Louth GAA Div 2 Roundup: Dundalk teams leading the way in the race for promotion

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 2 ROUND 4

CLAN NA GAEL 1-19 O’CONNELLS 0-14

Clans picked up two league points at the Grove on Saturday night with a victory over the O’Connells.

The sides shared the first four points of the game, Jason Cullen and Billy Smith for the Clans and Emmet Byrne and Robert Quigley for the home side. Cullen and Smith got their side in front again but Conor Kiernan and Quigley brought the sides level after 16 minutes.

Smith got his third point of the game but Quigley matched that with his third and a Jackie Agnew point put the home side in front for the first time.

Cullen got the equaliser from a free and a couple of minutes later a Mark McGeown long ball found Robbie Curran and he punched the ball into the net to leave the score 1-6 to 0-6 with five minutes to go in the half.

Quigley pulled one back for O’Connells but points from Smith and Paul Crewe increased their lead to four. Quigley got the last point of the half to leave the score at the break 0-8 to 1-8.

The sides shared the first six points of the second half to keep three between the teams before Clans landed the next four points from Crewe, Curran and a brace from Smith.

Two Quigley frees reduced the margin to five but points from Cullen and Smith returned the lead to seven. Agnew got his second point for the Bellingham team but Smith and Curran got the last scores of the game to wrap up the victory for the Ecco Road men.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smith; Craig Long, Gerard Curran, Brian McDonnell; Craig Callan, John Byrne, Paul Gore; Shay Coleman, Conor Noonan; Robbie Curran (1-2), Mark McGeown, Paul Crewe (0-3); Jason Cullen (0-6), Billy Smith (0-8), Gavin Gaffey. Subs: Paul Gartlan for P Gore, Conor Smith for S Coleman, Shane Carroll for M McGeown, Liam O’Hanlon for J Cullen, Mark Lee for G Gaffey.

O'CONNELLS: John Brennan; Jack McGeough, Conor Byrne, Alan McGovern; Emmet Byrne (0-1), Stuart Osbourn, Jackie Agnew (0-2); Conor Kiernan (0-1), Sean Cairns (0-1); Cian O’Dwyer, Dean Stanfield, Bernard Osborne; Robert Quigley (0-9), Cathal O’Brien, Ciaran O’Brien. Subs Jake Kearney for S Osborne, Dalton O’Brien for Cathal O’Brien.

ST JOSEPH’S 3-11 ROCHE EMMETS 2-14

The Joes and Roche played out an exciting draw in Cluskey Park on Thursday night. In a game where both teams entertained supporters with a range of superbly struck points and five well taken goals, it would fittingly end in a point for each side.

The hosts, with the aid of the breeze, got the opening two scores with points from influential Conor Neary.

Roche hit the Joes with five scores in five minutes, with Glen Stewart opening their scoring with a point after five minutes. From the resultant kick out Shane Byrne raced through the Joes defence to crash the ball to the net. 

Then, the Joes blitz would come. Counter attacking Ben Collier soloing through to put Gabriel Bell through for a superb goal. Then the creator turned scorer as Collier flicked to the Roche net. Collier again set up Seán Allen for a tight finish to make it 3-6 to 1-6 at half time.

Roche were quickest out of the blocks at the start of the second half with points from half backs Seán Dawe and Jack McKay. O'Hare collected a high ball and made no mistake from close range. The margin was down to a point, 3-6 to 2-8, with just four minutes of the half gone.

In the second minute of added time a pointed Barry O’Hare free had Roche ahead and in a frantic closing minute Jack Mulligan broke through on goal, pointing from the resultant free to share the spoils.

ST JOSEPH’S: Steven Carron; Killian McDonnell, Aidan Kieran, Cian Sheridan; David Kieran, Killian Staunton, Gabriel Bell (1-1); Daire McKiernan, Conor Neary (0-5); Jack Mulligan (0-3, 0-1 free), Craig Doherty (0-2 free); Alan McKenna; Sean Allen (1-0), Ben Collier (1-0), Daire Smyth. SUBS: Conall Smyth, Alan Lynch, Nathan Todd.

