Division 2 Reports: St Kevins take control of race for the title

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 2 ROUND 10

CLAN NA GAEL 1-5 ST KEVINS 0-8

Paul Duff landed a late point to secure a share of the spoils for St Kevins in a competitive encounter away to Clan na Gael on Saturday evening to leave his side two points clear at the top of the Division 2 table.

It was an eventful end for Duff who started the game before being replaced in the second half, only to be reintroduced in the dying moments for the injured Aaron Khan. He made the most of his second chance by sending over the equaliser and deny Clans a precious victory.

Although the Dundalk men will be disappointed not to have held out for the win, the point keeps them very much in contention for league honours in what is becoming an increasingly competitive battle.

Cian Callan was again in good scoring form as his side kicked some good first half points, but Conall McKeever scored the only goal of the game for the hosts to cut the gap to 0-6 to 1-2 at the break.

The second half saw both sets of defences on top and scores were at a premium. It looked as if the Clans would just about edge it, but Duff had the final say.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smyth; Craig Long, Gerard Curran, Brian McDonnell; John Byrne, Paul Gartland, Conall McKeever (1-0); Conor Noonan, Robbie Curran (0-2); Jack Callan, Shane Carroll, Mark Lee; Paul Crewe, Jason Cullen (0-1), Sean O’Hanlon (0-1). Subs: Paul Gore for P Gartland, Gavin Gaffey for S Carroll, Liam O’Hanlon (0-1) for M Lee, Conor Smith for J Callan.

ST KEVINS: Danny Crosbie; Dylan Maher, Aaron Khan, Eoin McKenna; Caolan McMullen Seanie Crosbie, Darren McMullen; Evan Maher, Shane Meade; Joe McArdle, Tom Matthews (0-1), Patrick Clarke; Cian Callan (0-5), Lee Crosbie, Paul Duff (0-2). Subs: Jack Stokes for P Duff, Donnacha Boyle for J McArdle, Andrew Hynes for C McMullen, Paul Duff for A Khan.

ROCHE EMMETS 1-14 LANNLEIRE 1-4

Roche kept themselves in the mix for league honours with a comfortable victory at home to Lannleire on Saturday evening.

On a night when they had ten points to spare, Roche cut the gap on leaders St Kevins to just two points as they moved into second place in the table.

With Shane Byrne leading the way in terms of scoring, the hosts were very much in charge of the game from the outset. A Kyle Van Rhijn point on nine minutes was Lannleire’s only reply as Roche tagged on eight points.

However, just before the break, the Dunleer men gave themselves hope when Bob Murphy grabbed the first goal of the game to cut the gap to 0-8 to 1-1.

The visitors were unable to build on that score and any hopes of a comeback disappeared on 37 minutes when substitute David Quigley found the net.

With Gerry Browne, James McDonnell and Glen Stewart all contributing to points on the night, the Faughart side went on to complete a 10-point win. Bob Murphy and Paul Callan (2) accounted for the Dunleer points in the second half.

The winning margin would have been greater but for a couple of outstanding saves by Lannleire keeper, Liam Callan.

ROCHE EMMETS: Jamie O’Hare; Harry O’Connell, Adam McKay (0-1), Dermot Carthy; Andrew Carroll, James McDonnell (0-1), Caoimhin Reilly; Glen Stewart (0-2), Ryan Martin; Jack McKay, Liam Carthy (0-1), Fionn Conlon; Gerry Browne (0-2), Shane Byrne (0-7), DD Reilly. Subs: David Quigley (1-0), Barry O’Hare, Matthew McArdle, Daire Reilly, Eugene Murray.

LANNLEIRE: Liam Callan; Alex Carroll, Paul McGeough, Jason Torris; Paul Doyle, Briain McGuinness, Aaron McArdle; Kyle van Rhijn (0-1) Pierce Hawkins; Killian Gregory, Paul Callan (0-2), Cathal McEvoy; Luke Dunne Boylan, Ian Mulroy, Bob Murphy (1-1). Subs: Matthew Malone for L Dunne Boylan; Jimmy Kearney for C McEvoy; Conor Dunne for B Murphy.

