Division 2 Roundup: Clans record vital draw to stay in touch of promotion

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 2 ROUND 5

CLAN NA GAEL 1-11 KILKERLEY EMMETS 0-14

A late point from Micheal Begley ensured that Kilkerley Emmets secured a draw in an entertaining encounter away to Clan na Gael last Saturday evening.

This Division 2 clash began with the hosts edging ahead through Jason Cullen and Robbie Curran before the Emmets got off the mark through Cormac Mallon.

However, the Clans continued to set the early pace and followed up with a point from Billy Smith before a quick-fire 1-1 from Curran had his side six points to the good.

Kilkerley responded with scores from Begley (2) and Conall McEneaney, but the Clans finished the half on top as points from Gavin Gaffey and Cullen saw their side take a 1-6 to 0-4 lead into the break.

The visitors slowly ate into the lead in the third quarter as points from Mallon, Tadhg McEneaney, Fintan Brady and Fionn Cumiskey helped them draw level at 1-9 to 0-12. Cullen, Mark McGeown and Shane Carroll on target for the hosts during that spell.

The teams traded points before the Clans edged ahead through Smith in the closing minutes. However, Begley had the final say and he secured a share of the points with a converted free.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smith; Paul Crewe, Brian McDonnell, Paul Garland; John Byrne, Craig Long, Craig Callan; Robbie Curran (1-3), Conor Noonan; Mark Lee, Mark McGeown (0-1), Conor Smith; Jason Cullen (0-3), Billy Smith (0-2), Gavin Gaffey (0-1). Subs: Shane Carroll (0-1) for Mark Lee, Mark Newell for M McGeown, Liam O’Hanlon for G Gaffey.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Kyle Cotter, Cillian Mulligan, Cormac Bellew; Ewan McEnteggart, Cathal Bellew, James Bellew; Fintan Brady (0-2), Brian Brady; Aaron Crawford, Conall McEnaney (0-1), Cormac Mallon (0-2); Tadhg McEnaney (0-5), Andrew McGuill, Micheal Begley (0-3). Subs: Aidan Corrigan for C McEnaney; Sean Hand for J Bellew; Fionn Cumiskey for A Crawford.

YOUNG IRELANDS 2-12 ST JOSEPHS 2-12

Craig Doherty struck late to rescue a share of the spoils for St Joseph’s away to the high-flying Young Irelands last Saturday evening.

The hosts looked to be heading for another Division 2 victory when Derek Maguire edged them four points clear with five minutes remaining. However, Doherty took centre stage in the closing moments as he gave his side hope with a goal before firing over the equalising point on 58 minutes.

Although Jack McArdle opened the scoring for the hosts, it was the Joes who had the better of the opening quarter as they replied with scores from Alan McKenna (2) and David Kieran, before McArdle and Jordan O’Donoghue levelled for the Irelanders.

The Joes had edged ahead by a point entering the dying moments of the first half but there was still time for Dermot Mone to level the game at six points apiece going into the interval.

Within two minutes of the restart Conall Smyth gave his side a great boost with the first goal of the game, only for Dean Maguire to respond in kind soon after. When Maguire added his second on 46 minutes, the hosts were very much in control.

Points from Daire McKernan and Sean Allen kept the Joes in touch before Doherty inspired the late rally to take a share of the points.

YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Lee O’Donoghue, Ciaran Murray, Conn O’Donoghue; Liam McStravick, Jamie Browne, Cian O Naraigh; Sean Murphy, Ruairi Kelly (0-1) Dermot Mone (0-3), Cian O’Donoghue, Jack McArdle (0-2); Derek Maguire (0-2), Dean Maguire (2-2), Jordan O’Donoghue. Subs Leon Duffy for J O’Donoghue, Jordan O’Donoghue for J McArdle.

ST JOSEPHS: Stephen Carron; Killian McDonnell, Michael Staunton, Aidan Kieran; David Kieran (0-1), Killian Staunton, Daire McKiernan (0-2); Gabriel Bell, Jack Mulligan; Alan McKenna (0-3), Craig Doherty (1-3), Daire Smyth; Ben Collier (0-1), Sean Allen (0-1), Cian Sheridan. Sub: Conall Smyth (1-1).

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ST KEVINS 7-19 O’CONNELLS 0-7

St. Kevins had an easy victory over a much-depleted O’Connells team in Philipstown on Saturday night.

The home team raced into a four-point lead with scores from Patrick Clarke, Darren McMullan, TJ Doheny and Evan Maher. A couple of minutes later Cameron Maher got their first goal of the game after a long solo run down the field.

Robert Quigley got the visitors on the board with a point, but the Kevins landed another three in a row from Doheny, Cameron Maher and Caolan McMullen.

A brace of points from Quigley kept the O’Connells side ticking over, but the home team scored 2-1 in the next three minutes, with the goals from Cian Callan and Shane Meade.

Emmet Byrne got the Bellingham side’s fourth point of the game before a minute later Callan got his second goal and his team’s fourth. Quigley bagged the last score of the half to leave it 4-9 to 0-5 going into the dressing rooms.

The second half continued much in the way of the first with the home side scoring 1-4 in the first 10 minutes, the goal coming from Shane Meade. And it would have been more only for a great save from the penalty spot by O’Connells keeper John Brennan.

Quigley got his fifth point of the game but that was answered with three in a row from Doheny, Clarke and Joe McArdle.