ROCHE EMMETS: Evin Quigley; Harry O’Connell, Aidan Grant, Adam McKay; Sean Dawe 0-1, James McDonnell, Jack McKay 0-1; Glen Stewart 0-3, Dan O’Connell; Marc Murphy, Caoimhín Reilly 0-1, Mark Byrne 0-2; Barry O’Hare 1-4, DD Reilly 0-2, Shane Byrne 1-1. SUBS: Ryan Rice, Liam Carthy, Andrew Carroll, Fionn Connolly.

YOUNG IRELANDS 1-9 KILKERLEY EMMETS 1-3

Young Irelands continued their impressive start to the season when they produced a clinical display to see off Kilkerley Emmets in Division 2 on Saturday evening.

The Dundalk men made it a worthwhile trip thanks to a strong second with a goal from Dermot Mone proving decisive in inflicting a first defeat of the campaign on the Emmets.

The Young Irelands were quick off the mark with points from Ruairi Kelly, Derek Maguire and Cian O’Donoghue. However, their progress was halted when Ewan McEnteggart levelled the scores with the first goal of the game.

Before the break, the visitors regained the advantage as points from Cian O’Donoghue and Liam McStravick gave them a 0-5 to 1-0 lead at the break.

Mone stretched the lead to three points just after the restart before Micheal Begley cut the gap to just one. O’Donoghue added another point before Fintan Brady hit back with what proved to be the Emmets final score of the game.

The Dundalk side took control for the remainder of the game with Mone hitting a quick fire 1-1 before Derek Maguire sealed victory with the final point of the night.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Kyle Cotter, Cillian Mulligan, Ronan Deery; Ewan McEnteggart (1-0), Andrew McGuill, Conal Quinn; Fintan Brady (0-1), Aaron Crawford; Daragh Conlon, Brian Brady, Cormac Mallon; Aidan Corrigan, Micheal Begley (0-2), Ciaran Clarke. Subs: Fionn Cumiskey for D Conlon; Shaun McElroy for C Clarke; Kieran Lennon for A Corrigan.

YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheeky; Michael Mone, Ciaran Murray, Conn O'Donoghue; Liam McStravick (0-1), Jamie Browne, Cian O Naraigh; Peter Nixon, Ruari Kelly (0-1); Jack McArdle, Cian O'Donoghue (0-3), Jordan O'Donoghue; Derek Maguire (0-2), Dermot Mone (1-2), Sean Murphy. Subs: Lee O’Donoghue for P Nixon, Leon Duffy for Cian O’Donoghue, Dean Maguire for M Mone.

DUNDALK GAELS 1-10 COOLEY KICKHAMS 0-9

Dundalk Gaels continue to set the pace in Division 2 after they made it four wins on the bounce away to Cooley Kickhams on Saturday night.

Cooley went into the game hoping to pick up their first win of the campaign after the boost of picking up their first point the previous week.

However, despite a strong second half revival they were unable to complete the comeback and the Gaels held out for a four-point win, with Mark Hanna’s goal and Thomas O’Connell’s four points helping them over the line.

Most of the damage was done in the first half as the visitors dominated from the outset and by the end of the half they had established a commanding 0-9 to 0-1 lead.

With Enda O’Neill, Brian White and Michael Rafferty among the scorers, Cooley fought back valiantly and added eight points to their tally.

However, despite the fact that the Gaels added just two more scores they did enough to secure victory, with the only goal of the game from Hanna proving crucial.

DUNDALK GAELS: Adrian Rafferty; James Lynch, Oisin Murray, Shaun Duffy; Jack Mullen (0-1), James O’Connell, Kyle Rafferty; Sean Murray, Jordan Keating; Luke Murray (0-2), Eamonn Kenny, Mark Hanna (1-1); Chris Sweeney, Thomas O’Connell (0-4), Liam O’Connor (0-2). Subs: John O’Hare for C Sweeney, Thomas Kavanagh for J O’Hare.

COOLEY KICKHAMS: Neil Gallagher; Ronan McBride, Dean McGreehan, Ian Arnold; Gerry Malone, Darren Marks, Sean White; Richard Brennan, Fearghal Malone (0-1); Michael Carron, Enda O’Neill (0-3), Peter Thornton (0-1); Cian Connor, Michael Rafferty (0-2), Brian White (0-2). Subs: Brian Boyle, MJ Hanlon, Gerard Hanlon.

