Caffrey leads Na Fianna to IFC glory

Na Fianna produced a strong second half to capture Dublin IFC final honours when defeating St Jude’s 2-13 to 1-11 in Friday night’s decider at Abbotstown.

However, the St Mobhi Road men had to recover from an early body blow when Tom Devlin goaled for the southsiders, following good work by Joey Donnelly, in the opening minute.

Points from Donnelly and a Darren Gallagher free sandwiched a Seán Caffrey point to give St Jude’s an early 1-2 to 0-1 advantage.

But by the break Na Fianna had begun to turn the game around with goals from firstly Ciarán Hoolihan and Player of Match Caffrey five minutes before the interval to hold a 2-4 to 1-5 lead at the break.

Caffrey, son of John an All-Ireland SFC winner with the Dubs in 1983, tallied 1-4 all from play in a fine individual performance.

Jude’s rallied early in the second half but points from Hoolihan and Tom O’Connell kept Na Fianna out in front.

That was the nature of the second half – any time Jude’s looked to be building up a ‘head of steam’ Na Fianna responded and with late points from Gareth Ryan (two) and Cathal Doran they were destined for the winner’s enclosure.

SCORERS - Na Fianna: S Caffrey 1-4, C Hoolihan 1-2, T O’Connell 0-3 (0-3f), C Doran, G Ryan 0-2 each. St Jude’s: D Gallagher 0-6 (0-4f), T Devlin 1-1, J Donnelly 0-2, B Lynskey, B McManamon 0-1 each.

NA FIANNA: S Murray; S Dunne, J Ward, P Wade; C Ryan, F Aughney, N Mulhern; M Cooper, E McHugh; T Kenny, C Doran, T O’Connell; B Downes, S Caffrey, C Hoolihan. Subs: C Dolan for T Kenny (ht), G Ryan for Dolan (34), P Collins for Cooper (52), J McGuirk for McHugh (59), M O’Dea for Mulhern (62).

ST JUDE’S: R Hyland; S Kavanagh, C McBride, F O’Brien; D Walsh, L Joyce, A Fitzmaurice; D Gallagher, T Devlin; D Kavanagh, J Donnelly, B Lynskey; B McManamon, C Barden, P Maguire. Subs: B Fitzgerald for Donnelly (50), R Wallace for Lynskey (55), A Blake for Barden (56), A Kenny for McManamon (59), S Guckian for S Kavanagh (60).  

REF: PJ Murray (St Finian’s, Swords).