Na Fianna edge past Loughrea to Advance To All-Ireland Final

NA FIANNA 0-17 

LOUGHREA 0-16 

Na Fianna advanced to their first ever AIB All-Ireland Club Senior Hurling Championship final when overcoming Loughrea by the narrowest of margins at a rain-sodden Semple Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

With the sides deadlocked at 0-16 apiece and extra-time a distinct probability, Na Fianna raised one final attack that saw Ciaran Stacey race through down the right flank before picking out AJ Murphy for the game-defining score.

It was a more physical and intense Loughrea that controlled the majority of the first-half with three Tiernan Killeen points helping build an 0-10 to 0-6 advantage by half-time.

However, Na Fianna were more assured upon the restart as Liam Rushe and Peter Feeney both impressed, with eight second-half points from Colin Currie proving pivotal before Murphy’s dramatic late intervention settled this error-strewn but absorbing encounter.

Na Fianna were far from their fluent and economical best in a first-half in which they fell behind inside eighteen seconds as Tiernan Killeen opened the scoring for Loughrea.

A Colin Currie free levelled matters in the 3^rd minute but there were already worrying signs for Na Fianna at the back as Cullen Killeen raced through from midfield to restore his team’s lead.

While Murphy restored parity in the 6^th minute from an excellent Kevin Burke pass, the Galway champions began to click through the gears as they added two points in quick succession through Darren Shaughnessy and a Tiernan Killen free.

Scores followed through Shaughnessy and Joseph Mooney and Killeen’s second free saw Loughrea open up a deserved five-point lead by the 17^th minute.

A sublime Seán Currie point helped settle Na Fianna but they continued to face an uphill task as Shane Morgan converted a brace of long-range frees to keep Loughrea on the front foot.

There were finally some encouraging signs towards the end of the half as Brian Ryan and Seán Currie popped over tidy scores to reduce Na Fianna’s arrears to four points at the break.

A brace of placed balls from Colin Currie and a Ciaran Stacey point were just reward for an improved showing in the second-half but Loughrea continued to keep their noses in front through points by Morgan and Ian Hanrahan.

Two further scores by Colin Currie either side of the three-quarter mark saw Na Fianna to within a point of their opponents and Murphy could well have netted in the 52^nd minute as he diverted a rebound over the crossbar from close range.

Scorers from Jamie Ryan and Anthony Burns kept Loughrea in a marginal lead by midway through the final quarter but a trio of Colin Currie points saw Na Fianna take the lead for the first time in the 57^th minute.

Tiernan Killeen levelled matters from a free entering injury time and extra-time looked the most likely outcome before Murphy placed his name in Na Fianna folklore as the Glasnevin side advanced to next month’s final against Sarsfields.

Scorers – Na Fianna: C Currie 0-10 (7f, 1 ‘65’); AJ Murphy 0-3; S Currie 0-2; B Ryan, C Stacey 0-1 apiece. Loughrea: T Killeen 0-5 (3f); S Morgan 0-3 (3f); Darren Shaughnessy, A Burns 0-2 each; Cullen Killeen, J Mooney, I Hanrahan, J Ryan 0-1 apiece.

Na Fianna: J Tracey; S Burke, C McHugh, K Burke; P O’Dea, L Rushe, P Feeney; B Ryan, S Currie; J Meagher, C Stacey, C Currie; AJ Murphy, D Burke, G King. Subs: D Clerkin for King (25), T Brennan for Clerkin (47), S Barrett for O’Dea (57), D Ryan for Meagher (59).

Loughrea: G Loughnane; P Hoban, J Coen, K Hanrahan; S O’Brien, S Morgan, B Keary; I Hanrahan, Cullen Killeen; Caimin Killeen, T Killeen, J Mooney; A Burns, N Keary, Darren Shaughnessy. Subs: J Ryan for N Keary (39); Dylan Shaughnessy for Darren Shaughnessy (55); V Morgan for Caimin Killeen (56).

Referee: Colm Lyons (Cork).