Louth GAA club | Kevin Mullen Shield round-up

GROUP A

LANNLEIRE 3-16 SEAN MCDERMOTTS 1-5

Lannleire got their season off to a winning start to the season when they blew away the challenge of Sean McDermotts in Mountrush on Sunday morning.

The game was done and dusted by the time the half time whistle sounded as the visitors had raced into a 22-point lead with the help of three goals.

The conditions certainly helped the Dunleer men gain a foothold and they made full use of the elements as a brace from Brendan Cassidy along with a Matthew Malone goal saw their side lead by 3-13 to no score at the break.

It was an impressive display from Cassidy who finished the game with 2-7 to his credit. The Seans didn’t throw in the towel and battled well in the second half.

A Daniel Commins goal along with points from Niall Babington, Kevin McMahon and Peter Tuite saw them earn some consolation but it was not enough to deny Lannleire a victory.

LANNLEIRE: Paul Doyle; Jack O’Connor, Darragh Goodman, Conor Dunne; Matthew Malone 1-0, Mark Grogan, Alex Carroll; Kyle van Rhyn 0-2, Caoimhin Maher; Aaron McArdle, Bob Murphy 0-4 (2 2p), Brendan Cassidy 2-7; Ryan McArdle, Rory Dunne 0-1, Mark Dunne 0-2.

SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Finbar Moran; Ronan Kerley, Nathan Commins, Conor Walsh; Ian McDonald, Danny Commins, Donnacha McCourt; Sean Martin, David McArdle; Ian Corbally, Niall Babington (0-1) Matthew Little (0-1); Kevin McMahon (0-1) Peter Tuite (0-1), Daniel Commins (1-1).

Subs: Sean McMahon for D McCourt, Tomas Devlin for R Kerley, Ronan Kerley for N Commins, Donnacha McCourt for I Corbally, Sean Boyle for P Tuite, Ronnie Ruikis for K McMahon, Danny Reilly for I McDonald.

(Powerscreen Kevin Mullen Shield - Group A, Round 2 table)

GROUP B

NH FIONNNBARRA 2-8 GLYDE RANGERS 1-8

The Junior Football Championship Final of two years ago involving these teams will hardly live in the memory as a classic; neither will this Kevin Mullen Shield Round 2 game.

However, both sides can be praised for their honesty of effort in desperate weather conditions. Glyde won the toss of the coin and opted to play with the wind in the first half.

As you would expect, the long ball was utilised each time the Tallanstown side reached touching distance of the half way line but to limited effect.

Wayward shooting and stout defending under high ball from Finbarrs backs Stephen Doyle, Ronan Callaghan and Jake Young limited the Glyde scores to a mere five points at half time.

In fact, despite playing against the wind, such was their work-rate that Togher could have been out of sight by half time only for poor shot selection and the elements coming to the aid of Glyde.

Ciaran Murphy did manage to beat the conditions and the Tallanstown defence and by half time had a goal and a point to his name. This was added to by a sharp fisted effort from Colum Kierans to leave the Barrs leading by 2-1 to 0-5 at the break. 

The weather conditions improved for the second half and Glyde gave themselves hope with a Jack McKeever goal. However, the Barrs remained on top and Stephen O’Reilly led the charge as he finished with six points.

He was ably assisted by Conor Osbourne who also had a fine game along with a cameo appearance from Gary Matthews whose exceptional high fielding in the middle set the Togher forwards in motion.

NH FIONNBARRA: Fionn McQuillan; Jake Young, Ronan Callaghan, Stephen Doyle; Adam Hanratty, Josh Crosbie, Chris McGlynn; Cormac McArdle, Stephen O'Reilly 0-6; Ben Turley, Michael McArdle, Conor Osbourne; Jack Murtagh, Colum Kierans 1-1, Ciaran Murphy 1-1. 

Subs: Collie McGrane for J Crosbie, Seanie Vaughan for C McGlynn, Gary Matthews for C McArdle, Mairtín Murphy for S O’Reilly, Matthew O’Reilly for C Kierans, Conor Boyle for C Murphy.

GLYDE RANGERS: Oran Matthews; Mark McKeever, Cein Sheridan, Darren McKeever; Gerard Bourton, Fiachre Sheridan 0-1, Shane Mullany; Adam Sweeney, Jack McKeever 1-0; Leigh Byrne, Tadhg Kellett 0-1, Oisin Reenan; Cormac Lundon 0-3, Ciaran Sheridanm0-2, Aaron Devlin.

