Mountmellick Parish Gaels see off Na Fianna Og for first win in U-20 Football Championship

Mountmellick Parish Gaels have got their first win of this year’s Laois Shopping Centre U-20 Football Championship after they had three points to spare over Na Fianna Og in the LOETB on Tuesday evening.

The game was played in a dense fog with both sides struggling to create many scoring opportunities in the first-half.

Mountmellick Parish Gaels 0-6

Na Fianna Og 0-3

It took quite some time for this game to get going with a quarter of an hour passing by before the first score was landed. Mountmellick Parish Gaels had the first chance for a score but their effort dropped into the hands of Simon George.

It was Corey Holohan who raised the first white flag as he slotted a free between the posts. Na Fianna Og got off the mark five minutes later after a superb score from Luke Donohoe. Holohan had a chance to put Mountmellick Parish Gaels ahead at the break but his free went wide which saw the sides go into the dressing rooms at one point apiece.

Mountmellick Parish Gaels were able to call on Kilcavan trio Niall Lalor, Rory Lalor and Aaron Tarpey from the bench with the latter having a huge impact on the game in the second period.

Daragh Kealy was fouled for the first score of the second-half with that free being played short to Donohoe and he turned his man to score his second and his side’s second point. This was when Mountmellick Parish Gaels took over as they got the next five scores as well as keeping Na Fianna Og scoreless.

Aidan Byrne kicked over a brilliant score with Tarpey then playing a quick free short to Holohan, who scored his third point of the contest. Tarpey decided to kick the next free over the black spot before he was given the chance to score from the penalty spot after Na Fianna Og had fouled in the square. His effort rattled off the crossbar and landed into the hands of a Na Fianna Og defender. It was Tarpey who finished off the scoring for Mountmellick Parish Gaels as he struck two frees over the bar off his left foot.

Kelleher cut the gap to three points with a white flag for Na Fianna Og as they went in search of a goal that would see both sides leave Portlaoise with a point but that goal never came as Mountmellick Parish Gaels held on for the win.