Louth GAA club | Division Two round-up

Dundalk Gaels 2-13 St Brides 0-15

Dundalk Gaels celebrated the presentation of the Louth GAA Division Two League trophy with an impressive win over St Brides in Knockbridge on Wednesday night.

Despite clinching the title in their previous game, the visitors were in no mood to allow their standards to drop as they claimed a four-point win.

READ NEXT: Louth GAA club | Division One round-up

The result represents a setback for the Knockbridge side as their second successive defeat is a blow to their hopes of making the play-offs.The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams exchanging points in the opening quarter.

St. Brides hit a purple patch in the second quarter, with points from Kevin Hearty and Sean Marry, to close out the half three points ahead, 0-8 to 0-5. Certainly, whatever was said at halftime, the Gaels came out and turned the game on its head.

Two quick goals from Thomas Kavanagh and James O’Connell in the space of eight minutes in the third quarter left the visitors in a commanding lead, making it difficult for the home side to turn things around.

Both sides again exchanged points, with St. Brides finishing the stronger, but the cushion that the visitors built up in the third period was sufficient to see them through as deserving winners on a night when Dylan McKeown and Jack Mullen were among the points.

Dundalk Gaels: Adrian Rafferty; Shaun Duffy 0-1, Tom Murphy, Paddy O’Connell; Kyle Rafferty, Oisin Murray, Paul McCrave 0-1; Dylan McKeown 0-3, James O’Connell 1-0; Jack Mullen 0-2, Sean Lambert, Sean Murray 0-1; Chris Sweeney 0-1, Eanna McArdle, Tomas Kavanagh 1-2.

Subs: Padraig Tinnelly 0-1, Tom O’Connell, Tony McDonnell, Sean McCann 0-1, Tom McDonagh, Emmet Lindsay.

St Brides: Aaron Devin 0-1; Stephen Hoey, Cillian Kirk, Padraig Mackin; Robert McCaughey, Bernard Laverty, Daniel McArdle 0-1; Ross Murnaghan, Peter Carragher 0-1; Morgan Tobin, Sean Marry 0-3, Michael Keane; Nathan Kirk 0-2, Kevin Hearty 0-5, Donal McArdle 0-1.

Subs: Oisin McBride 0-1 for M Tobin, James Costello for K Hearty, Andrew Smyth for M Keane.

(John O'Neill Sand and Gravel Louth Division Two League table)

Roche Emmets 1-13 Stabannon Parnells 2-10

Stabannon Parnells struck late in a dramatic finish to return home from Roche Emmets on Saturday evening with a share of the spoils.

The hosts looked to be on course for victory when they led by three entering the closing stages; however, a Dylan Shevlin two-pointer gave his side hope before Robbie Callaghan fired over the equaliser to see the game end all square.

In a competitive encounter, it was Roche who had the better of the first half as a goal from Liam Dawe saw them go in with a 1-7 to 1-4 lead. Shevlin found the net at the other end to keep his side in contention.

With Shane Byrne and Barry O’Hare in good scoring form, the hosts remained in control for much of the second half.

However, Stabannon refused to give up and were boosted by a Padraig Reynolds goal before finishing strongly to earn a reward for their efforts.

Roche Emmets: Jamie O’Hare; Dermot Carthy, Sean Connolly, Marc Murphy; Fionn Connolly,  David Quigley 0-1, James Corcoran; Peter Lynch, Glen Stewart; Sean Dawe, Liam Dawe 1-0, Conor Carthy; Cathal Corcoran, Shane Byrne 0-7, Barry O’Hare 0-5 (2 x 2p).

Subs: Alex McArdle and Ryan Martin.

Stabannon Parnells: Michael Lynch; Johnny McGee, Colm Giggins, Niall Fanning; Richard Rogers, Bobby Butterly, Alan Reynolds; Ryan Shelvin, Niall Cluskey; Barry McCoy, Sean Reynolds, Jake Corrigan; Robert Callaghan 0-2, Dylan Shelvin 1-8, Padraig Reynolds 1-0.

Subs: Shane Brady for N Fanning.

(John O'Neill Sand and Gravel Louth Division Two League fixtures)

Mattock Rangers 4-17 Kilkerley Emmets 3-14

Mattock Rangers secured second place in the Division 2A table thanks to a victory away to Kilkerley Emmets on Saturday night.

Goals from Sean Flynn (2), Liam Flynn and Cathal Fleming helped the Collon side inflict a defeat that saw Kilkerley miss the chance to move into the top four.

The visitors started in whirlwind fashion as they had 2-1 on the board before Kilkerley got off the mark through Cormac Mallon, and at the midway stage of the half, Mattock had a 2-6 to 0-2 lead.

However, it was the Emmets who dominated the second quarter with goals from Darragh Conlon, Cormac Mallon and Dan Geoghegan to get right back in the game. Mattock responded well and added their third goal to lead by 3-9 to 3-8 at the break.

The Collon men seized the initiative at the start of the second half with their fourth goal, while Flynn and Fleming weighed in with important points.

Despite points from Tadhg McEneaney, Micheal Begley and Ewan McEnteggart, Kilkerley failed to find their rhythm in the second half as Mattock held out for a comfortable win.

Mattock Rangers: Stephen Smith; Callum Wogan 0-1, Cillian Hickey, Ben Quaile; Tom Grimes 0-1, Shane Maguire, Dari Englishby; Jason Condon, Cathal Fleming 1-3; Jack Thompson, Adrian Reid 0-1, Terry Donegan; Robert Holmes, Sean Flynn 2-5, Liam Flynn 1-4.