COOLEY KICKHAMS 4-6 ST JOSEPHS 2-10

In a tale of two halves, it was Cooley Kickhams, playing with the backing of a strong wind, that opened up what was a match winning lead with three first half goals.

Early goals from Calum O’Hanlon and Ferghal Malone helped Cooley to lead by 2-2 to 0-0 at the end of the quarter.

Gerald Malone was among the points for the peninsula side and a goal from Michael Rafferty on 27 minutes sent them in with a 3-4 to 0-1 lead at the break.

The Joes introduced Conall McCaul for the second half and hit five unanswered points in the opening ten minutes through Craig Doherty, McCaul, Conall Smyth and Alan Quigley (2).

However, the comeback was halted on 46 minutes when O’Hanlon struck for his second goal of the game to make it 4-4 to 0-6.

The Joes responded well and cut the gap to seven points with Doherty, Mulligan and McCaul on target. With two minutes remaining a goal from Smyth cut the gap to four and in injury-time Mulligan also found the net.

With the game in the balance, it was Cooley who had the final say with the final point to seal victory.

COOLEY KICKHAMS: Cian Rogan; Michael John Hanlon, Dean McGreehan, Ian Arnold; Gerry Malone (0-1), Fearghal Malone (0-2), James O’Reilly; Peter Thornton (1-0), Darren Marks; Cian Connor, Enda O’Neill (0-2) Gerard Hanlon; Calum O’Hanlon (2-0), Michael Rafferty (1-1), Richard Brennan. Subs: Patrick Hanlon, Michael Carron, Thomas McCarragher, Eddie Kirwan.

ST JOSEPHS: Steven Carron; Ben Mulligan, Michael Staunton, Aidan Kieran; Gabriel Bell, Killian Staunton, Conor Neary; Alan McKenna, Jack Mulligan (1-2); Craig Doherty (0-3), Oisin McGuinness, Alan Lynch; Ben Collier, Alan Quigley (0-2), Conall Smyth (1-1). Subs: Conall McCaul (0-2), Oran McParland.

YOUNG IRELANDS 2-7 DUNDALK GAELS 1-9

Dean Maguire came off the bench to land an injury-time winner as Young Irelands secured a victory that helps maintain their promotion challenge.

Dundalk Gaels made the short trip to Pairc Eire Og on Saturday evening on the back of three defeats and it looked as if they would end that sequence when a late point from Tom O’Connell had them on level terms. However, they were unable to hang on for a share of the spoils as Maguire had the final say in an exciting finish.

Few could have predicted that the game would end in such drama as the hosts made a blistering start. Jordan O’Donoghue opened the scoring with a goal on two minutes and when brother, Jordan, added a second on ten minutes, the Irelanders were leading by 2-1 to 0-1 with Dylan McKeown on target for Gaels.

However, the visitors got themselves back into the game when McKeown (3) and O’Connell (2) found the target to cut the gap to 2-3 to 0-6 at half time.

Liam McStravick and Jack McArdle pointed to extend the lead early in the second half, but a goal from Mark McCabe got The Ramparts side right back into contention.

YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Jamie Browne, Ciaran Murray, Conn O’Donoghue; Liam McStravick (0-1), Ryan Malone, Cian O Narnaigh; Peter Nixon, Ruairi Kelly; Jack McArdle (0-1), Cian O’Donoghue (1-1), Jordan O’Donoghue (1-1); Derek Maguire (0-2), Dermot Mone, Mark Gahon. Subs: Caolan McCabe for P Nixon, Dean Maguire (0-1) for R Malone.

DUNDALK GAELS: Adrian Rafferty; James Lynch, Oisin Murray, Mark Hanna; Kyle Rafferty, David McComish, Paul McCrave; Sean McCann (0-2), Jordan Keating; Jamie Lee, Dylan McKeown (0-4), Mark McCabe (1-0); Eanna McArdle, Thomas O’Connell (0-3), Eamonn Kenny. Sub: John O’Hare for J Lee.

