Naomh Olaf travelled to Lawless Park for their first league game of the season with high hopes  after a run of three victories in the cup. They started well with Simon Hickey pointing a free inside the first minute. Unfortunately that was to be the only time that Naomh Olaf lead as Fingallians hit back with 1-2 in quick succession, their tactic of isolating their number 13 paying dividends as he kicked 1-1 in the space of a minute. Naomh Olaf responded with a period of prolonged pressure with Brian Begley hitting the crossbar and both Hickey and Cormac Lucey drawing excellent saves from the Fingallians ‘keeper. Naomh Olaf eventually made the breakthrough as Conor Sobolewski fisted the ball to the net after Eoin Kinsella centred the ball. This was followed quickly by a Shane Whyte point. Fingallians full forward line continued to cause problems with Dublin player Paul Flynn making a nuisance of himself. Some sloppy defending saw Fingallians double their goal tally before adding a point. Kinsella pointed a second free for Naomh Olaf to leave the half time scores 2-3 to 1-3 in favour of the hosts.

                The second half started with two points from Naomh Olaf, Begley and Hickey providing them before Fingallians responded with a pointed free. The game entered a lull with neither team really threatening for several minutes. A clever move from Fingallians resulted in their third goal and this was followed by two further points, one from a free, to put them 3-6 to 1-5 up. The Naomh Olaf management emptied the bench in an effort to rejuvenate the team and it worked as the visitors began to threaten the Fingallians’ goal. Kinsella found himself in space behind the Fingallians defence after a well worked move only to be pulled down outside the large rectangle. Darragh Maxwell was switched to full forward in a move that paid immediate dividends as he scored a goal. Kinsella again got behind the Fingallians defence and was once more dragged to the ground, this time inside the area.  A penalty was awarded and Kinsella took it himself but his effort struck the base of the post before going wide. This would’ve left the minimum between the sides. Fingallians responded well, knocking over two points. There was still time remaining for Naomh Olaf to carry on attacking, Kinsella blazing wide before Maxwell added a point. The hosts closed the scoring with a free to leave the final score 3-9 to 2-6.

 

Naomh Olaf: D Kelleher; D Egan, R Byrne, R Miley; D Burke, E McCaffrey, G Wilkins; K Birrane, C Sobolewski (1-0); D Maxwell  (1-1), C Lucey, B Begley  (0-1); S Whyte (0-1), E Kinsella (0-1, f), S Hickey (0-2, 1f). Subs: B Gaughran for Egan, E Christian for Hickey, D Lynch for Lucey, C Haskins for Begley, J McGrath for Sobolewski.