Louth GAA: Ardee easily account for Joes

ARDEE ST MARY'S 3-12
ST. JOSEPH'S 0-08

Going about their business Ardee St. Mary’s are dealing with the reigning champions tag with ease as they swatted away St. Joseph’s with ease on Saturday night in Protection and Prosperity Louth GAA centre of excellence at Darver.

A routine win with a stinging level of ruthlessness showed the sharp underbelly of class the holders possess when they require.
Although not blasting six goals past the Darver and Dromiskin men this season like last, the level of one sidedness was the same as the second half was a non affair.

The level of improvement shown in the Joes play this season was there but they still have a bit to go to reach the top table once more. Half the goal tally was a start and some maturing performances from the likes of Conall McCaul and Ben Collier indicated that down the line they could be a match.

With an influx of some good minors next season along with a league could see the Joes up there before long but Ardee’s time is very much now. Despite the result it was the perfect start for the underdog.

The Joes hit the ground running with four points to no score and McCaul won everything that went his way around the middle.
Craig Doherty, Conall Smyth bookended the bright opening that they would struggle to equal for the remainder of the game.

The reason in part came in the intensity of Ardee’s play and Donal McKenny’s performance at full back.

The county man was most used under Mickey Harte and you could see why when he thwarted everything that Tom Franklin’s side came his way.

Intercepting, crashing and disrupting as well as jaunting up the field with menacing intent. McKenny was simply unplayable.

A quick fire 2-5 showed the fire power the Mary’s possessed to shell shock the losers.

Daire McConnon surged through with a one-two to fire home and the lively looking Ciarán Kiki Keenan struck fear into other contenders watching with a superb 1-1 in that period.

All of this attacking prowess was orchestrated by Tom Jackson while Jonathon Commins bludgeoned the Joes with placed balls. Conor Neary responded in vain with a terrific point to leave it 2-7 to 0-5 at the short whistle.

With the game effectively over Carl Gillespie flicked the ball to the net at the start of the second half to send supporters home in good time for the Rugby.

Gillespie landed two more scores to his tally as Oisin McGuinness kicked the score of the quarter final.

As the bench emptied, there was salt for Joe's wounds as Alan Quigley went off with an awkward knee jerk.

Cathal Murray’s replacement Shane Matthews made an impact along with Evan Malone pointed in the disjointed juncture.
Mary’s advance into the final four, it seems somewhat untested, but would be welcome to a stern examination at the same time.

ARDEE ST MARY’S: James McGillick; Páraic McKenny, Donal McKenny, Tiernan Corrigan; Kian Moran, Eimhin Keenan, Carl Gillespie 1-2 (0-2f); Robbie Leavy, Seán Callaghan; Jonathan Commins 0-3 (2f), Liam Jackson 0-2, Tom Jackson; Ciarán Keenan 1-2, Dáire McConnon 1-1, Ryan Rooney. SUBS: Shane Matthews 0-1 for Moran (40), Conor Gillespie for Rooney (45), Dean Matthews for Commins (51), Jay Crawley for Corrigan (53), Evan Malone 0-1 for P McKenny (59).

ST JOSEPH’S: Stephen Carron; Aidan Kieran, Michael Staunton, Killian McDonnell; Cian Sheridan, Gabriel Bell 0-1, David Kieran; Conor Neary 0-2, Conall McCaul; Jack Mulligan, Craig Doherty 0-1 (1f), Ben Collier 0-1; Conall Smyth 0-1, Alan Quigley 0-1 (1f), Oisín McGuinness 0-1. SUBS: Evan McEnteggart for Mulligan (ht), Ciarán Johnstone for Smyth (45), Dáire Smyth for Sheridan (50), Killian Staunton for A Kieran (50), Alan McKenna for Quigley (51).

REF: David J McArdle (St Bride’s).