FIGHTING FIANNA
Jude’s denied victory by stunning comeback
DUBLIN AHL DIVISION 4
ST JUDE’S 1-18
NA FIANNA 3-12
Daire Walsh
An ASTONISHING late rally helped Na Fianna to claim a share of the spoils with St Jude’s in an Adult Hurling League Division Four clash at Tymon Park on Sunday morning.
Despite losing centre-back Ciaran Mangan to a red-card, Jude’s led by nine points (1-18 to 0-12) heading into second-half stoppage-time.
However, Na Fianna finally made their numerical advantage count, as unanswered goals courtesy of Aaron Jesson, Conor Baxter and Andy Flaherty rescued the Glasnevin men from certain defeat.
With a grand total of 1-7 to his name, corner-forward Paul Kiernan was the key performer for the home team. He was ably-assisted on the day by half-forwards John Ryan and Colm Hayes (who amassed 0-7 between them), as well as inside partner Colm Manning.
Na Fianna took their time to settle into the contest, but once they did, Liam Stacey and Conor Baxter started to exert their influence. Initially selected alongside Sean Baxter in the half-back line, they took on more advanced roles after the break.
Scorer-in-chief Aaron Jesson (1-6) also made his mark for Na Fianna, who can now move forward to a home encounter against St Mark’s on 11 March with a great deal of confidence.
Jude’s will next face Bray Emmet’s on the same day and will certainly view this game as one they left behind.
Thanks to three points in the space of 60 seconds by Hayes, Kiernan and Ryan, they created early daylight over their northside counterparts. Hayes added a second score in the fifth-minute, before Na Fianna finally opened their account through a Niall Madden effort.
Jude’s continued to play with greater authority, though, as they increased the gap to six with a series of impressive scores. Hayes, Kiernan (free) and Ryan all found the target for the wind-assisted home team.
PRESSURE
Jude’s netminder Martin Harnett was pressed into action on 12 minutes to turn away a fierce Jesson drive, but the dynamic wing-forward converted the subsequent ’65’. This only offered a temporary respite to the visitors, who were under constant pressure in defence throughout much of the opening period.
After Colm Manning split the posts for Jude’s, Ryan set-up Kiernan for a neat close-range finish beyond the reach of Ciaran McHugh.
It had been a near-perfect first-quarter for the Wellington Lane side and they continued to search for scores as the half developed.
Na Fianna full-forward AJ Murphy hit the post with a powerful strike at a right-hand angle, only for his direct marker – Conor Power – to register a superb point from the resulting attack.
Following back-to-back contributions by Kiernan and Ryan, Na Fianna finally added to their tally with a Murphy point.
Yet, Jude’s would have the final say prior to the interval – a Kiernan free giving them a commanding 1-12 to 0-3 lead at the midway stage. A second Manning point got them up and running again when the action resumed, but with Stacey transferring to midfield, Na Fianna did show some signs of life.
Jesson follow his free with points from open play in the 35th and 39th minutes respectively. Jude’s also found the range in this juncture – Manning and Kiernan adding to their considerable individual tallies.
SETBACK
They suffered their first significant set-back 11 minutes after the restart, however, as Mangan was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident.
With Eoghan Heeney now deployed as a spare man in defence, Na Fianna were now seeking to eat into the Jude’s cushion.
Another Jesson free was cancelled out by Kiernan at the opposite end, before a strong Na Fianna purple patch produced five points without reply.
A 0-2 salvo by substitute Ciaran Casserly was supplemented by Jesson (free), Madden and Stacey (’65’) points, though a dramatic fightback still seemed unlikely.
Kiernan’s fifth free of the game looked set to be an insurance for Jude’s, but Jesson and Na Fianna had other ideas. He found the net with a powerful 25-metre in the first minute of added time and Conor Baxter also raised a green flag after picking up possession deep inside the opposition half.
This suddenly raised the tempo of Na Fianna’s play, and in the 64th-minute of a topsy-turvy affair, Flaherty sensationally wiped out the Jude’s buffer with a clinical strike at a tight-angle.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – St Jude’s: P Kiernan 1-7 (0-5f), J Ryan 0-4, C Hayes, C Manning 0-3 each, C Power 0-1. Na Fianna: A Jesson 1-6 (1-3f, 0-1 ’65’), C Baxter, A Flaherty 1-0 each, N Madden, C Casserly 0-2 each, L Stacey (’65’), AJ Murphy (f) 0-1 each.
ST JUDE’S: M Harnett; B Moran, S Colgan, C Power; C O’Keefe, C Mangan, D Kiernan; J Nugent, L Hayes; C McLoughlin, C Hayes, J Ryan; P Kiernan, C Manning, C O’Callaghan.
Sub: J Carty for Nugent (46).
NA FIANNA: C McHugh; C Heeney, R Fenlon, E Heeney; L Stacey, C Baxter, S Baxter; D Bergin, E O’Sullivan; A Flaherty, D Murtagh, A Jesson; AJ Murphy, C Caverly, N Madden.
Subs: C Casserly for Murtagh, J Tierney for Caverly (both h-t), J Pringle for AJ Murphy (46), C Stacey for Madden (56), SJ Murphy for Bergin (57).
MENTORS – St Jude’s: Declan Feore, Nigel Bolger, Clint Storey. Na Fianna: Demot Moran, Willie Bergin, Greg Whooley, Phil Kelly.
Referee: D Sweeney (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh).
WIDES – St Jude’s: 5 (3+2). Na Fianna: 14 (7+7).
CONDITIONS: Dry and bright, but also quite breezy.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: John Ryan (St Jude’s).