Fethard rise from the dead with stunning comeback against Moyne Templetuohy

FBD Insurance County Intermediate Football Championship Quarter-Final

Fethard 2-13

Moyne Templetuohy 0-15

Trailing a rampant Moyne Templetuohy by eleven points, 0-12 to 0-1 after twenty-three minutes, Fethard’s hopes of winning the county intermediate title and making a return to senior ranks hung by a thread.

But in a remarkable fifteen-point turnaround, the Blues stormed back in the second half to claim a four-point win over the Mid side in the FBD Insurance County Intermediate Football Championship quarter-final at Boherlahan on Sunday.

And if they learned anything from this display, it’s that they cannot afford such a flat and disjointed first half again if they hope to progress in the competition.

The second half was so much better. A Mark Neville goal in the 24th minute had taken the bare look off the scoreboard by half-time, and they outscored Moyne Templetuohy 1-11 to 0-2 in the second half, both Moyne scores from Conor Bowe frees.

Moyne Templetuohy showed no respect for past glories in a first half where they were totally dominant, with Tipperary senior hurler Gearóid O’Connor, Tomás Hassett, Conor Bowe and Pierce Meade cutting through the Fethard cover with alarming ease.

Team captain Tom Meade led the way, with two two-pointers in the first ten minutes for a 0-4 to 0-1 lead, the Fethard score from Matt Coen after the side’s best move of the half, involving Darragh Spillane, Luke Lacey and Mark Neville.

Moyne hit the next six scores in a row, from Cathal Guilfoyle, Pierce Meade, a two-point free from Conor Bowe, Tomás Hassett after a superb build-up, Eanna Guilfoyle from a Cathal Guilfoyle pass, and another two-point free from Bowe, for a 0-12 to 0-1 lead. It was a masterclass in positive, direct football from Moyne Templetuohy as they totally outplayed the South team.

Fethard needed a response, and they got it in the 24th minute from a Mark Neville goal at the second attempt, after his first shot on goal was well blocked by Tom Bourke in the Moyne goal. The move had been started by good fielding from Charlie Walsh.

Moyne hit back immediately with a quick break and O’Connor put Bowe through to score. A late pointed free from Mark Neville left Moyne in front at the break, 0-13 to 1-2.

Fethard had already introduced Dara O’Meara in the first half, and brought on Jack Purcell at half-time in a move to freshen up their attack, and the comeback continued just twenty seconds into the second half when Mark Neville pointed.

Within another two minutes, Neville had kicked over a two-pointer after great work from Purcell. The new confidence in the Fethard play was now evident as Moyne struggled to reproduce their first-half performance.

Mark Neville kicked a two-point free, then set up Matt Coen for a point and was involved again in the next move, along with brother Conor and Charlie Walsh, to put another brother, Gavin, through to kick a great point.

Fethard had now brought the margin back to a single point, 0-13 to 1-9, and they went ahead for the first time with their second goal in the 41st minute, when Liam Kiely fisted to the net after another move that cut through the heart of the Moyne defence. Joedy Sheehan set up Noah O’Flynn to extend the lead to three, 2-10 to 0-13.

Moyne hadn’t threatened much in the second half, but young Fethard goalkeeper Alec Knightly had to be alert to make a great save when a high ball into the square from Tomás Hassett caused panic. Knightly impressed throughout, safe under the high balls as well as making a number of fine blocks.

The Mid side eventually opened their second-half scoring after twenty minutes from a Conor Bowe free to bring the margin back to two points, still a vulnerable lead for Fethard. But two fisted points in a row, from Noah O’Flynn and Matt Coen, pushed it out to four again.

And still Moyne never gave up the fight, and when Bowe kicked another free they still harboured hopes of a late equalising goal. But Fethard nerves were eased when Mark Neville sealed the win with an injury-time point.

Scorers: Fethard: Mark Neville (1-7, 1x2pt, 1x2ptf, 0-1f), Liam Kiely 1-0, Noah O’Flynn, Matt Coen 0-2 each, Gavin Neville, Charlie Walsh 0-1 each.

Moyne Templetuohy: Conor Bowe (0-7, 2x2pt frees, 0-2f), Tom Meade (0-4, 2x2pt), Cathal Guilfoyle, Eanna Guilfoyle, Pierce Meade, Tomás Hassett all 0-1 each.

Fethard: Alec Knightly; Michael O’Meara, Liam Kiely, Rory O’Mahoney; Joedy Sheehan, Darragh Spillane, Luke Lacey; Brian Delahunty, Jack Quinlan; Gavin Neville, Mark Neville, Charlie Walsh; Matt Coen, Conor Neville, Noah O’Flynn.

Subs used: Dara O’Meara for Lacey (18); Jack Purcell for O’Meara (HT); Michael O’Rahilly for Coen (59).

Moyne Templetuohy: Tom Bourke; Mark Ryan, Shane Lowe, Danny Moore; Cathal Guilfoyle, Tom Meade, Cormac Deegan; Ciaran Lloyd, Gearóid O’Connor; Eanna Guilfoyle, Pierce Meade, Tomás Hassett; Finn Jones, Conor Bowe, Ben Moore.

Subs: Paul Mullen for Pierce Meade (36); Ben Ryan for Lloyd (45); Conor Campion for Deegan (56); Paudi Gleeson for Cathal Guilfoyle (56).

Referee: Tom McGlinchy (Newport)