Louth GAA Round Up | Division 1 & 2

John O'Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 1 League

ROCHE EMMETS 0-10 MATTOCK RANGERS 1-7

Roche Emmets missed the chance to secure Louth Division 1 football for another season when they failed to hold on for victory at home to Mattock Rangers on Friday night.

Victory would have been enough to see the Emmets escape the play-off but they were denied that win when a late Liam Flynn score saw visitors earn a draw.

The Collon men, already relegated to Division 2, found it hard to get into their rhythm in the opening half but Roche’s failure to take their opportunities allowed them to stay in the game. The home side passed up three goal chances and at the break were leading by just 0-4 to 0-3.

Sensing that there was something in the game for them, Mattock raised their game and a Cathal Fleming goal had them very much in contention.

With Barry O’Hare kicking six points, it looked as if Roche had done enough to earn the victory, however, a late score from Flynn saw the Collon side claim a share of the spoils.

As a result, Roche will take on St Josephs in Darver on Friday night for the right to play in the top flight in 2025.

ROCHE EMMETS: Evin Quigley; Dermot Carthy, Sean Connolly, Aidan Grant; David Quigley, James McDonnell, Gerry Browne; Peter Lynch 0-1, Dan O’Connell 0-1; Ryan Martin, Shane Byrne 0-2, Mark Byrne; Daire Reilly, Barry O’Hare 0-6, DD Reilly.

Subs: Fionn Connolly for R Martin, Sean Dawe for D Reilly, Adam McKay for G Browne, Liam Carthy for D O’Connell.

MATTOCK RANGERS: Stephen Smith; Alan Caraher, Cillian Hickey, Tom Grimes; Terry Donegan, Cathal Clarke, Adrian Reid; Cathal Fleming 1-1; Ben McKenna; Jack Thompson, Liam Flynn 0-5, Daire Englishby; JP Watters 0-1, James Caraher, Eoin McCloskey.

Subs: Adam Flynn, Aaron Smith.

ST FECHINS 0-10 SEAN O’MAHONYS 0-8

St Fechins completed a very satisfactory week for the club as they followed on from preserving their Senior Championship status by securing Division 1 football for another season thanks to this victory over Sean O’Mahonys on Friday night.

Despite the defeat, it was also a good night for the Sean O’Mahonys as Roche’s failure to beat Mattock Rangers on the same night means that the Faughart men will face into the promotion/relegation play-off.

Sean O’Mahonys opened the scoring with a point from play and a second from Terry Kelly before the hosts hit back with two points from Ronan Holcroft and Aaron McGlew.

It remained evenly balanced throughout the half and with Podge O’Donoghue and McGlew on target, the teams went in at the break level at four points apiece.

The Mahony’s were down by one due to a black card infringement at the end of the first half and the home side lost Podge O’Donohoe due to a second yellow card very early on the resumption of play. 

Both teams exchanged the lead for most of the second half, with the Dundalk men scoring first, but Fechins equalising again from the boot of Ronan Holcroft only to go into the lead for the first time following a fine long-range score from James McGlew.

Again the O’Mahonys upped their game making use of the extra player and the lead swapped again after they pointed two from placed balls. Points from Ronan Holcroft and Harry Haughney reversed the lead for a second time.

Sean O’Mahonys equalised in the 19th minute followed by a point from play from Aaron McGlew to pull ahead in the 21st minute.

Fechins held the visitors at bay and a free taken by Fechins No 1, Niall McDonnell gave the home side a two-point cushion as the final whistle went.

The match also saw the end of a 20-year senior career for Fechins stalwart Colm O’Neill as he announced his retirement after the game. 

ST FECHINS: Niall McDonnell 0-1; Mark Holohan, Shane Reilly, Dylan Rice; Ciaran McGinty, Robert Vallejo, Danny Burnell; Jamie McDonnell, Harry Haughney 0-1; Sean Kerrisk, Paul Mathews, Podge O Donoghue 0-1; Ronan Holcroft 0-3, Aaron McGlew 0-3, James McGlew 0-1.

Subs: John O’Connell for S Reilly, Ryan Walsh for J McGlew, Colm Hackett for P Mathews (blood sub).

SEAN O’MAHONYS: Kevin Brennan 0-1; John O’Brien, Chris O’Neill, Stephen Kettley; Kian McEvoy 0-1, Aaron Boyle, Tiarnan Cassidy; Gareth Hall, Brian McGuirk; Conor Finnegan, Terry Kelly 0-6, Junior Shotayo; Thomas Rice, Conor Martin, Stephen Kilcoyne.