Quigley got his side’s final point and the Philipstown team added another 2-3 to their tally before the final whistle, with the goals coming from Brian Callaghan and substitute Paul Duff.

ST KEVINS: Danny Crosbie; Dylan Maher, Seanie Crosbie, Finbarr Lynch (0-1); Darren McMullan (0-1), Cameron Maher (1-2), Keelan Maher; Evan Maher (0-1), Brian Callaghan (1-1); Caolan McMullen (0-1), Shane Meade (2-1), Joe McArdle (0-2); Patrick Clarke (0-4), Cian Callan (2-2), TJ Doheny (0-3). Subs: Sean Powderly for D Maher, Niall Gregory for K Maher, Paul Duff (1-0) for P Clarke, Cian Martin for D McMullan.

O’CONNELLS: John Brennan; Jack McGeough, Conor Byrne, Alan McGovern; Tadgh Kearney, Emmet Byrne (0-1), Cian O’Dwyer; Ciaran O’Brien, Cailum Woods; Padraig McCahey, Robert Quigley (0-6), Dean Stanfield; Conor Kiernan, Evan Kearney, TJ Conlon. Subs: Dalton O’Brien for TJ Conlon.

DUNDALK GAELS 3-11 GLEN EMMETS 1-3

Dundalk Gaels made it five on the bounce at the start of the Division 2 season as they recorded a comprehensive victory over Glen Emmets at The Ramparts on Saturday evening.

The hosts were inspired by a masterclass from full-forward Thomas O’Connell who contributed 2-7 of his side’s total.

It hasn’t been the easiest of starts for the Tullyallen men and they would have been hoping for a good start to boost their confidence. Instead, it turned out their chances took a severe dent as they were hit by a Gaels blitz in the opening exchanges.

Within two minutes of the start, O’Connell made his intentions clear when he opened the scoring with a goal and almost immediately Mark McCabe followed up with another three-pointer to leave the Emmets with a mountain to climb.

The visitors did get off the mark with a point from Alex Carolan on eight minutes, but that proved to be their only score of the half, as the Dundalk men went in at the break with a 2-5 to 0-1 lead.

Glen Emmets did hit back at the start of the second half when Carolan found the net on 38 minutes. However, a comeback was never really on the cards and the Gaels continued to chip over points, with O’Connell adding a third goal on 49 minutes.

DUNDALK GAELS: Adrian Rafferty; James Lynch, Oisin Duffy, Shaun Duffy (0-1); Jack Mullen, James O’Connell (0-1), Kyle Rafferty; Sean McCann, Jordan Keating; Liam O’Connor, Eamonn Kenny, Luke Murray; Mark Hanna, Thomas O’Connell (2-7), Mark McCabe (1-1). Subs: Eanna McArdle for S McCann, Luke Conlon for E McArdle, John O’Hare (0-1) for L Murray, Thomas Kavanagh for E Kenny.

GLEN EMMETS: Sean Byrne; Emmet Delaney, Keith Boylan, Luke McCarthy; Robbie Byrne, Cathal Maguire, Conor Kelly; Cian Talbot, Sam Kenny; Eoghan Maguire, Evan English, Andrew Mooney; Alex Carolan (1-2), Kealan O’Neill, James Breen. Subs: Damien Grimes for L McCarthy, Alex Fowler for C Kelly, K Carolan (0-1) for J Breen, R Fordham for R Byrne, T Grimes for A Mooney.

ROCHE EMMETS 1-21 HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS 3-10

With both sides at the wrong end of the table, it was Roche Emmets that eased their relegation woes instead of Hunterstown Rovers last Friday night in Rathduff.

A culmination of a blistering first half and worrying second highlighted the men in Blue’s erratic nature this season. But the consistency of forward Barry O’Hare cannot be questioned. The veteran attacker finished with nine points. The hosts led 0-12 to 0-1 at the break.

In need of a response in the second half, Rovers looked to their bench and Ryan Ward duly delivered. The midfielder turned make-shift full forward towered in for two goals to cut the gap and it got even better when Dean Burns found the net too.

However, the damage was done in the first half. DD Reilly continued to gracefully find his feet fresh out of the minor grade and he helped himself to a goal that fluffed up Roche's winning cushion and halted Rovers’ revival.

ROCHE EMMETS: Evin Quigley; Adam McKay, Harry O’Connell, Caoimhín Reilly; Sean Dawe (0-2), James McDonnell, Ryan Rice (0-1); Glen Stewart (0-1), Martin Carroll; Jack McKay, Shane Byrne (0-2), Mark Byrne (0-4); DD Reilly (1-2), Dan O’Connell, Barry O’Hare (0-9). SUBS: David Quigley, Fionn Connolly (0-1), Eugene Murray, Marc Murphy.

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Niall Carrie (0-1); Martin Lennon, Paddy Taaffe, Adam O’Reilly; Dáithí Carroll, James Russell, Conor Reaburn; Tony McKenna, Jason Monaghan; Colm Murphy, James Rogers (0-3), David Finn (0-1); Jamie O’Callaghan (0-2), Paul Carrie (0-1), Dean Burns (1-0). SUBS: Cillian Taaffe for Reaburn, Ryan Ward (2-1) for Monaghan, Glen Matthews for Murphy, Benny Lennon (0-1) for Ryan Ward, Euan Woodlock.