Louth GAA Division 3 Round Up: Na Piarsaigh beat Barrs in stunning comeback

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 3A ROUND 2

NA PIARSAIGH BLACKROCK 2-10
NH FIONNBARRA 1-12

There was huge drama in John Markey park as the visitors, Na Piarsaigh Blackrock came back from 10 points down with a quarter of an hour remaining to shock hosts Naomh Fionnbarra.Mark Larkin slotted home the second goal after Sean Geeney came off the bench to punish a mistake from home goalkeeper Fionn McQuillan.

That major got the ball rolling as Paul Sharkey’s men hunted a 0-11 to 0-2 half time deficit. Kalum Regan and Michael McArdle were on song in that opening half for the ‘Barrs but Ciarán Murphy saw red and that loss added to the comeback trail.

McArdle did find the net in the second half but that could not stop the Dundalk side’s momentum. 

The visitors went down to 13 men but Larkin still put Na Piarsiagh in front. In a stunning twist Colin Smith missed a last minute penalty to save the Togher outfits blushes but it was saved by outfielder Ciarán Murphy after Adam Molloy was off the field. 

NA PIARSAIGH BLACKROCK: Adam Molloy; John Galligan, Chris Kellet, Shane Roddy; Fionn Tipping, Joe Woods, Stephen McGuinness; Ciaran Murphy, James Mahoney; Tommy Muckian, James McCartney, Darren Muckian; Gerard Rice 0-1, Mark Larkin 1-3, Jamie Fealy 0-2. SUBS: Robert Murphy 0-4, Seamus Reid, Sean Geeney 1-0, Sean Connolly.

NAOMH FIONNBARRA: Fionn McQuillan; Hugh McGrane, Cormac Reynolds, Ronan Callaghan; Rory Smith, Josh Crosbie, Colm Smith; Niall Woods, Paddy McGrane; Padraig Butterly 0-2, Conor Osborne 0-1, Kalum Regan 0-3; Michael McArdle 1-3, Ciaran Murphy 0-1(1f), Jack Regan 0-2.  SUBS: Aaron Kearney for Jack Regan, Ciaran Markey for Paddy McGrane, Oisin Madden for Conor Osborne, Adam Hanratty for Rory Smith, James Butterly for Niall Woods.

GLYDE RANGERS 2-11
WOLFE TONES 0-16

A managerial master stroke at half time bore Glyde Rangers first two points of the new season on Thursday night last in Tallanstown. Jack McKeever switched from the wing and it worked a treat in their win over in-form Wolfe Tones.

The Tones were lively in the opening period and looked to hold on to a 0-10 to 0-6 advantage Rory Taaffe’s shooting built up for them. But Gus Flynn’s chess move was yet to come.

The positioning of McKeever into the middle of the field saw the versatile man hammer home two crucial second half goals.

With the minimum between the sides, Eoghan Brennan had a chance to level but his effort agonisingly hit the post and went wide.

GLYDE RANGERS:  David Brennan; Fiachra Sheridan, Conor McCullough 0-1, Oran Matthews;
Darren McKeever, Gerard Bourton, Ultan Larney; Conor Sheridan, Lee finnegan 0-1; Tadgh Kellett 0-2, Brian Duffy 0-2, Jack Mc Keever 2-0; Aaron Myles, Ciaraín Sheridan 0-1, Alan Kirk 0-4.

WOLFE TONES: Alan Sweeney; Danny Byrne, Cathal Bergin, Taidgh Rock; Sean Mc Quail, Niall Smith 0-1, Alan Fanning 0-1; Garrett Cooney 0-1, Sean Flanagan 0-1; Liam Gaffney, Joe Comiskey 0-1, Dwayne Leavy 0-1; Rory Taaffe 0-7, Eoghan O’Shea, Jordan Duffy 0-1. SUBS: Eoghan Brennan 0-2 for Duffy, Mark Healy for O’Shea, Darren Weldon for Comiskey, Eoin Wynne for Bergin.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS 2-11
STABANNON PARNELLS 0-9

A big game in the early part of the season went the way of the Mell side as Stabanon Parnells lost their unbeaten record and Oliver Plunketts kept their’s at the top of the Division 3A table.

All six starting forwards found the target for the home side while in stark contrast, Parnells relied heavily on Harry Butterly all evening.