Subs: Kyle Carroll for S Kilcoyne, Aaron Mackin for C Martin, Stephen Kilcoyne for J O’Brien.

John O'Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 2 League

ST JOSEPHS 4-12 ST BRIDES 0-6

The Joes qualified for the Div 1/Div2 promotion play-off with a comprehensive final-round win over the Brides in Cluskey Park on Thursday, as they finish second on the table, just one point ahead of Kilkerley Emmets.

The Brides opened the scoring courtesy of a long-range point from Paddy Reilly before Joes equalised with a point on 11mins from Craig Doherty. The Joes took the lead on the quarter-hour mark when Oisin McGuinness's shot across goal was flicked to the net by Ben Collier.

Andrew Smyth came through to add a point on 24 minutes for the Brides but Oisin McGuinness took an excellent mark to fire over a point soon after but in added time Conall McCaul pointed superbly from 45 metres and Oisin McGuinness fisted over to put the Joes ahead by 1-5 to 0-3 at the break.

The Joes dominated the second half with Conall McCaul pointing from the left sideline in the first minute, while points from Conall Smyth and Gabriel Bell had the Joes lead out to eight at the end of the third quarter.

The Joes then hit three points in two minutes through McCaul (2) and Smyth, followed by two goals in quick succession from Pearse Grimes and Cormac McKeown.

In the final ten minutes, the Brides were on target with three points while Rian Devlin fisted over for the Joes and Pearse Grimes Murphy soloed through from midfield to drive an unstoppable shot along the ground to the right corner of the net to complete the win.

ST JOSEPHS: Adam Cassidy; Rian Devlin 0-1, Cormac McKeown 1-0, Cian Sheridan; Craig Doherty 0-1, Gabriel Bell 0-2, Conall McCaul 0-4; Killian Staunton, Alan Quigley; Conall Smyth 0-2, Ben Collier 1-0, Pearse Grimes Murphy 2-0; Oisin McGuinness 0-2, David Kieran, Killian McDonnell.

Subs: Conor Neary, Cormac Marmion, Jack Mulligan, Oran McParland.

KILKERLEY EMMETS 2-10 YOUNG IRELANDS 1-5

Kilkerley finished their Division 2 league campaign with an eight-point victory at home to Young Irelands on Thursday night, but it wasn’t enough to secure a place in the promotion play-offs.

The Emmets went into the game not needing a victory but also for the Joes to slip up in their final outing against Young Irelands.

However, the Cluskey Park men secured the win they needed to finish second in the table behind champions Hunterstown.

The hosts got on the front foot early on and found the target through Conal McEnaney, Darren Geoghegan and Cormac Mallon before the Young Irelands got off the mark with two points from James Prendergast.

Kilkerley controlled the remainder of the half and further points from McEnaney and Mallon saw their side take a 0-7 to 0-2 lead into the break.

The hosts came flying out of the blocks at the start of the second half and a goal from Cian O Donoghue along with points from Peter Nixon and Evan McArdle saw the sides level within five minutes of the restart.

However, Kilkerley responded in impressive fashion with Micheal Begley landing two frees before Mallon found the back of the net and effectively put the game beyond the Dundalk men.

Begley added a goal with ten minutes to play to seal the win, with Prendergast notching a late reply for the Irelanders.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Calum Mulholland; Cormac Bellew, Cillian Mulligan, Ronan Deery; Darren Geoghegan 0-1, Kieran Murtagh, Patrick Murtagh; Cathal Bellew, Ciaran Bellew; Conal Brady, Shaun McElroy, Conal McEneney 0-3; Micheal Begley 1-3, Cormac Mallon 1-3. Fintan Brady.

Subs: Ewan McEnteggart for P Murtagh; Fionn Cumiskey for C Brady; Brian Brady for Ciaran Bellew; Oran McMahon for S McElroy; Glen Hoey for Cormac Bellew.

YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Alan Hanks, Conn O’Donoghue, Paddy O’Callaghan; Jack McArdle, Caolan McCabe, Sean Murphy; Peter Nixon 0-1, Ruairi Kelly; Evan McArdle, Dermot Mone, Liam McStravick; Cian O’Donoghue 1-0, James Prendergast 0-3, Cian O Naraigh.

Sub: Sean Hoey for R Kelly.