Na Fianna see off Clontarf in the Go-Ahead Ireland SFC Quarter-Final

Picture Courtesy Paul Barrett

NA FIANNA 1-20 

CLONTARF 1-15

Na Fianna produced a strong second-half display as they defeated Clontarf by five points in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 1 Football Championship quarter-final at Parnell Park on Saturday afternoon.

The first-half was a hugely entertaining and free-flowing affair that saw Clontarf lead by 1-11 to 1-10 at half-time following a Jack McCaffrey goal and five points from play by Charlie Meehan.

However, their scoring dried up after the break as Na Fianna took control with Conor McHugh’s match-winning return of ten points including just two points from placed balls.

Na Fianna could and should have made the perfect start as James Doran was placed in behind the Clontarf defence in the 2^nd minute but his subsequent shot lacked conviction as it bobbled wide of Brian Dufficy’s right-hand upright.

Despite that miss, Na Fianna started brightly with Brian O’Leary opening the scoring a minute later and while Matthew Barrett levelled matters soon after, the Glasnevin outfit pulled two-points clear by the 6^th minute following scores by McHugh and Ciaran Reddin.

Far from building on that platform, Na Fianna failed to score for the following nine minutes as a rampant Clontarf blitzed them for 1-5 without reply.

The influential Meehan kickstarted their dominance with the first of three excellent points in the opening quarter while further points by Kieran McKeon and Liam Howley left Clontarf three points clear by the 14^th minute.

That lead was doubled in the familiar guise of McCaffrey timing his run to perfection through the heart of the Na Fianna defence and his low shot from ten yards arrowed past David O’Hanlon.

It took a brilliant point by McHugh to stall the Clontarf momentum as Na Fianna enjoyed a bout of supremacy of their own as Reddin palmed to the net from close range in the 19^th minute.

O’Leary and McHugh ensured that their side were back on level terms by the 21^st minute and the latter added two further scores to leave his side well placed as the half evolved.

Almost inevitably, it was Meehan who ended Na Fianna’s sequence of scores with two quickfire points of his own before Doran clipped over a smart effort at the opposite end to push Na Fianna two points clear by the 28^th minute.

However, their opponents finished the half on the front foot with a superb Nathan Doran score sandwiched by two McKeon points as Clontarf entered the break leading by the slimmest of margins.

A McKeon free within four minutes of the restart doubled the ‘Tarf advantage but parity was restored, albeit briefly, by the 39^th minute as McHugh (free) and David Quinn kept Na Fianna in the hunt.

Ciarán Giles and O’Leary exchanged points in an instant as the contest continued to enthral but Na Fianna began to gain a decisive edge towards the end of the third quarter as McHugh’s fisted score was augmented by an O’Leary brace.

There was finally a brief lull in terms of scoring with Na Fianna content to retain possession and pick their moments to attack and that plan worked to perfection as David Lacey extended their lead to four points by the 51^st minute.

Dual player McHugh was a constant thorn in the Clontarf defence as he added two further points from play and it was fitting that he should score the final point, given his massive influence on his team’s progression to the last four.

Scorers – Na Fianna: C McHugh 0-10 (2f); B O’Leary 0-5; C Reddin 1-1; D Lacey 0-2; D Quinn, J Doran 0-1 apiece. Clontarf: K McKeon (4f), C Meehan 0-5 each; J McCaffrey 1-0; L Howley, C Giles, N Doran, M Barrett, C Rooney 0-1 apiece.

Na Fianna: D O’Hanlon; E O’Dea, A Rafter, F Potts; E Murchan, J Cooper, T Brennan; D Ryan, J Doran; D Lacey, A Byrne, D Quinn; B O’Leary, C McHugh, C Reddin. Subs: S Caffrey for Byrne (34), G Farrell for Ryan (41), D Kennedy for Brennan (48), S Smith for Quinn (54), V Flynn for Lacey (60).

Clontarf: B Dufficy; C Ahearne, L Howley, P O’Grady; C Giles, N Doran, J McCaffrey; F Delaney, L Cunningham; F McCarrick, C Meehan, M McMahon; M Barrett, J Hanley, K McKeon. Subs: A Foley for Delaney (33), B Bolger for Giles (47), C Rooney for Barrett (52), D Fagan for McCarrick (52), D Egan for Hanley (56).

Referee: Seán McCarthy (St Vincent’s).