Na Fianna back on track following comfortable victory over O'Mahonys

Like a wounded animal hurting from their first round loss to Seneschalstown, Na Fianna bounced back in some style tonight as they beat Navan O'Mahonys by 3-12 to 0-11 to boost their SFC prospects.

O'Mahonys' second defeat of the campaign leaves them on the cusp of a relegation battle and their cause tonight was not helped by early injuries to key players Cormac McGuinness, Gary O'Brien and James O'Reilly.

Na Fianna were clearly the better team, but O'Mahonys were left to rue three missed goal chances, including a Cathal Smyth penalty that was brilliantly saved by Shane Geraghty, and the 43rd minute sending off of Ruairi O Coileain who had earlier spent 10 minutes in the sin-bin.

Playing with the aid of a decent breeze in the opeing half, O'Mahonys were laboured but did open up a two point lead with a pair of converted O Coileain frees.

Once Na Fianna settled they moved the ball brilliantly and edged into a 0-4 to 0-2 lead with scores from Martin, McNally and Dan Queeney (two frees) as O'Mahonys lost McGuinness, O'Brien and O'Reilly in that spell.

Walsh extended that lead from a free after Darragh Maguire had handled on the ground in the large square, and the first goal did arrive in the 27th minute – and in some style, as Ethan Devine cut through the O'Mahonys rearguard on a 40-metre run before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the top left-hand corner to make it 1-5 to 0-2.

The outstanding Oisin McCloskey galloped forward to extend that lead before O'Mahonys got their first from play, a Bray score.

O Coileain added another from a free before being black carded as O'Mahonys closed the half 0-4 to 1-6 adrift.

With O Coileain still off the field Na Fianna extended their lead with scores from Owen McDonnell and Martin, but O'Mahonys wasted chances with David Dillon's flick going just wide and Evan Coffey hitting the side netting from close range.

In the 36th minute they squandered the best chance of them all as Dillon was hauled down by both Sean Rafferty and Michael Farley, with Farley earning the black card, but Smyth's well struck penalty was brilliantly saved by Geraghty and on the counter-attack Jamie Queeney scored to make it 1-9 to 0-4.

Michael Collins put nine between the sides before O Coileain returned to the fray, but he lasted less than two minutes as he picked up a harsh yellow for an off-the-ball clash and was sent-off.

Jake Regan kicked a free with his first input, but Na Fianna continued to press with Dan Queeney lofting over before McNally finished a great team move with a fine goal.

Regan and Bray kicked two more frees to add to O'Mahonys tally, but in the 58th minute Conor Downey added the cherry to the icing on the Na Fianna cake with his side's third goal after another brilliant run by Devine.

It is testament to O'Mahonys spirit that they scored four of the last five points of the game as Coffey and Dillon contributed their second and third points from play either side of another McCloskey point before Regan and Eoin Joyce concluded the scoring on a disappointing evening for O'Mahonys, but a hugely positive one for impressive Na Fianna.

SCORERS

Na Fianna – Jack McNally 1-1; Dan Queeney 0-3 two frees; Ethan Devine 1-0; Conor Downey 1-0; Oisin McCloskey 0-2; Sean Martin 0-2; Shane Walsh 0-1 free; Owen McDonnell 0-1; Jamie Queeney 0-1; Michael Collins 0-1.

Navan O'Mahonys – Ruairi O Coileain 0-3 frees; Jake Regan 0-3 frees; Stephen Bray 0-2 one free; Evan Coffey 0-1; David Dillon 0-1; Eoin Joyce 0-1 free.

TEAMS

Navan O'Mahonys – Mark Brennan; Mikey O'Reilly, Niall McKeigue, Brian Dillon; James O'Reilly, Cormac McGuinness, Gary O'Brien; Evan Coffey; David Dillon, Ruairi O Coileain, Alan Forde; Stephen Bray, Darragh Maguire, Cathal Smyth, Aodhan Mallon. Subs – Conor Finnegan for McGuinness 9 mins, Paddy Leahy for O'Brien 12m, Kevin Reilly for O'Reilly 19m, Jake Regan for Forde 40m, Eoin Joyce for Smyth53m.

Na Fianna – Shane Geraghty; Sean Rafferty, Michael Rafferty, Luke Kelly; Conor Downey, Oisin McCloskey, Jake McCreddin; Michael Collins, Daniel Queeney; Owen McDonnell, Sean Martin, Ethan Devine; Shane Walsh, Jamie Queeney, Jack McNally.

Referee – Bernard Heaney (Clann na nGael).