are so happy that we got to showcase what we have been working on all year.' It certainly wasn't easy for Louth who gave away an early goal, got their way back into the game, built up a five-point lead, when Antrim went a long time without a score before they finished strongly and Louth had to defend like Trojans in the last couple of minutes, but they were deserved winners in the end. 'We know things can go wrong, that's Gaelic football, but we've talked all year about being resilient and not letting things get to us, so we just stick to the plan, work hard,' said the St Fechins club player. 'Credit where credit is due though, our defenders, our midfield, forward line, everyone, everyone got back to help. 'We're a team and we work for each other and we're not saying you have to do this, it's everyone works together and for each other and I think it showed out there come the end of the match that we really did.' And her own role within this team…Nolan was everywhere. Listed to start at corner-forward, she likes dropping back, running forward, starting and getting on the end of moves, is she possibly Louth most versatile player? 'I like to run a bit,' Nolan laughed before continuing, 'But look, it's different. Last year I was defending so this is a different type of role but I'm really enjoying it. 'Just being able to contribute more to the kind of forward play, attacking play experiment with what I can do.' When Louth got a run on Antrim in the second half and they struggled to create chances while Louth opened up a five-point point lead, did Nolan think at that stage that it was a done deal? 'I didn't think at any point it was over,' she said. 'We had a period there near the end when we were struggling to get the kickouts away and I think, you try not to look up at the clock because the time nearly goes slower as you look up at it, but, we're confident in our system. 'We know how to play our system and once we stick with that, we knew we could get over the line.' In terms of Nolan's own game and herself, the St Fechins player has been on a personal journey in terms of injuries. With two ACL (Anterior cruciate ligament) injuries Nolan has fought her way back on what was a difficult journey. 'One ACL is bad enough but both legs is worse,' she laughed. 'Look, it's hard, it is, but I always knew that I always wanted to get back playing with Louth and that was kind of the end goal. "So I just worked through it and I was lucky enough the management always let me stick around with the girls and the support from all the girls was great. "We had Mia Duffy come back (from an ACL), Eilish (Hand) came back from an ACL as well so look, it's a terrible injury but when you have a group of girls like our girls surrounding you it's made that much easier.' And today makes it all worthwhile? 'Oh absolutely, days like this are the best days, you never forget them.'
Irish Independent
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
St Fechins open Louth SHC defence with hard fought win over Naomh Moninne
Louth SHC Round 1: St Fechins (Holders) 2-18 Noamh Moninne 1-14 The Argus St Fechins manager Ray Delaney described his team's performance after this Senior Hurling Championship clash at Dowdallshill on Thursday evening, as 'chalk and cheese' – it was an apt description to the describe the game itself. The first half served up all the championship fervor you'd expect, the fierce challenges, no quarter asked and no quarter given.
Irish Independent
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Louth boss Brennan names starting 15 to face Meath in Sunday's Leinster final
The Dubliner has named the same 15 that started against Kildare in the semi-final in Tullamore two weeks ago. There are though a number of changes amongst the substitutes; Ciaran Byrne, so influential against Laois in the opening round but who missed the Kildare game through injury, and Ciaran Keenan, whose last appearance was in the league against Down in February when he limped off early in the second half, are both named on the bench. Louth: 1. Niall McDonnell (St Fechins); 2. Daire Nally (Newtown Blues), 3. Dermot Campbell (Dreadnots), 4. Donal McKenny (Ardee St Mary's); 5. Conall McKeever (Clan na Gael), 6. Peter Lynch (Roche Emmets), 7. Craig Lennon (St Mochtas); 8. Tommy Durnin (Ardee St Mary's), 9. Andy McDonnell (Newtown Blues); 10. Paul Mathews (St Fechins), 11. Ciaran Downey (Newtown Blues), 12. Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets); 13. Kieran McArdle (St Brides), 14. Sam Mulroy (Naomh Mairtin), 15. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers). Substitutes: 16. Tiarnan Markey (Ardee St Mary's), 17. Liam Jackson (Ardee St Mary's), 18. Anthony Williams (Anthony Williams (Dreadnots), 19. Emmets Carolan (Newtown Blues), 20. Ciaran Byrne (St Mochtas), 21. Dara McDonnell (Naomh Mairtin), 22. Dan Corcoran (Geraldines), 23. Conor Brannigan (Newtown Blues), 24. Ciaran Keenan (Ardee St Mary's), 25. Dylan McKeown (Dundalk Gaels), 26. Bevan Duffy (St Fechins).
