DERRY GAA: Foreglen continue good form in group thriller against Faughanvale

Faughanvale 2-13, Foreglen 2-15

Faughanvale played host to rivals Foreglen in a highly entertaining McFeely Group Derry Intermediate Championship encounter at John McLaughlin Park on Saturday.

With both teams having already secured their quarter final spot, they could have been forgiven for having with one eye on the knockout phase, but anyone who witnessed this classic will know, it was most definitely not the case.

With 10 minutes on the clock, the hosts raced in to a six point advantage courtesy of two Jude Bryson points, one from Eoin McElhinney and a finely struck '45 from 'keeper Padhraic O'Neill, the goal coming from a smart Tiernan McFeely effort.

Having already put Foreglen on the scoreboard Coalan O'Connor then capitalised on a 'Vale kick out to register the second of his six scores, with Tiarnan O'Connor adding a third within a minute.

With both teams intent on moving the ball quickly, 'Vale skipper Conor McGuinness added to a Kevin Martin free after exchanging passes with Kyle McGuinness, in response to scores from Caolan and TIarnan O'Connor. In the 25th minute Foreglen hit the net to narrow the gap, Cahir O'Connor flicking to the net from Liam Downey's shot, which was dropping short.

A Michael Sweeney point and a free from Caolan O'Connor left the minimum between them at the break on a scoreline of Faughanvale 1-7, Foreglen 1-6

A blistering re-start from Foreglen would prove to be the difference between the teams, the O’Brien’s registering 1-3 without reply in the opening 10 minutes of the second period. Points from Eoghan Duffy, Caolan O'Connor and Liam Downey were added to by a clinical strike from Cahir O'Connor at the end of a sweeping move.

A Kevin Martin free got 'Vale back on the scoreboard, following three missed opportunities. Odhran McFeely and Jude Bryson then exchanged scores and two frees from Paddy O'Kane brought the hosts back into it approaching the final 10 minutes.

However, two points from Cahir O'Connor and one from Caolan O'Connor kept the upper hand with O'Brien’s. A Faughanvale goal, palmed to the net by Jude Bryson, which was sandwiched between frees from Kevin Martin, Paddy O'Kane and Liam Downey was the classic too little, too late for 'Vale in an encounter that only served to whet the appetite for the knock-out phase.

Faughanvale will now face Castledawson, with Foreglen meeting Drumsurn in the last eight.

Faughanvale scorers: Jude Bryson (1-3), Tiernan McFeely (1-0), Kevin Martin (0-3), Paddy O’Kane (0-3), Michael Sweeney (0-1), Eoin McElhinney (0-1), Conor McGuinness (0-1), Padhraic O’Neill (0-1, 1 ‘45’).

Foreglen scorers: Cahir O'Connor (2-2), Caolan O'Connor (0-6), Tiarnan O'Connor (0-3), Liam Downey (0-2), Eoghan Duffy (0-1), Odhran McFeely (0-1).

Faughanvale: Padhraic O'Neill, Sean Butcher, Michael Sweeney, Kyle McGuinness, Connlaoith McGee, Conor McGuinness, Kevin Martin, Jordan Curran, Oisin Quinn, Odhran Clenaghan, Paddy O'Kane, Shea Martin, Tiernan McFeely, Eoin McElhinney, Jude Bryson. (Subs) S McElhinney for S Butcher; C O'Kane for O Quinn; J McCafferty for T McFeely; A Mullan for C McGee.

Forelgen: Kevin Dunne, Paul O'Kane, John Duffy, Paul Downey, Sean O'Connor, Oisin Duffy, Eoghan Duffy, Niall McConway, Mark McCormack, Liam Downey, Caolan O'Connor, Martin Brown, Cahir O'Connor, Tiarnan O'Connor, Odhran McFeely (Subs) S O'Hara for K Dunne; J O'Kane for M Brown.

Referee: Martin McErlaine