Division 2 Reports: Dundalk Gaels' title hopes hit another setback

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 2 ROUND 9

COOLEY KICKHAMS 3-6 KILKERLEY EMMETS 1-9

A late goal from Michael Rafferty secured Cooley Kickhams victory over a gutsy Kilkerley Emmets outfit in Fr McEvoy Park on Wednesday night. The triumph was Kickhams fourth win this month and they are now on a five-game unbeaten streak.

Kilkerley looked set on going top of Division 2 with a stellar first half when they led the peninsula men 1-3 to 0-4 at half time. Ewan McEnteggart with the goal after a fine move.

However, in the second half Mark Poland’s side were much improved, as Enda O’Neill soon levelled, and Callum O’Hanlon bagged another goal for himself.

Then Tadhg McEneaney drew his side level with five minutes to go but Rafferty’s dipping effort from way out on the sideline spectacularly earned his side all the points. 

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

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Ronan Deery, Cillian Mulligan, James Bellew; Ewan McEnteggart 1-0, Ciaran Clarke, Cormac Bellew; Fintan Brady, Aaron Crawford;  Cormac Mallon, Brian Brady, Liam Cawley; Tadhg McEnaney 0-6, Conail McEnaney, Conor Quigley 0-3. SUBS: Aidan Corrigan for B Brady, Rian Hand for Ultan McEnaney, Paddy Murtagh for J Bellew, Mícheál Begley for A Corrigan.

ROCHE EMMETS 2-12 DUNDALK GAELS 0-7

Dundalk Gaels saw their title hopes suffered another setback when they lost out to Roche Emmets at The Ramparts on Friday evening.

Just a couple of weeks ago, the Dundalk men were very much in control of the league race, having chalked up six wins from six outings. However, they have now lost three on the bounce and slipped two points behind leaders St Kevins.

It’s a different story for Roche as they continued their good run of form that leaves them very much in the mix at the business end of the table.

The first half didn’t see much between the teams with Shane Byrne landing some good points for the visitors, while Dylan McKeown was in good form at the other end on his return to the team.

However, the decisive score came from DD Reilly who found the net to send his team in with a 1-6 to 0-4 lead.

The hosts didn’t appear likely to find the rhythm needed to claw back the lead and Roche maintained control for the remainder of the game with Sean Dawe sealing victory with his side’s second goal of the game.

ROCHE EMMETS: Jamie O’Hare; Harry O’Connell, Adam McKay, Dermot Carthy; James McDonnell, Caoimhin Reilly, Gerard Browne 0-1; Glen Stewart 0-1, Dan O’Connell 0-1; Sean Dawe 1-0, Liam Carthy, Jack McKay; Ryan Martin, Shane Byrne 0-6, DD Reilly 1-3. Subs: Finn Conlon, Daire Reilly, Martin Carroll, Matthew McArdle, David O’Connell.

DUNDALK GAELS: Adrian Rafferty; James Lynch, Jack Mullen, Paul McCrave; Shaun Duffy, James O’Connell, Kyle Rafferty; Jordan Keating, Mark McCabe; Gary Shevlin, Liam O’Connor, Mark Hanna; Sean McCann 0-1, Tom O’Connell, Dylan McKeown 0-6. Subs: David McComish for L O’Connor, Tom Murphy for P McCrave.

ST JOSEPHS 3-21 LANNLEIRE 0-11

Two goals inside the opening seven minutes from Alan Quigley and Alan Lynch provided the springboard for a comfortable victory for St Josephs in Dunleer on Friday night.

It was Lannleire who opened the scoring through Paul Callan, but they suffered a double setback when Quigley’s opening goal was followed soon after by another Lynch effort.

Despite playing against the breeze, the Joes enjoyed a good share of possession and stretched the advantage to seven points.

In the closing minutes of the half, Lannleire enjoyed their best period of the game adding four points in a row with superb points coming from Paul Callan and Killian Grogan.