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HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS 7-12 O’CONNELLS 0-7

Hunterstown Rovers picked up two league points with a straightforward victory over O’Connells at Páirc Baile Fiach on Saturday night.

The visitors got the first point of the game from Robert Quigley, but the home side replied with the first goal of the game from Dean Burns. Jason Monaghan got Rovers first point of the game, and a couple of minutes later Cillian Taaffe got their second goal of the tie.

A point from Glen Matthews put Rovers further ahead but a brace of points from Quigley left the score 2-2 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.

Half back David Carroll got the home side’s third goal before the teams shared the last four points of the half with a brace from Quigley for the visitors and Matthews and James Rogers for Rovers to leave the score at the break 3-4 to 0-5.

At the start of the second half the home side hit 3-4 in the first ten minutes without reply, the goals from Burns, Rogers and Ryan Ward and the points from Rogers, Taaffe and a brace from Jamie O’Callaghan.

Conor Byrne got a point for the Bellingham side, but two minutes later Ward got his second and his team’s seventh goal of the game. Emmet Byrne got O’Connells last point of the game and Rovers added four more points before the final whistle.

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Donovan Sheridan; Euan Woodlock, Finn Kelly, Adam O’Reilly; David Carroll (1-0), Patrick Taaffe, Jamie O’Callaghan (0-2); Tony McKenna, Jason Monaghan (0-1); James Rogers (1-2), Glen Matthews (0-2), David Finn; Cillian Taaffe (1-1), Ryan Ward (2-1), Dean Burns (2-0). Subs Colm Murphy (0-2) for D. Finn.

O’CONNELLS: John Brennan; Jack McGeough, Conor Byrne (0-1), David Hoey; Jackie Agnew, Ciaran O’Brien, Alan McGovern; Conor Culligan, Sean Cairns; TJ Conlon, Robert Quigley (0-5), Emmet Byrne (0-1); Stuart Osborne, Bernard Osborne, Cathal O’Brien. Subs Adrian McGearty for C. O’Brien, Dalton O’Brien for TJ Conlon.

KILKERLEY EMMETS 2-13 GLEN EMMETS 1-10

Kilkerley edged Glen in the battle of the Emmets on Thursday night in Kilkerley where it took a second half turnaround win for the hosts to get back to winning ways.

Top scorer Tadhg McEnaney landed two early frees along with the impressive Brian Brady, but both sides would trade majors in the final third of the first half. 

Alex Carolan struck first and then with the next score Cormac Mallon directly responded. The Tullyallen men then struck four in a row at the tail end of the first period through James Butler to lead 1-9 to 1-6 at half time.

Kilkerley dominated the second half completely, reducing Ray Lambe’s side to a Kealan O’Neill free late in the game. McEneaney closed the game out with 1-2 that was bookended with a brace either side from the returning club legend Shane Lennon.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Ronan Deery, Cillian Mulligan, James Bellew; Paddy Murtagh, Andrew McGuill, Cormac Bellew; Fintan Brady (0-2), Aaron Crawford; Kyle Cotter, Ewan McEnteggart, Cormac Mallon (1-1); Tadhg McEnaney (1-6), Darragh Conlon, Conail McEnaney (0-1). SUBS: Rian Hand for P Murtagh, Shaun McElroy (0-1) for A Crawford, James Fegan for J Bellew, Shane Lennon (0-2) for R Hand.

GLEN EMMETS: Damien Grimes; Emmet Delaney, Keith Boylan, Luke McCarthy; Tom Grimes, Evan English, Robert Byrne; Conor Grimes, Sam Kenny; James Breen, Kealan O’Neill (0-5), Diarmuid Cullen (0-1); Alex Carolan (1-0), Cian Talbot, Eoghan Maguire (0-1). SUBS: James Butler (0-3) for McCarthy, Sean Byrne Cullen, David Bracken for Carolan, K Canovan for Breen, S Curtis for Maguire.