Jenkinstown Gaels easily overcame Na Fianna in the semi-final of the Coolrite U-19C Football Championship played at Enfield on Saturday afternoon to book their place in next week’s final.

Na Fianna 0-4
Jenkinstown Gaels 2-9

Following the deluge of rain over the weekend conditions were difficult to play in with large parts of the pitch covered with water and the game soon became a war of attrition in wet and muddy conditions.

The Moynalvey/Blackhall Gaels combination side led from start to finish in this game, leading by four points at half time and running out comfortable eleven point winners to book their place in next week’s decider against a side Jenkinstown Gaels suffered their only loss to in the group stages – Bective/Dunsany.

Early on it was top scorer Liam Jennings who led the way sending over the first two points, the first from play after taking a short free and taking the return to split the uprights and the second direct from a free to give Jenkinstown Gaels a 0-2 to 0-0 lead with seven minutes played.

Na Fianna opened their account with a free in the 8^th minute and eight minutes later the home side had matters level, 0-2 to 0-2.

Charlie Mulligan sent over a brilliant point, before Jenkinstown were awarded a penalty only for Liam Jenning’s effort from the spot going wide of the N Fianna posts. Two minutes later Jennings had a chance to atone for that penalty miss, only to see his goal bound shot deflected out for a ’45. Soon after Vinny Walsh also had a goal attempt well smothered by the Na Fianna ‘keeper.

Three minutes from half time Jenkinstown did manage to find the net eventually, when Leon Giblin offloaded to Craig Gilsenan on his outside with Gilsenan firing low past the Na Fianna ‘keeper from an acute angle to leave the half time score line 1-3 to 0-2 in favour of Jenkinstown Gaels. But for that penalty miss and a lot of wayward first half shooting Jenkinstown should have been out of sight at half time.

The third quarter saw the visitors pull well ahead with 1-4 without reply before Na Fianna posted their third point in the 51^st minute. Jenkinstown’s goal coming from Liam Jennings as a result of his point attempt from the right dropping short onto the upright and fortuitously finding its way to net off the goalkeeper. The points came from Jennings himself with three and Leon Giblin firing over just after the restart, leaving it 2-7 to 0-2 with ten minutes remaining.

Both sides added a further brace of points each to leave Jenkinstown Gaels comfortable winners on a 2-9 to 0-4 score line. 

Best for the winners were David Sheeran, Colm McIver, Charlie McCormack, Craig Gilsenan, Vinny Walsh and top scorer Liam Jennings.

The win sets up a decider against another combination side Bective/Dunsany next Saturday in Dunganny, where Jenkinstown will be looking to overturn the group stage loss to the same opposition.

Jenkinstown Gaels team & scorers:
Colin Byrne, David Sheeran, Colm McIver, David Regan, Max Kennedy, Charlie McCormack, Conor Quinn, Barry Walsh, Craig Gilsenan (1-0), Sean Gerard Walsh, Vinny Walsh, Luke O’Halloran, Charlie Mulligan (0-1), Liam Jennings (1-7, 3f), Leon Giblin (0-1).
Subs: Oz Conboy, Cillian Kelly, Evan Drum, Michael O’Shea, Patrick Roddy, Ronan Thompson.