The margin was down to three before Jack Mulligan closed out the first half scoring for the Joes with his third point to leave the Joes ahead by 2-6 to 0-8 at the break.

Lannleire started the second half strongly with Paul Callan on target with two points, while Craig Doherty converted a 13m free to leave three between the sides on 35 minutes.

However from there to the finish it was the Joes who dominated the scoring to lead 2-12 to 0-11 at the end of third quarter. Three Joes players each were on target with three points apiece in that second half.

Jack Mulligan brought his tally to six with Oisin McGuinnes also finding the range and second half substitute Conall Smyth also adding three points.

As the game entered added time a superb ball over the top was collected by Craig Doherty who calmly hit the net for a third Joes’ goal.

ST JOSEPHS: Steven Carron; Killian McDonnell, Michael Staunton, Aidan Kieran; Cian Sheridan, Killian Staunton, David Kieran 0-1; Gabriel Bell, Conor Neary 0-1; Jack Mulligan 0-6, Craig Doherty 1-4, Alan McKenna; Alan Lynch 1-0, Oisin McGuinness 0-3, Alan Quigley 1-2. Subs: Conall Smyth 0-3, Ben Mulligan, Evan McEnteggart, Oran McParland, Luke Barron.  

LANNLEIRE: Liam Callan; Alex Carroll, Paul McGeough, Jason Torris; Paul Doyle, Briain McGuinness, Thomas Doyle; Kyle van Rhijn, Pierce Hawkins 0-1; Ian Mulroy, Killian Gregory 0-1, Darragh Malone 0-4; Cathal McEvoy, Paul Callan 0-4, Bob Murphy 0-1. Subs: Luke Dunne Boylan for Cathal McEvoy; Jack Maguire for Dunne Boylan.

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GLEN EMMETS 3-13 O’CONNELLS 1-13

Glen Emmets got their second win of this league campaign when they had a six-point victory over O’Connells at Cusack Park on Saturday night.

It was the visitors who started better with the first two points of the game from Bernard Osborne and Jackie Agnew. Kealan O’Neill got the home side on the board with a point and a couple of minutes later added a goal from Diarmuid Cullen. Two more points from frees by O’Neill left the score 1-3 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.

Points from Robert Quigley and Sean Cairns cut the lead to two but on the home side's next attack the Emmets added a second goal through Luke McCarthy. Two more points from O’Neill and McCarthy put their side seven in front.

Quigley got one back for the Bellingham team, but O’Neill got the last point of the half to leave the score at the break 2-6 to 0-5.

The visitors got the perfect start to the second half with a goal from Dean Stanfield. The sides then went toe to toe with the next eight points shared.

Scores coming from Keefer Carolan, James Butler, Eoghan Maguire and O’Neill for the Emmets and Conor Culligan and three from Quigley for O’Connells to leave the score 2-10 to 1-9 with just over ten minutes to go.

However, an innocuous shot from substitute Alex Blakeman Fowler deceived the O’Connells keeper and went under his body into the net and another two points from O’Neill and Sam Kenny left nine between the sides with five minutes to go.

Three points in a row for the Bellingham side cut the lead to six but with time running out the teams shared the last two points of the game. The win moves the Emmets on to seven points on the league table and keeps the winless O’Connells in last place.

GLEN EMMETS: Sean Byrne; Tom Crimes, Keith Boylan, Luke McCarthy 1-1; Emmet Delaney, Evan English, Conor Kelly; Robert Byrne, Sam Kenny 0-1; James Breen, Kealan O’Neill 0-8, Diarmuid Cullen 1-0; Eoghan Maguire 0-1, Alex Carolan, Keefer Carolan 0-1. Subs: James Butler 0-1 for C. Kelly, Alex Blakeman Fowler 1-0 for E. Maguire.