Subs: James Caraher 0-1, Caolán Nulty 0-1.

Kilkerley Emmets: Ultan McEneaney; Oran McMahon, Cillian Mulligan, Cormac Bellew; Ewan McEntegart 0-1, Fintan Brady 0-1, Michael Kirby; Darren Geoghegan 1-0, Darragh Conlon 1-1; Cormac Mallon 1-1, Rian Hand, Michael McGeown; Michael Begley 0-4, Ciaran Bellew, Tadhg McEneaney 0-6.

Subs: Fionn Cumiskey for O McMahon; Conan Fox for R Hand.

O Raghallaighs 2-12 Young Irelands 1-11

O Raghallaighs picked up a crucial win in the battle to avoid relegation from Division 2 when they proved too strong for Young Irelands at home on Saturday night.

Second-half goals from Eoin Moore and Jason Reynolds provided the platform for a welcome victory that sees the Drogheda men move fourth from bottom.

However, they are just one point above the three teams below them, ahead of what promises to be a dramatic finale to the campaign.

Caolan McCabe had the first point of the game for the visitors, but Kyle McElroy soon replied in what would prove to be a close first half.

Young Irelands had slightly the better of things as Dermot Mone and Cian O’Donoghue were among the points as their side led by 0-7 to 0-5 at the break. Eoin Moore and Barry Finnegan pointed out to keep the O Raghallaighs in touch.

It was looking good for the Dundalk men entering the final quarter as a Jack Watters goal had them on course for the win.

However, the game turned with two goals in the 50th and 53rd minutes from Moore and Reynolds, while a late Ruairi Moore point helped his side over the line.

O Raghallaighs: Joe Finnegan; Eseosa Omoregbe, Alan Doyle, Emmet King; Danny Morgan, Stephen Murphy, Olan Walsh; Conor McGinty, Ruairi Moore 0-1; Jason Reynolds 1-2, Barry Finnegan 0-1, Eoin Moore 1-2; Kyle McElroy 0-6, Ben Rogan, John Horan.

Sub: Lucas Carton for E King.

Young Irelands: Feargal Sheekey; Lee O’Donoghue, Ciaran Murray, Conn O’Donoghue; Sean Murphy, Jordan O’Donoghue 0-2, Caolan McCabe 0-1; Ruairi Kelly, Joe Mee; Liam McStravick 0-1, James Prendergast, Mark Lee 0-1; Dermot Mone 0-2, Jack Watters 1-0, Cian O’Donoghue 0-2.

Subs: Cian O Naraigh 0-2 for L McStravick, Alan Hanks for L O’Donoghue, Leon Duffy for D Mone, Evan McArdle for J Mee, Sean Hoey for J Prendergast.

Glen Emmets 2-17 Oliver Plunketts 0-11

Glen Emmets saw their fine run of form continue as they collected another crucial Division 2B victory, this time at home to the Oliver Plunketts on Saturday evening.

The win sees the Tullyallen move to 14 points in the table, three clear of three sides who are currently level at the foot of the league.

Both sides went into the game desperate for the points that would significantly improve their hopes of avoiding the drop, and the high stakes contributed to a very cagey first half.

At half time, the game remained very much in the balance with the hosts just edging things as they went in for the break with a 0-6 to 0-4 advantage.

However, it was a different story in the second period as the Glen Emmets picked up the pace and began to dominate. After Darragh Russell pounced for the first goal of the game, Jacob Morgan added a second to guide their team to a vital win.

Glen Emmets: Ian O'Reilly 0-1; Evan English, Keith Boylan, Emmet Delaney; Cian Talbot, Cathal Maguire, Callum Wogan; James Butler 0-5 (2 x 2p), Andrew Mooney; Eoghan Maguire, Kealan O'Neill 0-6 (2p), James Breen;  Jacob Morgan 1-3, Danny Grimes 0-2, Darragh Russell 0-1.

Subs: Keefer Carolan for J Breen, Ronan Grufferty for D Russell, Alex Carolan for D Grimes, Paddy McHugh for K Carolan, Lorcan Lynch for J Morgan.

Oliver Plunketts: Luke Haggans; Barry Reynolds, David McTaggart, Ricky Bateson; Adam Lambe, Jamie Byrne, David Lambe; Dean Carolan, Shaun Smith; Ben Boyce, Cian Brady, Adam Smith; Jack Taaffe, Kristian Nolan, Stephen Keeley.

Subs: Niall Murtagh, Gary Keogh, Robbie Brodigan.

Clan na Gael 4-14 St Kevins 1-16

Clan na Gael gave themselves real hope of securing Division 2 survival with a crucial win at home to fellow strugglers St Kevins on Saturday evening.

In a further blow to the Philipstown side, results elsewhere meant that they have dropped to the bottom of the table ahead of the final round of fixtures this weekend.

It promises to be a very tense battle with St Kevins, Clans and Oliver Plunketts level at the foot of the table on 11 points, while O Raghallaighs are just one clear point behind.

The Clans went into the game three points adrift but responded well to the challenge with a solid display. Having led by 2-6 to 1-4 at the break, the Dundalk men maintained their advantage in a high-scoring second half.

Clan na Gael: Sean Smyth; Craig Callan, Paul Crewe, Conor Smith; Conall McKeever, Conor Noonan, Craig Long; Gerard Curran, Jack Callan; Michael McDonnell, Liam O’Hanlon, Gavin Gaffey; Sean O’Hanlon, Shay Coleman, Billy Smith.

Subs: John Byrne for G Gaffey, Robbie Curran for M McDonnell, Brian McDonnell for G Curran, Shane Carroll for C Long.