Three second half goals saw Roche come from behind to prevail comfortably in Togher on Monday night, the team’s first win under Paul Grier’s tutelage.

Emmets trailed Naomh Fionnbarra by seven points at one stage but backed by the breeze and down the hill, a final quarter surge resulted in a comfortable triumph in this Paddy Sheelan Cup opener.

The Barrs had Roche on the rack for much of the first half and were 2-6 to 0-5 ahead at half-time – Barry O’Hare and Shane Byrne leading the scoring charge. However, goals at the beginning and end of the half from Hugh Osborne had the home side in the ascendency.

Emmets were much the stronger after the break, however, and once Shane Byrne found the net, after being set-up by his brother, Mark, on debut, the deficit was almost immediately wiped out with Roche in relentless form.

Still level at the second water break, Roche bolted clear with Mark Byrne and O’Hare raising green flags at the end of fine team moves, and Eugene Murray notching twice from midfield breaks.

The team host Mattock Rangers in Roche on Thursday night where a win would seal a place in the Sheelan Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2010.

Naomh Fionnbarra: Daithí Woods (0-2); Colm Kierans, Patrick McGrane, Kalum Regan; Adam Hanratty, Hugh McGrane, Thomas McCreesh (0-1); Brendan Simms, Hugh Osborne (2-0); Stephen O’Reilly, Conor Osborne (0-2), Michael McArdle; Conor Boyle, Ciarán Markey (0-4), Oisín Madden

Subs: Ciarán Boyle, Liam Markey, Luke Finegan

Roche: Evin Quigley; Joe Bishop, Harry O’Connell, Dermot Carthy; Adam McKay, Seán Dawe, Andrew Carroll; David O’Connell, Eugene Murray (0-2); James McArdle, Dan O’Connell (0-1), Shane Byrne (1-3); Mark Byrne (1-4), Barry O’Hare (1-6), Robert Mackin

Subs: Mikey McCourt, Mark Murphy, Caoimhín Reilly

Panel: David Quigley, Kevin Callaghan, Dáire Reilly, Aidan Grant, Killian McKay, Jack McKay, Jamie O’Hare, James Murphy, John Hayden

Referee: John Crawley (St. Kevin’s)