Louth GAA: Roche clinch return to Division 1 football

ROCHE EMMETS 1-11

ST BRIDES 1-10

Roche Emmets saw a memorable season get even better on Tuesday evening when they clinched a return to Division 1 football thanks to a dramatic promotion/relegation victory over St Brides at Darver on Tuesday night.

In a game that was on a knife-edge for much of the hour, Barry O’Hare was the scoring hero for the Faughart men as he kicked the only point in extra-time to  leave St Brides facing a return to Division 2 for the upcoming campaign.

The Knockbridge side have been without a game over the past number of weeks, it was no surprise that Roche made the brighter start. A brace from O’Hare helped his side to an early advantage before Glen Stewart hit the net to put his side 1-3 to 0-1 in front.

However, St Brides found their rhythm and a goal from Kieran McArdle saw his side level the game at 1-5 apiece at the break.

The teams traded points throughout the second half and it was no surprise that the game ended level thanks to a late McArdle point.

A tense extra time period followed and it was Roche who came out on top thanks to O’Hare’s seventh point of the night.

ROCHE EMMETS: Jamie O’Hare; Adam McKay, Harry O’Connell, Aidan Grant; James McDonnell, Peter Lynch, Gerard Browne; Glen Stewart 1-0, Dan O’Connell; Sean Dawe, Liam Dawe, Mark Byrne 0-1; DD Reilly, Shane Byrne 0-3, Barry O’Hare 0-7. Subs: Ryan Rice Martin, Liam Carthy, Fionn Connolly, Martin Carroll.

ST BRIDES: Aaron Devin; Robert McCaughey, Killian Kirk (0-1), Ronan Bailey; Andrew Smyth, Ross Murnaghan, Daniel Mc Ardle; Liam Molloy, James Costelloe; Evan Wynne, Paddy Reilly (0-1), Neil Thornton; Sean Marry (0-4), Nathan Kirk, Kieran McArdle (1-4). Subs: Richard Halpenny, Jarlath Cassidy, Paraic Rutledge.