In a very dour contest Four Masters edged out Naomh Columba at Pairc na nGael.
Naomh Columba 0-5 Four Masters 0-7
Two fisted efforts by Neil Ward and a Thomas McGowan free had Masters up by three after 18 minutes.
A Ryan Gillespie free got the home side on the scoreboard a minute later.
Another Thomas McGowan free wrapped up the scoring with the half time score Naomh Columba 0-1 Four Masters 0-4.
Two minutes into the new half Pauric O’Neill scored the first of his two frees.
Meanwhile down the other end McGowan was proving very effective with the art of the placed free kick as he stretched the margin to three.
Padraig Byrne scored a well worked point and a minute later a Ryan Gillespie free put the bare minimum in it in the 46th minute.
A McGowan ’45 put two in it. Again there was points traded between McGowan and O’Neill, both from frees, as referee Michael McShane called an end to the game
Naomh Columba: Shane O’Gara; Phillip McNern, Barry Carr, Kieran McBrearty; Liam Boyle, Phillip Doherty, Stephen Jones; Padraig Byrne (0-1), Pauric Ward; Gavin McGinley, Pauric O’Neill (0-2f) Tadgh McGinley; Ryan Gillespie (0-2f), Kevin McNern, Ryan McNern. Subs: Martin Cunningham for Boyle, Michael McGuire for G.McGinley, Hugh Doherty f R McNern.
Four Masters: Martin Cassidy; Ciaran Monaghan, John Boyle, Brian Feegan; Barry Monaghan, Karl Lacey, Barry Dunnion; Leo McHugh, Aran McCrea; Cathal Canavan, Emmett Doogan, Sean Meehan; Rahmen Balagun, Thomas McGowan (0-5, 4f,1 ’45), Neil Ward (0-2). Subs: Jamie McCrea for Doogan, Dillon Farrell for McHugh, Daniel McGarrigle for Meehan.
Referee: Michael McShane (Kilcar)
