The Geraldines uI4 boys travelled to Termonfeckin on a bright Friday evening with ambitions to qualify for division 1 semifinals.

Our hosts St Fechins, playing with the wind, had the brighter start getting an early goal and two points on the board before the Gers lads could register a score. The home side could have further widened the gap but for some good goalkeeping from Jakub Perkowski who was busy and alert.

The industrious Hugo Nolan scored a vital goal that helped settle the early nerves while forward Joseph Lynch later burst though defensive lines to drill a powerful drive to the net before falling back to midfield where he and Aaron O’Donoghue then began to take control brining other forwards Ronan Duggan, Patrick Muckian, John Smyth, Oscar Little and Roan Norton into the game.

Meanwhile Captain Niall Bradley Coleman at full back and James Scanlon at half back were again immense. Unruffled by the inauspicious start they managed to calm nerves and stiffen the defensive resolve supported by the tenacious Roan Carroll. Harry Melaniphy too battled well, as did Sam Jeytoo, and the versatile Seán Garvey also helped stem the tide. The first half finished with hosts leading 2:08 to 2:01.

With defensive match-ups sorted late in the first half and enjoying the aid of the wind the Gers lads began to dominate in the second half. Fresh legs too helped to convert the steady momentum into results. The hard working Ronan Duggan, Ross Nordon and Oscar Little fielded well feeding better quality ball into Aaron O’Donoghue, who scored two goals with aforementioned Hugo and Joseph also adding points. Roan Norton capitalised too, as some good running put him though on goal before he was dragged down. Roan cooly scored the resulting penalty to add to his points tally.

All the lads battled really well to close out the game with an impressive second half performance to finish winners 6:09 to 2:11 on the day.

Well done lads. A great team effort and a well deserved spot in the semifinals.

Mile buíochas le hóstach an chluiche Naomh Feichin

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