St Mary’s claim Louth bragging rights in Flood Cup victory

St Mary’s Drogheda took home bragging rights as well as the Flood Cup following this victory over fellow Drogheda school, St Josephs CBS in the Gaelic Grounds on Thursday morning last.

The Marys were full value for this win, as they led the whole game, getting goals at the right times to knock the wind out of the Joeys sails.

The Marys were much more cohesive and slicker in possession, and meant business from the start, with centre half back Dylan Feehan, who was outstanding on the day, driving through the centre and breaking lines at every opportunity, opening the scoring almost straight from the throw in, after combining with Calvin Hough and Dylan Craig.

READ NEXT: Inside Track: Three teams aiming for a winning weekend

Hough and Craig were hugely influential, having their hand in most of the Marys’ attacking play, as they made it difficult for the Joeys to move the ball out of their defence, winning seven out 14 Joeys’ kickouts in that first half, with Hough, and Craig central to this, alongside the excellent Dylan Feehan.

Dylan Craig who finished with 21 possessions over the hour, landed the Mary’s second score following a patient build up after 9 minutes.

The Joeys struggled to make inroads, with defenders Danny McCabe and sweeper Finn McGuirk doubling up on their talisman Connel Kelly, as they cut out a lot of supply into the Joeys’ inside line.

One such turnover culminated in Calvin Hough setting up Brian O’Neill for a fine finish to the Joeys’ net to make it 1-2 to no score in his side’s favour after 12 minutes.

Declan Lenehen concluded the scoring for the opening quarter, stretching the Marys’ lead to six at that juncture.

The only blot on the St Marys’ copy book was their inefficiency in front of the posts, as they amassed 2-5 from 18 first half shots, including 6 wides, while Joeys’ keeper Leighton Dunne also denied Declan Lenehan from close range.

St Josephs CBS eventually got going with fine strikes from Cillian McQuillan and Connel Kelly, which arrived either side of a long range free from Josh Gayaha for the Marys.

Connel Kelly (f) left four between the sides at 1-4 to 0-3 with 6 minutes left until the break. However, just when you thought the Joeys were establishing a foothold in the game, St Marys landed a seismic knock out blow.

After getting his hands to a long kickout from keeper Harry Leonard, Josh Gayaha fed the onrushing Dylan Craig on the 14 metre line.

Craig’s effort from the right wing looped over Joeys’ keeper Leighton Dunne and into the net, extending the Marys’ lead to seven, and a hammer blow for St Josephs.

The Joeys responded well, thanks to a close range effort from Stephen Curtis, but Dylan Feehan set up Adam Keogh to get his name on the score sheet, as the Marys retired for the half time break, firmly in the driving seat, leading by 2-5 to 0-4 at the break.

Second Half:

Three early scores from Daragh Victory (2f) increased that Marys lead to nine by the 37^th minute, with Connel Kelly (f) the sole response for St Josephs.

The Joeys went for broke, and having moved Mark Smith from the wing to the centre, it gave them more options on their kickout, winning nine out of 11 on their own restart in that second half, with sub Seosamh O’Rourke having a noticeable impact from the bench, winning kickouts, alongside Cillian McQuillan and Tadgh McDonnell.

Some neat play between Cillian McQuillan and Harry Devitt led to Cillian Duff being denied by Marys’ keeper Harry Leonard.

Referee Derek Ryan brought the play back for a foul in the build up, and the resultant was converted by Connel Kelly, before a fine strike from Seosamh O’Rourke from range, closed the gap to seven after 39 minutes.

But the Joeys just could not get enough scores on the board, only managing 0-2 from 10 shots in open play in that second half, and the Marys soon made the game safe.

Following a mix up in the Joeys defence, the lively Adam Keogh who finished with 23 possessions over the hour, rattled home his side’s third major to make it 3-8 to 0-7.

Dylan Feehan kept the scoreboard ticking for his side with his second point, and you felt that the Marys had one hand on the Flood Cup by the end of the third quarter.

Cillian McQuillan who came close to registering a green flag, landed the Joeys final score of the day, as the Marys tagged on late efforts from Dylan Craig (2) and Josh Gayaha (f) finishing twelve point winners on the day, and Flood Cup winners for 2025.

St Mary’s Drogheda: Harry Leonard; Danny McCabe, Gearoid Reidy, Finn McGuirk; Caolan Gartland, Dylan Feehan (0-2), Eoin Dunne; Dylan Craig (1-2) (1f), Ben Mullin; Josh Gayaha (0-2) (2f), Declan Lenehan (0-1), Adam Keogh (1-2); Calvin Hough. Darragh Victory (0-3) (2f), Brian O’Neill (1-0).

Subs: Matthew McCloskey for Victory (49), Diarmuid Loughman for Feehan (49), Senan Meagher for Keogh (53), Milo Hall for O’Neill (55), Naoise McAvina for Dunne (60).

St Josephs CBS: Leighton Dunne; Darragh Smyth, Michael McGinty, Ephrim McDonnell; Kyle Kierans, Tom Rock, Harry Devitt; Cillian McQuillan (0-2), Tadgh McDonnell; Mark Smith, Dylan Kirwan, Callum Reilly; Stephen Curtis (0-1), Cillian Duffy, Connell Kelly (0-4) (3f).

Subs: Seosamh O’Rourke (0-1) for Kierans (22), Oliver Walsh for McDonnell (39), Harry David for Smyth (50), Conor Wogan for Ephrim McDonnell (55), Tom Meegan for Duff (61).

Referee: Derek Ryan (Sean O’Mahonys).