Louth GAA Division 3A roundup: Stabannon keep their cool to clinch Div 3A title

Division 3A

STABANNON PARNELLS 4-16
NA PIARSAIGH BLACKROCK 1-6

Winning is a fine habit Stabannon Parnells have crafted in the past 12 months with back to back titles. Promotion and Division 3A title was all in the mid-Louth sides hands and they duly delivered against Na Piarsaigh Blackrock.

Adding the latest league title to 3B and the Christy Bellew success, Parnells are on a roll and used all that momentum to attack the game from the off.

Bobby Butterly, Robbie Callaghan and David Cluskey rattled the night to allow themselves to enjoy another success. The hosts led 3-8 to 0-3 at half time.

The second half was a coronation, Harry Butterly added to his tally while Gerard Rice put some respectability on the scoreboard for the visitors. Parnells can’t stop winning.

STABANNON PARNELLS: Podge Malone; Ryan Halpenny, Barry McCoy 0-1, Alan Reynolds; Johnny Magee, Shane McCoy, David Cluskey 1-0; Colm Giggins, Niall Cluskey 0-1; Jake Corrigan 0-2, Bobby Butterly 1-0, Dean Lynch 0-1; Robert Callaghan 1-1, Seán Reynolds 0-3, Harry Butterly 1-6. SUBS: Thomas McBride for S Reynolds, Niall Fanning for R Callaghan, Fintan Martin for D Lynch, Thomas Campbell for Giggins, Eanna McCartney for B McCoy.

NA PIARSAIGH BLACKROCK: Adam Molloy; John Galligan, Joe Woods, Chris Kellet; Seamus Connolly, Shane Roddy, Stephen McGuinness; Mick Woods, Mark O’Hare; Fionn Tipping, Tommy Muckian, Ciarán Murphy 0-1; Jamie Fealy 0-3, David Boyle 0-1, Gerard Rice 1-1. SUBS: Fergal Mulholland, John Garvey, James McCartney, Darren Muckian, Sean Connolly.

WOLFE TONES 0-4
OLIVER PLUNKETTS 0-8

Wolfe Tones needed a result against Oliver Plunketts to avoid dreaded relegation but with the winners in search of an automatic promotion spot that task was made even harder.

So the loss with results elsewhere not going their way on the night, cruelly the Tones automatically went down after one season in 3A.

Despite never once being in the automatic place until the final day, the Drogheda mens loss to cross town rivals would prove costly. The low scoring affair was hampered by the loss of key forwards for both sides.

Plunketts edged a one point lead at half time thanks to Luke Haggans but Eoghan Brennan was leading the fire for the Tones. The hosts would only score once in the second half as Plunketts ran out comfortable winners.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Colum Duffy, Cillian Matthews, Davy McTaggert, Seán Rice; Baz Reynolds, Cillian Smith 0-1, Jamie Byrne; Robbie Brodigan, Stephen Keeley 0-1; David Lambe, Conor Haggans 0-1, Niall Murtagh; Adam Smith 0-1, Adam Brodigan 0-1, Luke Haggans 0-2. SUBS: Manny Santos 0-1

WOLFE TONES: Johnny Lynch ; Taidhg Rock, Cathal Bergin, Sean McMahon; Rhys McGovern, Sam Kelly, Sean Flanagan; Patrick Fanning, Mark Healy; Liam Gaffney, Darren Weldon, Dwayne Leavy; Eoin Wynne, Eoghan Brennan 0-3, Adam Gartland 0-1.

NAOMH FIONNBARRA 1-10
GLYDE RANGERS 2-6
Naomh Fionnbarra pulled off the great escape this season to avoid not only relegation but a playoff spot as they defeated Glyde Rangers to secure safety for the 2024 season.

The hosts edged the dour first half by a point, 0-5 to 0-4 before the tense affair opened up fully in the second half.

Jack Butterly was a constant for the winners but his goal allowed the cushion for the Togher based side to hang on.

Stalwart Brian Duffy and substitute Aaron Devlin, who has Finbarrs stock led the fightback for the Tallanstown men with two late goals but Finbarrs would hold out thanks to two clutch Ciarán Markey frees. Glyde will now play Naomh Malachi in the promotion relegation playoff.

GLYDE RANGERS: David Brennan; Pauric Kearney., Conor McCullough, Gerard Farrell; Ultan Larney, Jack McKeever, Fiachra Sheridan; Dion Conlon, Lee Finnegan; Tadgh Kellett 0-1, Brian Duffy 1-3, Conor Sheridan; Ciarain Sheridan, Oisín Lynch, Killian Scott. SUBS: Aaron Devlin 1-0, Sean Devenny, Cein Sheridan, Aaron Myles.

NAOMH FIONNBARRA: Fionn McQuillan; Kalum Regan, Josh Crosbie, Ronan Callaghan; Colm Smith, Chris McGlynn, Hugh McGrane; Jack Butterly 1-4, Brendan Simms; Conor Osborne, Jack Regan 0-1, Hugh Osborne; Michael McArdle 0-1, Ciaran Markey 0-4, Cormac Reynolds. SUBS: Martin Murphy for McArdle.