NA FIANNA 1-13 RAHENY 0-10
By Daire Walsh
Saturday April 30 2011
A 44th-minute goal from corner-forward David Quinn proved crucial as Na Fianna got off to an impressive start with a well-deserved victory over Raheny in this entertaining Evening Herald Dublin SFC first round encounter at Alfie Byrne Road yesterday evening.
With former inter-county lynchpin Ciaran Whelan missing out for Raheny, Na Fianna went into this game as slight favourites, and were very much on top in both midfield and defence. They raced into a four-point lead by the 11th minute but were beginning to squander some chances as the half wore on.
Raheny took advantage of this to register points through Colm Woods, Colm Hanly and substitute Eoin Delaney. This brought the margin back down to one, but the Mobhi Road-outfit rallied at the end of the half, as points from David Quinn, Duignan and Carl O’Connor gave them a 0-9 to 0-5 interval lead.
Raheny staged a mini revival but the Glasnevin men managed to hold off this resurgence, as a 1-1 salvo from U21 All-Ireland medallist David Quinn, the goal a smooth finish from close-range, swung the game in the favour of the 2001 Champions from which they never looked back.
SCORERS – Na Fianna: D Quinn 1-2, P Quinn 0-3 (1f), C Duignan (1f), A Caffrey 0-2 each, J McGurk, C O’Connor, S Coughlan, K Gormley 0-1 each. Raheny: E Delaney 0-4 (1f), D Henry 0-2 (1f), E Keogh (’45’), N O’Sullivan, C Hanly, C Woods 0-1 each.
NA FIANNA: R O’Flaherty; E Ledwith, F Loughney, G Harte; E Connolly, N Cooper, J Kelly; P Quinn, J McGurk; C O’Connor, A Downes, S Coughlan; D Quinn, C Duignan, A Caffrey. Subs: S Connell for Coughlan (h-t), N McGovern for Connolly (h-t), O O Maoileidigh for Connell (47), K Gormley for Caffrey (51), S Cloherty for Ledwith (52-56, blood sub), Cloherty for McGovern for (56).
RAHENY: A Breen; P McCabe, S Harkin, P Reid; G Beaddie, S Swords, N O’Sullivan; T O’Doinn, C Hanly; J Ryan, D Henry, E Keogh; D Carroll, D Pelly, C Woods. Subs: D O’Brien for Reid (16), E Delaney for Ryan (22), R Donnelly for Hanly (27), G Coady for Beaddie (49), D Shatwell for Carroll (53).
Referee: A McAllister (Starlights).
– Daire Walsh