Controversial finish as Na Fianna snatch draw in Navan

SFC Simonstown enraged that play was allowed resume after hooter sounded

Na Fianna ......................0-0-12 (12)

Simonstown ....................0-2-8 (12)

There was rage and confusion at the final whistle in Pairc Tailteann this evening as Na Fianna snatched a draw from the jaws of defeat to deny Simonstown in controversial circumstances.

Simonstown had looked to have won the game when goalkeeper Ben Hoey landed a huge two-point free, 12 minutes into injury-time and with less than a minute left on the scoreboard clock.

Simonstown won Shane Geraghty's subsequent kickout and looked to play out the remainder by retaining possession.

However, just before the hooter sounded a stray pass went out over the sideline on the terrace side. Na Fianna managed to get the ball back into play seconds after the hooter went, and referee Kieran Olwell allowed play to continue.

Simonstown were incensed. Na Fianna held their nerve and worked the ball to veteran Jamie Queeney who used all his experience to move goalwards and fist over the equalising score.

The score brought the final whistle and some of the enraged Simonstown players and management surrounded the match official to vent their frustration, but it was all in vain as the referee dismissed their claims.

It was a thrilling end to what was a drab, dour affair. The lead changed hands on six occasions, but the overall quality of shooting was poor.

After almost eight drab minutes, during which Simonstown dominated possession, Na Fianna opened the scoring with a Dan Queeney free. Simonstown eventually found their range with the breeze at their backs in the ninth minute with Aaron Farrelly tapping over from 35 metres.

Aaron Chinchilla doubled Simonstown's tally 90 seconds later to edge the Navan men in front, but Na Fianna responded positively and thought they might have had a penalty when Jamie Queeney was fouled, but the referee brought play back for an earlier foul and Dan Queeney converted the free to restore parity again.

A difficult free from Shane Walsh edged Na Fianna ahead, but in the 22nd minute Padraig McKeever landed a two-point free from the edge of the arc to give Simonstown a 0-4 to 0-3 advantage.

Another free, this time from Sean Tobin just inside the 40-metre arc, stretched Simonstown's lead to two points and with the wind behind them they started to turn the screw with McKeever (two, one free) and the excellent Eoghan Gough making it 0-8 to 0-3 by the 28th minute.

Dan Queeney pulled one back for Na Fianna, but two minutes into injury-time, and just after the hooter had sounded, Ronan Byrne fouled Gough and was sent to the sin-bin. Sean Tobin converted the free to ensure a 0-9 to 0-4 interval lead for Simonstown.

Despite having a man advantage for 14 minutes of the second-half (allowing for injuries), it took Simonstown until the 50th minute to add to their first-half tally.

In that spell Shane McEnery blasted a goal chance wide, Niall Kane punched a floated centre against the crossbar and, from the rebound, McKeever hit the side netting. Na Fianna steadily closed the gap with two more frees from Dan Queeney sandwiched between points from Walsh and Conor Downey to make it 0-8 to 0-9.

Gough pushed Simonstown two clear after Byrne returned for Na Fianna before scores from Downey and Walsh drew Na Fianna level in the 60th minute.

A plethora of injuries and substitutions led to almost 15 minutes injury-time in the second period.

In the ninth of those minutes Dan Queeney thought he had won it for Na Fianna with his third point from play, and sixth overall. Then Hoey landed a two-point free in the 13th minute of injury time after Oran Smullen had fouled Aaron Farrelly.

However, the drama didn't end there and Na Fianna claimed a draw in the controversial finish, but Simonstown are believed to be considering an appeal.

Na Fianna - Shane Geraghty; Anthony Healy, Ronan Byrne, Oran Smullen; Jack McNally, Sean Rafferty, Sam Jordan; Shane Walsh (0-3 one free), Patrick Jordan; James Geagan, Sean Martin, Eoin Bright; Conor Downey (0-2), Jamie Queeney (0-1), Dan Queeney (0-6 three frees). Subs - Luke Kelly for Geagan 49m, Lewis Cassidy for Rafferty 65m.

Simonstown - Ben Hoey (0-2 two-point free); Mark Devlin, Michael Gavin, Mark Gardiner; Aaron Chinchilla (0-1), Brian Conlon, Brian McGrath; Tadhg Hanrahan, Sean Conlon; Shane McEnery, Padraig McKeever (0-4 one two-point free, one free), Niall Kane; Eoghan Gough (0-2), Aaron Farrelly (0-1), Sean Tobin (0-2 frees). Subs - Oran Meade for Kane, Eddie Nash for McGrath, Shane Barry for Devlin all 52m, Conor Sheridan for McEnery 65m.

Referee - Kieran Olwell (Moynalty).