Lambe Fagan save secures Leinster semi-final for Louth Ladies

Heartbreak for Louth Minors as they succumb to last gasp Offaly winner

GLEN EMMETS 1-7 ST KEVINS 1-7

St Kevins claimed a share of the spoils in this Division 2 encounter in Tullyallen thanks to an injury-time point.

In a dramatic finale, the hosts looked to have snatched victory when substitute James Breen found the net to put his side into the lead in the final minute of normal time. However, the Emmets were unable to hold out as the Philipstown side were able to muster up an equaliser.

In what proved to be a well-contested encounter, both defences made life difficult for their opponents throughout. Although scores were at a premium in the opening half, it was the Kevins who scored the only goal through Lee Crosbie to lead by 1-3 to 0-4 at the break.

Points from Alex Carolan, Kealan O’Neill and Diarmuid Cullen kept the Emmets in the hunt and although Breen looked to have won it, only for the visitors to level it at the death.

GLEN EMMETS: Sean Byrne; Emmet Delaney, Keith Boylan, Luke McCartney; Robbie Byrne, Cathal Maguire, Conor Kelly; Sam Kenny (0-1), Stephen Murphy; Cian Talbot, Evan English, Eoghan Maguire; Alex Carolan (0-2), Kealan O’Neill (0-2), Diarmuid Cullen (0-2). Subs: James Breen (1-0), Tom Grimes, Alex Fowler.

ST KEVINS: Josh Finlay; Dylan Maher, Seanie Crosbie, Finbarr Lynch; Patrick Clarke, Cameron Maher (0-1), Darren McMullan; Evan Maher, Brian Callaghan; Caolan McMullen, Shane Meade, Keelan Maher; Cian Callan (0-4), Lee Crosbie (1-2), TJ Doheny. Subs: Keelan Maher for A Hynes, Paul Duff for L Crosbie, Joe McArdle for C McMullen.

Louth hurlers on the brink of immediate relegation

Heartbreak for Louth Minors as they succumb to last gasp Offaly winner

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS  4-16 LANNLEIRE 1-09 

Hunterstown Rovers finally got off the mark in Division 2 with a heavy win over neighbouring Lann Léire at home on Saturday night. The visitors look to be struggling with the new division and are without a point so far after four games.

Despite Conor Dunne finding the net for Nicky Malone’s side, they trailed 3-6 to 1-4 at half time. Tony McKenna, Ryan Ward and David Finn romped to three first half finishes that all but ended the game as a contest.

Killian Gregory tried to get his side back into it after the break but Glen Mathews' form and a Paul Carrie brace off the bench, topped up by a Dean Burns major saw the Dunleer men's challenge fade dramatically as the half wore on.

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Niall Carrie 0-2; Martin Lennon, Paddy Taaffe, Adam O’Reilly; James Russell, Dáithí Carroll,Euan Woodlock; Tony McKenna 1-0; Jason Monaghan 0-1; David Finn 1-2, James Rogers 0-2, Jamie Ward 0-1; Dean Burns 1-1, Glen Mathews 0-2, Ryan Ward 1-3. SUBS: Cillian Taaffe for Adam O’Reilly, Paul Carrie 0-2 for Tony McKenna, Aaron Levins for Ryan Ward, Shane Halpenny for Jamie Ward, Finn Kelly for Euan Woodlock.

LANNLEIRE:  Liam Callan; Laurence McEntee, Jason Torris, Alex Carroll;  Thomas Doyle, Bob Murphy, Caoimhin Maher; Paul Callan 0-2 (frees), Kyle van Rhijn; Cathal McEvoy, Briain McGuinness, Killian Gregory 0-3 (1f);  Darragh Malone, Ian Mulroy 0-3, Conor Dunne 1-0. SUBS: Lawrence Jones 0-1 for McEvoy; Ciaran Dunne for Mulroy,  Cian Kearney for Malone, Aaron McArdle for T Doyle;  J Kearney for B Murphy.