Fenor bowed out of the Munster Junior Football Championship after a 5-13 to 0-7 loss to Firies from Kerry in Saturday's quarter final at a dull and damp Walsh Park.
Centre forward James Horgan hit 4-8 (4-3 from play) as the men in blue and navy blitzed their opponents 4-7 to 0-3 in a one sided second half. The unmarkable number eleven wowed the strong travelling support with his finishing, his high fielding and his dummies. He sidestepped two defenders to complete his hat trick.
Fenor, who recently captured their first Waterford title in 45 years, competed with the Kerry champions for the opening half hour but fell away after that. Goalkeeper and county final hero Michael Mooney denied three certain goals while Richard Lynch kicked five points (four from play). Long serving full back Jim Halley and captain John Flynn tackled hard in defence. Sean Mackey was full of running throughout.
Off the throw in, Firies midfielder Padraig De Bruin marched through the centre and split the posts with just ten seconds on the clock. Fenor weren't fazed. A move involving Charlie Binions and Richard Lynch was finished off by Mikey Nicholls with the aid of the crossbar. Fenor's first point in the Munster football championship.
The locals then lost midfielder Charlie Binions to injury however and Horgan slotted three points in a row. On fifteen minutes, the away fans erupted when the centre forward found the bottom corner (1-4 to 0-1). Fenor kept fighting as the energetic Sean Mackey set up Richard Lynch for their second point.
On 22 minutes, Michael Mooney denied Michael Daly in a one on one. The ball came back off the crossbar and away to safety. An injury time free brought Horgan's first half total to 1-4. Two Richard Lynch points and one from David Purcell reduced the arrears to five at the break (1-6 to 0-4).
Three minutes into the second half, Mooney made another point blank stop from Stephen Palmer. Horgan swung over a delightful point off his right from 40 metres as Firies took charge. Fenor couldn't get the ball beyond halfway. Then, on 43 minutes, a short kickout went astray and Horgan tucked the ball into the top corner.
At the other end, Sean Mackey was desperately unlucky when his low shot struck both posts. As the game entered the last quarter, Horgan fetched a high ball, dummied Jim Halley and Mooney and tapped into an empty net. Michael Daly flicked home their fourth goal before Horgan looped in another deep in injury time.
The blue and navy will entertain Cappagh from Limerick in the last four.