The ploy nearly paid off but two opening half goals was ultimately too much for the visitors.

Cian Matthews and Adam Smith goals allayed the spread of scorers with the majors and after the break Matthews kept Butterly at arm’s distance with a collector’s item point off his right foot for the winners. 

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Colum Duffy; Ricky Bateson, Davy McTaggert, Cillian Matthews; Baz Reynolds, Gary Keogh, Adam Lambe; Sean Boyle, Dean Carolan; Niall Murtagh 0-1, Cian Matthews 1-1, Conor Haggans 0-1; Adam Smith 1-0, Cian Brady 0-7, Stephen Keeley 0-1. SUBS: Cillian Smith for Ricky Bateson, Shaun Smith for Connor Haggins, Sean Callaghan for Cian Mathews, David Lambe for Niall Murtagh, Killian Nolan for Adam Smith.

STABANNON PARNELLS: Podge Malone, Patrick Bell, Daniel Clinton Tadhg Carroll; Ryan Halpenny, Shane McCoy, David Cluskey; Niall Cluskey, Derek.Crilly; Jonny McGee, Bobby Butterly, Ba McCoy; Harry Butterly 0-9 (8f), Robbie Callaghan, D Lynch SUBS: Aonghus Giggins for D Cluskey, Fintan Martin for D Cluskey, 0-1 for Byrne, Jake Corrigan for Lynch, Eanna McCartney for Martin, Paul Egan for Callaghan.

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 3B ROUND 2

NAOMH MALACHI 2-16
CUCHULAINN GAELS 2-12

On a nice but overcast evening in Omeath, Naomh Malachi picked up their first win of the season over hosts Cuchulainn Gaels.The home side started slowly out of the blocks but a sublime Jamie Molloy goal against the run of play had the Gaels up and running. 

Malachi’s soon got back up into their stride again with a point from a free and a Jamie Kelly goal and point from play. The visitors were running down the centre and getting great joy from it.Noel Litchfield and his management were glad to get the Gaels back into the dressing room for a hard talking to and to formulate a comeback plan after Matthew Campbell added a second just before half time.

The instructions nearly worked a treat as James Sharkey ate into the deficit and Phillip McGovern scored a fantastic goal. Going to down to 13 men, the visitors would need Jason Clarke to nudge them over the line in the finish.

NAOMH MALACHI: Mark Meegan; Sean McArdle, Kevin McShane, Stephen Burns; Darren Clarke,David Begley 0-2, Jamie Kelly 1-0; Paudie Moley 0-2, Daniel Mulligan; Michael McLoughlin, Jason Clarke 0-4, Matthew Campbell 1-3; Keelan Conlon 0-1, Collie Rooney 0-3, Ronan McElroy 0-1. SUBS: Paul Burke, James McShane, Gary McShane.

CUCHULAINN GAELS: Ciaran Connelly; Sean Brennan, Martin Hynes, Peter Morgan; Brendan O’Hagan, Stephen Mullen, Phillip McGovern 1-0, Seamus McCabe 0-1, David Reilly, Rammie Phillips, Mícheál McCabe, Marty Ward, Jamie Molloy 0-1, Cian McDonald, James Sharkey 0-10. SUBS: Brendan McKeown for Marty Ward, Jordan Loye 0-1 for Stephen Mullen, Conal Donnelly for Sean Brennan. 

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS 1-13
WESTERNS 1-13

In this ding dong battle in Stonetown, Annaghminnon Rovers had to make do with a point in the finish against the division’s draw specialists Westerns with both sides holding on to their unbeaten record so far in 3B.

James Maguire was the Reaghstown hero with the levelling point. The youngster has really come of age this season and a combination of his scoring and a demotion has seen the Westerns more competitive this season.

Dwayne Markey found the back of the net for Rovers and it looked to be enough when it was topped up with Shaun Harte efforts but Maguire had other ideas in mind. 

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Ciaran O’Reilly; Tomas Byrne, Niall Brennan,  Paul McArdle; Colin Campbell, Eddie Finnegan, Paudi Russell; Ronan Byrne, Conor Russell 0-2; Shaun Harte 0-2, Dylan Mulholland 0-1, Shane McMahon 0-1; James Campbell 0-1, Dwayne Markey 1-3, Aidan Lee Martin 0-3. SUBS: Tiernan O’Brien,Tiernan McCourt, Micheal Marron, Kyle Martin, Rory Phelan.

