Denn too strong for Templeport in opener

Intermediate Football Championship round 1

Denn 3-12

Templeport 0-13

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Denn put the memories of a poor showing in the Division 3 final behind them as they eased to an eight-point win in this clash at HQ.

The last time these sides met in championship was almost exactly two years ago, when Templeport tore up the script to win the delayed 2020 Junior Championship final at the same venue.

In the interim, Denn won the Junior Championship, adding the Ulster title. Both made the last eight of the Intermediate Championship last year - Templeport went 20-odd games unbeaten before coming unstuck in the quarter-final – but form had been patchy this season, lending a real air of uncertainty to this one before throw-in.

As it played out, there was no doubt as to who were the better side, however, as after a shaky opening two minutes, Denn opened a good lead and kept the St Aidan’s at arm’s length thereafter.

The game started at lightning pace. Templeport moved two points ahead in a minute and a half; by the fourth minute, Denn were two up after bagging a superb goal and a quickfire point.

From there on, it was all Denn as they opened an eight-point lead but when midfielder Oisin Kiernan went off injured, they lost their way a little in the closing stages of the half.

Templeport opened with intent. From the throw-in, they put a good move together, Eoghan Martin on the end of it, and they doubled their lead when Dillon Raythorne sent a perfect long ball to Eoin Doonan, who won it bravely and converted the mark.

Denn’s response was emphatic, however. Caoláin McCabe played a one-two with Oisin Kiernan, took the return and buried the ball in the bottom corner.

That move was started by Conor O’Reilly and that trio – McCabe, Kiernan and O’Reilly – were the most influential in the opening 25 minutes. O’Reilly, playing as a spare man, caused problems all over the pitch while McCabe’s energy was impressive and Kiernan varied Denn’s play with long deliveries inside.

O’Reilly galloped through for Denn’s first point before McCabe sent over the second from 35 metres after Kiernan picked out Cavell Keogan.

Kiernan again supplied the pass for Denn’s next point, a Ben Conaty mark. And then Denn struck for an even better goal, this time captain Bernard Gaffney taking a return pass from Keogan and hitting the top corner – and once more, it was O’Reilly who started the move.

Liam Galligan, who along with Doonan took the fight to Denn up front, registered an important score but a Thomas Edward Donohoe free, after McCabe was felled, and a Keogan point after Donohoe pinched the kick-out, made it 2-5 to 0-3.

Templeport showed some vital signs between there and the break. Benjamin Kelly squeezed over a good score – cancelled out by a well-taken Keogan point, in the run-up to which Kiernan went off with a shoulder injury.

Eoin Doonan knocked over a free after Kelly was fouled and then took a pass from the midfielder and converted a mark. And after a big fetch from Raythorne, Doonan again slotted a free to leave five between the teams at half-time.

McCabe went on a driving run from the throw-in and Thomas Edward Donohoe, who along with Ben Conaty was much more prominent in the second half, split the posts.

A succession of wides followed before the same duo combined, McCabe winning a kick-out and Donohoe finding Keogan, who made no mistake in pointing.

James Murphy, with a well-struck mark, and Doonan, from play, pulled two back and when sub Naoise McKenna also converted a mark, it was a four-point game again entering the final quarter.

But Denn were always able to find another gear when needed. After Conaty slipped, the ball spilled to Keogan who pulled on it soccer-style to make it 2-9 to 0-10 and the game was ended as a contest moments later.

An incisive run from Conaty saw him pulled down along the end-line and Keogan made no mistake from the resulting penalty to restore Denn’s eight-point advantage.

Templeport pressed and created half a goal chance but sub Eoin McCaffrey was hauled down, with Kian McMahon picking up a black card for his troubles.

Doonan converted the resulting free but Donohoe did likewise at the other end before McCabe played in O’Reilly, who crashed a shot against the bar.

‘Ted’ landed two late points (one free) and Doonan fired over a free at the other end as Denn won with plenty in hand. While it was a terrific win for Stephen Baxter’s side, it came at a cost with the crucial Kiernan sustaining that injury.

Denn kicked eight wides and will need to up it for the bigger challenges which await. Templeport, meanwhile, were second best on the evening and looked a bit off the pace fitness-wise and certainly behind where they were this time last year, when they had a superb opening win over Cootehill.

Denn: Mark Fegan, Leon Cobey, Micheál Gaffney, Kian McMahon, James Brady, Caoláin McCabe (1-1), Mark McSherry, Bernard Gaffney (1-0), Oisin Kiernan, Shane Galligan, Cavell Keogan (1-4, 1-0 pen), Sean Donohoe, Thomas Edward Donohoe 0-5, 4f), Ben Conaty (0-1m), Conor O’Reilly (0-1)

Subs: Cian Courtney for O Kiernan (26, inj.), Oisin Reilly for S Galligan (42)

Templeport: Donal Maguire, Liam Bannon, Sean Dolan, Oran Duffy, James Rudden, Dillon Raythorne (0-1), Liam McAweeney, Gavin Donohoe, Benjamin Kelly (0-1), Danny Maguire, Eoin Doonan (0-6, 4f, 1m), Eoghan Martin (0-1), Ciaran King, Liam Galligan (0-2, 1m), James Murphy (0-1m)

Subs: Naoise McKenna (0-1m) for C King (ht), Eoin McCaffrey for G Donohoe (50), James Fahey for J Rudden (56)

Ref: Maggie Farrelly