O’CONNELLS: John Brennan; Jack McGeough, Conor Byrne, Micheál Cairns; Jack Saddlier, Nathan Carragher, Sam Shearman; Conor Kiernan, Conor Culligan 0-1; Jackie Agnew 0-1, Sean Cairns 0-1, Dean Stanfield 1-0; Stuart Osborne, Bernard Osborne 0-1, Robert Quigley 0-7. Subs: Alan McGovern for S. Shearman, Cailum Woods for C. Kiernan, David Hoey for J. Saddlier, Cian Geeney 0-1 for D. Stanfield, Padraig McCahey 0-1 for N. Carragher.

ST KEVINS 1-14 YOUNG IRELANDS 0-13

St Kevins came from behind at the interval to score a four-point win at home to Young Irelands on Saturday evening. Cian Callan proved to be the scoring inspiration for the hosts as he bagged a total of 1-7 to help the Kevins move two points clear at the top of the table.

The Dundalk men started the game in style as they had four points on the board through Peter McStravick (2), Cian O’Donoghue and Jordan O’Donoghue before Cian Callan claimed the first point for the Kevins on 12 minutes.

Callan then followed up with a goal and point before the end of the first quarter to put his side in front.

The Irelanders responded well and with points from Ruairi Kelly and Derek Maguire, they went in at the break with a 0-8 to 1-4 advantage. Cameron Maher was on target for the Philipstown side in the closing stages of the half.

Maguire extended the lead early in the second half, but it was the hosts who gradually took command and with Shane Meade, Lee Crosbie and Evan Maher chipping in with points, they went on to claim a four-point win.

ST KEVINS: Danny Crosbie; Evin McKenna, Seanie Crosbie, Finbarr Lynch; Darren McMullen, Cameron Maher 0-1, Joe McArdle; Brian Callaghan, Evan Maher 0-1; Dylan Maher, Shane Meade 0-1, Patrick Clarke; Cian Callan 1-7, Lee Crosbie 0-2, Tom Matthews.

YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Mark Gahon, Ciaran Murray, Conn O’Donoghue; Jamie Browne, Sean Murphy, Lee O’Donoghue; Ruairi Kelly 0-4, Peter McStravick 0-2; Dermot Mone, Cian O’Donoghue 0-1, Jordan O’Donoghue 0-3; Derek Maguire 0-3, Dean Maguire, Cian O Naraigh. Subs: Stephen Bellew for S Murphy, Peteter Nixon for C O Naraigh.

CLAN NA GAEL 1-12 HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS 0-10

A strong second half pushed Clan Na Gael over the line against Hunterstown Rovers and back up to second in the Division 2 table.

Both club’s county players returned to each side but only one was victorious. Ryan Burns nailed four points while Louth teammate Conall McKeever was influential in the Dundalk side's win.

The first half was tight, with both sides landing on five points each at the turn. Sean O’Hanlon then turned the game in the home team's favour with a goal five minutes after the resumption. 

Despite Burns’ best efforts, Robbie Curran’s accuracy and late points from O’Hanlon and full forward Jason Cullen secured the points.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smyth; Paul Crewe, Gerard Curran, Brian Mc Donnell; John Byrne. Craig Long, Conall McKeever; Conor Noonan, Robbie Curran 0-4; Jack Callan, Shane Carroll 0-1, Mark Lee; Mark McGeown 0-2 Jason Cullen 0-3, Sean O Hanlon 1-1. SUBS Craig Long - Lee O Carroll for C Long, Liam O Hanlon 0-1 for J Callan, Paul Gore for S Carroll.

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Donovan Sheridan; Martin Lennon, Cillian Taaffe, Finn Kelly; Euan Woodlock, Tony McKenna, Jamie O’Callaghan; Glen Matthews 0-2, Paul Carrie, David Finn 0-2; Shane Halpenny, James Rogers 0-2; Richie Taaffe, Ryan Burns 0-4, Dean Burns. SUBS: Paddy Taaffe for O’Callaghan, Ryan Ward for Dean Burns, Colm Murphy for Matthews.