ST NAUL’S GOT their Division 2 off to an encouraging start this afternoon in Mountcharles when they had too much up top for visitors, Naomh Muire.
St. Naul’s 1-8 Naomh Muire 0-5
With Stephen Griffin deadly accurate from placed balls and Drimarone’s Brian McGroary – back in a St Naul’s jersey for the first time in many years having been on the books of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Derry City and Finn Harps – terrorising the Naomh Muire rearguard by constantly offering himself as an outlet; Donie McCole’s home charges were worthy winners.
That said, it took them a little time to settle. Inside the first quarter they posted six wides and trailed by 0-3 to no score after Patrick Gillespie, Daragh White and an excellently converted free from Harry Harden had initially pushed the men from the Banks to the fore.
Naul’s eventually got their radar right and between then and the end posted 1-3 on the bounce to go in at the midpoint with their noses finally in front. Their overs came from a brace of Griffin frees either side of an Andrew Gallagher point.
But the big score of the game came just before the short whistle when Edward Kane’s delivery from way out the field somehow crept in over the head of Daniel Devlin in the Naomh Muire goal.
Eamon O’Boyle’s young side never really recovered from that generous concession and the second-half was more or less bossed by the home charges. Brian McGroary deservingly got his name on the score sheet after the restart and the former soccer starlet also earned his side a penalty.
Griffin was denied from the spot by Devlin but with the same player adding two more frees to go along with white flags from Brian McCabe and Shane Connelly, the Mountcharles men eventually pulled away.
Gillespie and White, (free) stumbled to points for Naomh Muire but they just couldn’t make up that headway lost right at the end of the first period. Both sides lost players to second bookings before the end as Robbie O’Donnell and Daniel Gallagher walked.
Naul’s Des McGroarty also departed the fray prematurely by way of a black card.
St Naul’s: Lee McBrearty; Enda Lynch, Caolan Gaffney, Conor McBrearty; Stuart Johnston, Edward Kane (1-0), Cathal Lowther; Brendan McCole, Des McGroarty; Barry Rose, Stephen Griffin (0-4,4f), Brian McCabe (0-1); Brian McGroary (0-1), Andrew Gallagher (0-1), Shane Connelly (0-1). Subs: Jamie White for Gaffney (47), Daniel Brennan for D McGroarty (black card, 51), Glen McDyre for Johnston (59).
Naomh Muire: Daniel Devlin; Robbie O’Donnell, Brian Gillespie, Thomas Duffy; Cian Byrne, Aide O’Gara, Shaun Gallagher; Patrick Gillespie (0-2), Adam O’Brien, Daragh White (0-2,1f), Paddy McCafferty, Shaun Burns; Jack Boyle, Daniel Gallagher, Harry Harden (0-1,1f). Subs: Patrick Rodgers for Duffy (15), James Ferry for McCafferty (51), Conor White for J Boyle (53), Jamie Boyle for S Gallagher (57).
Referee: Connie Doherty (Naomh Conaill).
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