Louth GAA club | Paddy Sheelan Cup round-up

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Kilkerley Emmets 2-16 Ardee St Marys 2-8

Kilkerley Emmets are in the Sheelan Cup Final after a comprehensive win over county champions Ardee St Marys in Hunterstown on Saturday afternoon. The Emmets early season form could come to fruition with some early-season silverware.

Despite trailing by 2-7 to 0-4 at half time, Ardee started the brighter with two early scores from their top scorer Conor Gillespie. 

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However, between Tadhg McEneaney and Michael Begley Emmets then enjoyed a glut of scoring and really punished Ardee. While hitting five points in succession, Kieran Quinn’s side smelt blood and went for the jugular.

McEneaney hit the net first while Begley slided home the second, Ardee did briefly halt the momentum but Ultan McEneaney nipped over a point to round off a terrific opening stanza.

Again, Ardee got the first score of the second half but, with Fionn Cumiskey finding the range from two ’45s to push their superiority on the scoreboard and soak up the Mary’s pressure.      

Cathal Murray’s men had no answer for Tadhg McEnenay as he hit four in a row topped up by Comiskey. This time from play, not off the deck.

To provide some gloss on the score line, Ardee hit two late goals to close out the one-sided affair. Gillespie with the first off the penalty spot and Evan Malone bundled through but it was too little too late, Emmets will now face St. Joseph’s in the decider.

Kilkerley Emmets: Callum Mulholland; Luke Shevlin, Cillian Mulligan, Cormac Bellew; Aaron Crawford, Patrick Murtagh, Fionn Cumiskey 0-3; Brian Brady, Kieran Murtagh;  Tadhg Fitzgerald 0-1, Darragh Conlon, Fintan Brady; Tadhg McEneaney 1-8, Michael Begley 1-2, Ewan McEnteggart.

Subs: Ultan McEnaney 0-2 for P Murtagh; Conal McEneany for  T  Fitzgerald;  Oran McMahon for L Shevlin, Conal Brady for McEnteggart.

Ardee St Marys: James McGillick; David Rooney, Eimhin Keenan, Fionn Coyle; Tadhg Caffrey, Tiernan Corrigan, Noah Coyle; Evan Malone 1-0, Brian Talty; DJ Matthews, Flynn Markey 0-1, Shane McMahon; Caolan O’Callaghan, Conor Gillespie 1-4, Luke Keenan.

Subs: Robbie Leavy 0-1 Josh Taaffe 0-1.

St Joseph’s 0-15 Nh Mairtin 0-14

St. Joseph’s edged a tightly contested Paddy Sheelan Cup semi-final in Monasterboice to qualify for a second consecutive final following a 0-15 to 0-14 victory over Naomh Martin. The home defeat after extra time was the host's first loss there since August 2022.

The Joes opened the scoring from an Alan Quigley free after the home side had been penalised for breach of the three-forward rule. The Martins took the lead following points from Enda McDonnell and the ever-dangerous Tom Gray.

Martins keeper Darren Morgan reacted quickest to deny the Joes an opening goal, the follow-up shot coming off the right upright and going wide on the left. Jack Mulligan equalised for the Joes following a well-timed pass from Craig Doherty. 

Adam Callanan pointed a minute later for the Martins with Joes keeper Adam Cassidy pulling off an excellent one on one save to leave the Martins leading by 0-3 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.

The Joes finished the half strongly with two points in the last minute, Jack Mulligan pointing and Rory McLoughlin fielding the kick out to find Conall Smyth who fired over a superb point from wide on the left to make it five points each at the break.

Wayne McKeever’s men took a two-point lead, 0-9 to 0-7 at the end of the third quarter but suffered a black card. Despite the disadvantage, Craig Doherty stretched the Joes lead to three.

A Martins two-pointer from Tom Gray, the first of the contest, and a free minute later brought the game to extra time 0-10 each.

In the first period of extra time Quigley came alive with two quick-fire points and a monster effort by Craig Doherty put the Joes into a 0-13 to 0-11 lead at the break. 

The Martins powered back in the second period with a two pointer and a point to lead by one but Ben Collier would prove to be the hero with late scores that would put the Darver/Dromiskin outfit into back to back deciders.

Nh Mairtin: Darren Morgan; Mark Whelan, Shane Morgan, Cian Sands, Jack Murphy, Evan Whelan, Jake Neilon 0-1, Adam Booth, Joe McGrane, Enda McDonnell 0-1, Adam Callanan, Craig Callanan 0-1, Ben Callanan 0-1, Jack Lynch, Tom Gray 0-8.

Subs: Eoin Cooney 0-1, Eoghan Callaghan 0-1.

St Joseph’s: Adam Cassidy; Rian Devlin, Michael Staunton, Ciaran Johnston; Michael O’Brien, David Kieran, Rory McLoughlin; Conor Neary, Killian Staunton; Jack Mulligan 0-3, Ben Collier 0-3, Craig Doherty 0-2; Alan Quigley 0-6, Alan McKenna, Conall Smyth 0-1.

Subs: Daire Smyth, Aidan Kieran.