Foley and Kelleher stoke Peregrine’s fire

ST PEREGRINE’S reached the final of AHL Division 3 after a comprehensive 5-17 to 1-13 playoff win over Kevin’s at Blakestown last weekend, keeping up hopes they can grab promotion to the senior league ranks.
It follow their run to second in the regular season behind Naomh Barrog. Kevin’s had ended in fifth but they started much the brighter, notching the first two points of the game before a Colm Foley free halved the deficit after five minutes.
Brian Kelleher’s goal soon after saw Peregrine’s take the initiative but Kevin’s quickly got back in front in a tit-for-tat opening.
But when Dave McGovern produced a superb finish to grab his side’s second goal, Peregrine’s never looked back as they held a strong lead from there on, building a 16-point final victory.
They had barely recovered from that concession before Peregrine’s had the ball in the back of the net again two minutes later. This time it was Foley who skipped past two players and fired home.
With the half drawing to a close, there was still time for Burns to stretch Peregrines lead at leave the score at 3-7 to 0-8 going into the break.
Just like in the first half, Kevin’s were the first out of the blocks by notching three points to their opponent’s one within two minutes of the restart.
However, scoring goals at important points had become a habit for Peregrines and Foley once more obliged by lifting the ball over the goalkeepers head after been put through one on one.
The two sides then exchanged points before a score from Foley helped sustain a healthy lead.
With the game three quarters of the way through, another exchange of points occurred before Foley continued to influence matters heavily by putting over a free from inside his own half.
Kevin’s notched another point but Kelleher replied and Foley landed a further two frees.
There was the slightest glimmer of hope for Kevin’s with a goal but it seemed as if Peregrines could score at will when Kelleher got his second goal just a minute later.
The Blanchardstown side will now hope to secure promotion when they take on Stillorgan’s Naomh Olaf in the final, scheduled for a 2pm throw in at Blakestown on November 26.