Omahonys retain keegan cup

Navan O’Mahonys retained the Keegan Cup today at Pairc Táilteann when they shaded the verdict in a tight decider against Na Fianna to win by two points (0-13 to 1-8).

This was a tough and hard-fought encounter played in difficult conditions of a swirling wind and rain. The crowd was estimated at 2,600.

One crucial moment arrived in the 17th minute of the opening half when Navan O’Mahonys goalie Marcus Brennan produced a fine penalty save (see video clip) to deny Na Fianna’s Daniel Queeney a goal that would have provided a real boost for Eamonn Barry’s.

The Na Fianna manager admitted after the game that it was just one of many chances that his side failed to take. “We missed too many chances and you can’t do that against O’Mahonys,” he said.

His opposite number, O’Mahonys manager Davy Neslon was pleased with the victory and suggested that his team had to work hard for victory.

O’Mahonys were ahead by 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval and had extended that to six points (0-9 to 0-3) only seven minutes into the second-half.

Na Fianna then got back into the game and when Ethan Devine found the net in the 59th minute, with two added minutes, it left O’mahonys holidng a 0-12 to 1-8 advantage, but thr Navan men gained crucial possession from the kick-out and Stephen Bray added his fourth point to seal the title for the second year in-a-row.

Navan O’Mahonys – Marcus Brennan; James O’Reilly, Niall McKeigue, Darragh Smyth; Brian Dillon, Darragh Maguire, Gary O’Brien; Cormac McGuinness, Kevin Reilly; Ruairi O Colieain (0-3), Stephen Bray (0-4), Alan Forde; Shane Gillespie, David Bray (0-1), Jake Regan (0-5). Subs – Henry Finnegan for Forde 42 mins, Rory Maguire for Gillespie 59m, Damien Moran for O Coileain 60m.

Na Fianna – Shane Geraghty; James Geagan, Christy Cosgrave, John Baldwin; Michael Farley, Anthony Neary, Dean Henrick; Ollie Lewis, Brian Queeney; Daniel Queeney (0-4), Jamie Queeney, Ethan Devine (1-2); Barry Clancy (0-1), Dalton McDonagh (0-1), Conor Downey. Subs – Dean Barrett for B Queeney half-time, Shane Barrett for McDonagh 51m

 

Referee – Padraig Coyle (Seneschalstown).
NEXT UP
Navan O’Mahonys will travel to Longford on Sunday 8th November to tackle Killoe in the Leinster Club SFC - they lost to Killoe in the same competition three years in Longford,