Mulhall not surprised with Fenagh win

Fenagh raised more than a few eyebrows around the county with an opening round win over Tinryland in the Michael Lyng Motors Senior Football Championship but manager Darroch Mulhall insisted it wasn't a surprise to him and his team.

Tinryland came into this year's Championship on the back of a Division 1 league success and are thought by many to be serious title contenders but Fenagh, who lost all four games when last in the Senior Championship in 2023, had other ideas and recorded a wonderful 2-11 to 1-12 victory. 

“It is a shock everywhere except in our dressing room to be honest,” said former Kildare forward Mulhall.

Like many teams through the county, preparations leading into the first round were difficult with many players involved in hurling but Mulhall praised the way that the dual players quickly reintegrated themselves into the group.

“The only obstacle was getting the lads back so late after the hurling but to be fair to them we had seven boys togged out between the senior and the junior teams. Every one of them came back fully focused and rearing to go for this. The short time they had in those weeks, they were able to take everything in. They had a brilliant game and I am absolutely delighted,” noted Mulhall.

Although John Murphy did best to inspire a surprisingly lacklustre Tinryland side, Fenagh made sure of the win with a late Padraig Hynes goal.

“With lads like Jack Treacy and Padraig Hynes in the forward line, those chances are always there. It is one of those things where we pin-pointed little things in the opposition and that was the platform for them,” said Mulhall.

Last year's Intermediate champions now have every opportunity of making the knockout stages when they face a Bagenalstown Gaels side who were well beaten by Palatine last weekend on Saturday evening in Netwatch Cullen Park.