NAOMH FIONNBARRA John Doyle
2012 RESU
LTS
DOUBLE DISAPPOINTMENT It was disappointment on the double for Naomh Fionnbarra in 2012 as the Togher men surrendered their intermediate status and also suffered relegation to Division Three of the league. Basically, anything that could go wrong did. Looking back on the events of the year gone by, disappointed midfielder Darren McConnon can find little consolation amongst the ruins.
H
aving just about stayed up at the end of 2011 (when the relegation play-off final against Oliver Plunketts was awarded to Naomh Fionnbarra by Leinster Council following that now infamous floodlights failure seven minutes from the end of their match at Clogherhead), the ‘Barrs went into 2012 hoping to set the record straight. The goal for the 2010 junior champions was to preserve their middle-tier status with something to
Division Naomh Fio nnbarra 0-10 2 1-7 Roche St Brides 1Emmets 14 1-14 Nao Naomh Fio mh Fionnba nnbarra 3-6 rra 3-13 St Fechins 0-10 1-8 Nao Clan na nGael mh Fionnba Naomh Fio nnbarra 0-12 rra 1-14 St Moc Geraldines htas 2-13 1-7 Nao Naomh Fio mh Fionnba nnba rra Dundalk Gae rra 0-6 0-14 Naomh Malachi ls 1-12 0-11 Naomh Fio St. Mary's 2nnbarra 18 0-8 Nao Naomh Fio nnbarra 1-13 mh Fionnbarra 2St Josephs 12 Na Piars 2-13 2-12 N aigh aomh Fionn Dundalk Yo barr ung Irelands 2-11 1-4 Nao a Fionnbarra mh - playoff IFC Naomh Fio nnbarra 0-6 1-13 St Brid Naomh Fio es nnbarra 2-8 Na Piarsaigh 1-13 O'Con 1-9 0-7 Nao nells mh Fionnbar Naomh Malac ra – rel play hi 0-13 0-7 N off aomh Fionnb arra – rel play off
spare this time around – but things don’t always go according to plan and Martin Crosbie’s charges were relegated in both league and championship. The IFC campaign got off to a disappointing start when St Brides – who had the advantage of making their second outing, having already played O’Connells the previous weekend - scored a 1-13 to 0-6 victory in the ‘Barrs’ group opener at Clan na Gael Park on Friday, July
351
27th. Naomh Fionnbarra enjoyed plenty of possession on the night but their execution was poor. Local rivals O’Connells – who would go on to win the competition – were next up and the Togher men produced one of their best performances of the year as they were edged out by a couple of points in a derby thriller at Dunleer on Sunday, August 26th – 1-13 to 2-8. With the following personnel on duty, the ‘Barrs had led by 0-8 to 0-5 at the short whistle: Allan Matthews; Kieran