WESTERNS: Dermot McArdle; James Cahill, Dylan Ogle, Brian Coyle; Conor Smith, John Murray, Adam Duffy; Matthew Kane, Finn Duffy; Ryan Duffy, James Maguire 1-8, Patrick Kerley 0-1; Anthony Durnin 0-1, Chris Morgan, Killian Crosbie 0-1. SUBS: Aidan McGarrell 0-2, Andrew Murray, Roan Gallagher, Bradley Duffy, Raymond Gallagher.

ST NICHOLAS 0-10
SEAN MCDERMOTTS 0-9

St Nicholas responded to a disappointing opening day of 3B to register their first win after a hard fought encounter in Páirc Mac Diarmada against Sean McDermotts.

Two points off the bench from Con Sheehan would see the hosts pick up the two points on offer.  Both teams defences were on top early but it was the home team who opened the scoring with two back to back Cormac Walsh frees.

A Philip Kirwan kept the Nicks in touch with placed efforts also as the visitors trailed by the minimum at the break.

Both sides traded points early upon the resumption Stefan Grimes for the hosts and a ‘45' from Ruairi Hanlon but Sheehan’s first point had it 0-9 each in the dying minutes, before stepping up again moments later to complete the comeback victory.

ST NICHOLAS: Shane Finegan; Stephen Finegan, Alex Finnegan, Matt Onianwa; Rian Farrell 0-1, Ruairi Hanlon 0-1 (’45), Dylan O'Rourke; Brian Carter, Aaron Flanagan 0-1; Fionn Meagher, Phillip Kirwan 0-3 (2f), Cebhan Housidari; Declan Heeney, Paudi Downey, Lee Kavanagh 0-1SUBS; Con Sheehan 0-2 for Downey, Tadgh Martin 0-1(f) for Kavanagh.

SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Finbar Moran; Ronan Kerley, David McArdle, Conor Walsh; Ian Corbally, Danny Commins, Nathan Commins; Cormac Walsh 0-5 (5f); Dean Brennan, Stefan Grimes 0-1, Kevin McMahon 0-1, Danny Reilly; Emmett Duffy 0-1, Declan Carroll, Ian McDonald 0-1. SUBS: Patrick Osborne for Dean Brennan and Conor Farrell for Ian McDonald.

JOHN MITCHELS 1-19
DOWDALLSHILL 1-7

John Mitchels continued their good start to the league with a well-earned win over Dowdallshill in Ballybailie on Thursday night.

Points from Mikey Nulty, Jake Gillespie, two each from Kevin Gallagher and Andrew Bingham and three each from John Bingham and Trevor Matthews set the tone for the first half.

A rock solid defensive performance from the full back line of Shane Crosson, Mickey Quinn and James Sands limited Dowdallshill to three first half points to leave the half time score 0-12 to 0-3.

While the second half was closer on the scoreboard, the hosts maintained control of the game and scored a further 1-7 with Trevor Matthews getting a well finished goal, John Bingham kicking some fine points from dead ball, Robbie Coyle scoring 0-2 before Kevin Gallagher rounded off the nights scoring with a fine point from long range.

Dowdallshill did find the net through an own goal as they gained reward for their second half efforts.

JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; James Sands, Mickey Quinn, Shane Crosson; Mikey Nulty (0-1), John Bingham (0-6), Jake Gillespie (0-1); Andrew Bingham (0-2), Trevor Matthews (1-4); Cathal Corrigan, Aaron Keely, Liam Devitt; Jamie Durnin, Stephen Campbell, Kevin Gallagher (0-3). Subs: Emmet Farrell for L Devitt, Robbie Coyle (0-2) for S Campbell, Anthony Coyle for S Crosson, Barry Cousins for A Keely, Alan Mackin for M Quinn.

DOWDALLSHILL: Emmet O’Brien; John Spain, Stephen Murray, Keelin McGavisk; Marty Óg O’Brien, Paddy McKenna, Dylan McDonald; Jack McGailey 0-3, Gary Slevin; Donal Magennis, Peter Hughes, Gavin Durkin; Paul Gill 0-1, Niall McManus 0-1, Eamonn Duffy. Subs: Tommy Craig for G Durkin, Cathal Sheridan for G Slevin.