Na Fianna travelled to O’ Moore Park, Portlaoise on Wednesday evening to contest the Leinster hurling league final with Clara from Kilkenny. In what was a keenly contested game watched by a decent crowd, Na Fianna will look to missed opportunities and having to play most of the game with fourteen men as the reasons why they lost.
There was little between the sides in the opening half although Clara did open up a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage in the first ten minutes. But the Meath side gradually clawed their way back as Diarmuid Bailey (one), David Kirby (two), Barry Slevin (two) and Michael Hanley (one) all pointed in this half. All four were the most prominent Na Fianna players as they gave the Clara rearguard plenty to think about by constantly taking on their men.
Na Fianna were reduced to 14 men when Donal Curran was red carded and this made things tough for the Meath side as the spare man sat in the full back line and mopped up a lot of ball. But despite playing well, Na Fianna were clocking up a number of wides which would later prove costly. Shane Greaney and Mark Burke were hurling well from the back also and at half time the Meath side were only one point down, 0-7 to 0-8.
Clara were the dominant force in the second half as they took advantage of having the extra man who was breaking up most of the Na Fianna attacks. Na Fianna had managed to take the lead on the resumption after Slevin blasted a free to the net, but this was the Meath side’s last score for fifteen minutes as Clara dominated to reel off 1-04 in succession, the goal coming from a debatable penalty. Again Na Fianna were hitting wide after wide and with each one there hopes were extinguishing as the strong Kilkenny side shoed all their class and guile. Bailey again pointed in the 17th minute but this was their final score as Clara held out to claim the win.
Best for Na Fianna: Mark Burke, Shane Greaney, Daniel Gleeson, Shane Burke, Bailey, Slevin and Kirby.
Na Fianna: Mark Coffey, Sean Griffin, Niall Reilly, Mark Burke, Shane Greaney, Daniel Gleeson, Davy Lyons, Shane Burke, Christy Cosgrave, Diarmuid Bailey (0-2), David Kirby (0-2), Michael Hanley (0-1), Eoin Reilly, Donal Curran, Barry Slevin (1-3: 1f, 65).
Subs: Billy Cullen for E Reilly, Paul Hanley for M Hanley.
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