Saints turn on the style in second half to sink the Stars

MFC Division 3 final

Templeport 6-9

Kingscourt Stars 3-8

Paul Fitzpatrick at Kingspan Breffni

Five second-half goals, including a hat-trick from Conor Fahy, powered Templeport St Aidan’s to a commanding win over Kingscourt Stars in the re-fixed Division 3 Minor Championship final on Saturday afternoon.

While 75 kilometres separate these two clubs geographically and the Stars were recently crowned senior champions while Templeport fell in the Junior Championship quarter-finals, it was the west Cavan outfit who were full value for their win in this U18 decider.

The club has been producing strong underage sides for a long number of years now and this crop is of a high quality, with several stars in the making.

Kingscourt trailed by just three points at the interval but they were second best for much of the contest, with Templeport missing quite a lot of chances.

The Bawnboy-based side had the first couple of wides before Fahy broke the deadlock five minutes in, intercepting a loose pass, steadying himself and firing over from the right. Kingscourt’s response was immediate. A good run from Michael Putnam opened up space in the Templeport defence and his handpass across goal found his brother Daniel, who gathered and drilled low to the bottom corner.

That score put Kingscourt 1-0 to 0-1 ahead after six minutes but Templeport hit back swiftly through Joey McKiernan, who pointed following fine approach play from Reece Prior.

Despite the early goal, the game was slow to ignite, with both sides guilty of wayward finishing in the opening quarter.

Daniel Putnam made it 1-1 to 0-2 with a free after 17 minutes before Templeport produced one of the moments of the match. County minor Sam Maguire, operating at midfield, burst through soloing on the left foot and, as goalkeeper Logan Kierans advanced, switched the ball to his right and arrowed a stunning shot into the top corner.

That lifted Templeport but Kingscourt, to their credit, responded well. Ulster rugby player Ayrton Pienaar won a turnover deep in his own defence to set up a counter-attack that ended with a Daniel Putnam free to level the game at 1-2 each. However, Templeport began to show signs of their eventual dominance as Maguire converted a free after James Mahon was fouled – and their second goal was soon to follow.

On 27 minutes, Fahy tore through the middle – this match was 13-a-side and space was plentiful - and unleashed a low drive which seemed goalbound before McKiernan followed in to make sure, nudging it home from close range. Rory Dolan then added a fine point moments later to stretch the gap to five.

Kingscourt, who had been struggling to get rhythm in attack, found inspiration through Conor Patterson just before the interval. The playmaker cut the deficit with a superb outside-of-the-boot two-pointer from close to the 45-metre line, their first attempt at a two-point shot with the wind, to leave three between them, 2-4 to 1-4, at the midway point.

On the resumption, after Daniel Putnam’s free dropped short, Charlie McCormack squeezed over a neat point from a tight angle to leave it 2-4 to 1-5.

The first few minutes after the restart were again scrappy, with both teams dropping efforts short and missing chances but Templeport soon re-asserted control.

A strong run by Anthony Brady set up Maguire, whose shot dropped short, before Fahy added his second point to make it 2-5 to 1-5. The Stars had a golden opportunity moments later when a move involving Patterson, McCormack and Pienaar opened up the Templeport defence, but Michael Putnam’s low effort drifted just wide of the far post.

That miss proved crucial, as Templeport struck a devastating double blow. From the resulting kick-out, Maguire sent a brilliant long pass to Reece Prior, who appeared certain to score himself but unselfishly laid it off to Fahy, who finished low to the net.

Within seconds, Joey McKiernan had plucked a pass over his head and calmly rolled home his second goal to put Templeport 4-5 to 1-5 ahead and firmly in command.

Although Pienaar responded with a fine left-footed point for Kingscourt, Templeport were now rampant. Their next score was one of the finest individual efforts of the afternoon, as speedy defender Fionán McIntyre carried the ball fully 50 metres before clipping a wonderful point. That made it 4-6 to 1-6 after 45 minutes and from there the result was beyond doubt.

Templeport had a spell of four wides in succession but their dominance was reflected in the chances they created. Rory Dolan soared to claim a Kierans kick-out and immediately fed Maguire, who slipped a perfect pass to Fahy, only for the Kingscourt goalkeeper to pull off an excellent save. Moments later, Maguire made amends, curling over a point himself, before Brady converted a free to make it 4-9 to 1-6.

The west Cavan side were now in total control and pinning Kingscourt back. Man of the Match Maguire, now orchestrating everything from midfield, slalomed through again and laid off to Fahy, who buried his second goal from close range.

As Kingscourt’s defensive shape fell apart, another long ball caused havoc and substitute Darragh Gilleece’s high effort was bravely gathered by Fahy, who turned and smashed to the net to complete his hat-trick and make it 6-9 to 1-6.

The Stars battled gamely to the end with Oisín Monaghan marking his introduction with a point and Pienaar again driving forward to land one under pressure. Substitute Darragh Carolan then added a neat finish with his left foot for a late goal, before Daniel Putnam lobbed a ball into the danger zone that Conor Madden brilliantly finished to the top corner with the last kick of the game.

Those two late strikes softened the scoreboard slightly but couldn’t disguise Templeport’s superiority on the day.

Kingscourt Stars: Logan Kierans; Eoin Sheenan, Ayrton Pienaar (0-2), Darragh Crosby, Luke Madden, Seán Smith, Daniel Putnam (1-2, 2f), Cian Platt, Niall Martin, Conor Patterson (0-2, 2pt), Shayne Swarres, Charlie McCormack (0-1), Michael Putnam.

Subs: Darragh Carolan (1-0) for S Smith (49), Conor Madden (1-0) for N Martin, Patrick McKeon for D Crosby (53), Oisin Monaghan (0-1) for C McCormack (55).

Templeport St Aidan’s: Kevin Heery; Fintan Cassidy, Darragh Leech, Odhran Kellegher, Fionán McIntyre (0-1), Conor Fahy (3-2), Sam Maguire (1-2, 1f), Rory Dolan (0-1), Connor McGovern, Reece Prior, James Mahon, Joey McKiernan (2-1), Anthony Brady (0-1f)

Subs: Dean McAveety for C Fahy (temp, 29, reversed ht), D McAveety for O Kellegher (ht), Fiachra McManus (0-1) for C McGovern (42), Darragh Gilleece for J Mahon (46), Patrick Devine for J McKiernan (57), Aaron Farrell for R Prior (59)

Ref: Gavin Smith