Subs: Leigh Finnegan 0-1, Sean Devenney, Kyle Caffrey, Shane Byrne, Conor McAuley.

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS 3-7 NA PIARSAIGH 4-4

Annaghaminnon Rovers and Na Piarsaigh played out a draw in Group B of the Kevin Mullen Shield on Sunday morning in Stonetown.

The teams also had to battle the conditions on a difficult day for football and both will be happy to come away with a share of the spoils, as the Dundalk men struck late to snatch a draw.

Na Piarsaigh had the better of the first half and fired in two goals to lead by 2-1 to 0-4 at the break. The visitors also raised two green flags in the second half however, it wasn’t enough to secure the win as Rovers hit back.

Shane Grimes and Ronan McRedmond both found the net while Kyle Martin came off the bench to add another on a day when points from Dwayne Markey and Aidan Lee Martin were also crucial.

Callum Smith (2), Gerry Rice and David Boyle accounted for the Dundalk men.

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Ciaran McConnon; Noel McArdle, Heljvis Daugulis, Chris Connolly; Nathan Buckley, Colin Campbell, Padraig Russell; Conor Russell (0-1), Dwayne Markey (0-3); Tiernan O’Brien (0-1), James O’Connor, Ronan McRedmond (1-0); Ciaran O’Reilly, Shane Grimes (1-0), Aidan Lee Martin (0-2).

Subs: Micheal Marron, Kyle Martin 1-0, Diarmuid Murray, Niall Quinn.

NA PIARSAIGH: Aidan Marks; Chris Kellett, Shane Ruddy, Fionn Tipping 0-1; James McCartney, Tommy Muckian, Stevie Magennis; Michael Woods, Oisin Woods; Gerry Rice 1-0, James Mahoney, David Boyle 1-1; Joe Woods, Jamie Fealy, Callum Smith 2-1.

Subs: John Galligan, Ciaran Murphy 0-1, Eoin Farrell, Ronan McCartney, Patrick McMonagle.

(Powerscreen Kevin Mullen Shield - Group B, Round 2 table)

GROUP C

WOLFE TONES 0-11 CUCHULAINN GAELS 0-7

Last year’s Junior Champions Wolfe Tones got to enjoy their success on Saturday night at their awards night. But before the celebrations, they took care of Cuchulainn Gaels that afternoon.

The opening win of the season was powered from the full forward line. Despite the Omeath faithful levelling on numerous occasions, the Drogheda men were not to be denied.

Niall Smith’s welcome return saw the talisman come off the bench to push the game beyond Mark McCann’s outfit.

WOLFE TONES: Johnny Lynch; Rhys McGovern, Sean McMahon, Danny Byrne; Davey Bolger, Alan Fanning, Sean McQuail; Mark Healy, Danny Molloy; Taidgh Rock, Dwayne Leavy, Liam Gaffney 0-2; Garrett Cooney 0-3, Darren Weldon0-4, Chris Cudden 0-1.

Subs: G Fanning for Lynch, Comiskey for Cudden, P Fanning for Rock, N Smith 0-1 for McQuail L Mallon for A Fanning, E Judge for Weldon, C.Geraghty for Gaffney, D Kiely for Bolger, Shane Kelly for Healy.

CUCHULAINN GAELS: James Sharkey 0-5 and Micheal McCabe 0-2.

(Powerscreen Kevin Mullen Shield - Group C, Round 2 table)

Powerscreen Kevin Mullen Shield Fixtures

Group A – Saturday, 1st March: Lannleire v O'Connells GFC – Páirc Uí Mhuire at 3.00pm; Sunday, 2nd March: St Nicholas GFC v Sean McDermotts – Jimmy Pentony Park at 11.00am.

Group B - Sunday, 2nd March: Naomh Malachi v Annaghminnon Rovers – Páirc Naomh Malachi at 11.00am; Sunday, 2nd March: Na Piarsaigh v Glyde Rangers – Pairc An tAthair Ui Dhubhthaigh at 11.00am.

Group C – Sunday, 2nd March: Dowdallshill v John Mitchells – Dowdallshill at 11.00am; Sunday, 2nd March: Ardee St. Marys v Wolfe Tones – DEFY Pairc Mhuire at 11.00am.