Louth GAA club | St. Mochtas secure SFC status with victory over the Joes

St. Mochtas secured their senior status for another season with a six-point win over St. Josephs in the Anchor Tours Louth Senior Football Championship play-off semi-final at a cold Darver on Friday night.

In what was a repeat clash of the John O’Neill Sand and Gravel Division 1 final back in August, the Joes pushed hard, particularly after the break, but three Mochtas goals ultimately proved too much to overcome.

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The tone of the evening was set inside the opening seconds when Dylan Farrell slotted over to give the Villagers an immediate lead.

However, the Dromiskin men were quick to respond, with Conal Smyth firing over after fine link play from Pearse Grimes-Murphy, with Conal McCaul adding another soon after.

But if the Joes shaded the opening exchanges, Mochtas’ ruthlessness in front of goal soon swung the contest.

Declan Byrne and Seán Flynn restored parity and the lead before Daire Quinn struck for the game’s opening goal on seven minutes when he rattled the net from close range after excellent work from Jamie Farrell.

Farrell himself then raised a green flag two minutes later with Declan Byrne this time the provider, and suddenly Mochtas had daylight. The Joes, to their credit, responded with spirit.

Smyth was proving a constant threat, clipping over scores either side of a smart finish from Oisin McGuinness, and they gradually cut into the deficit.

But Declan Byrne was equally sharp as he tagged on three points before the break to ensure Mochtas carried a five-point advantage into half-time.

Half time: St. Mochtas 2-6 St. Josephs 0-7

If the first half belonged to Mochtas, the early stages of the second were dominated by the Joes as McCaul, Collier, and Gabriel Bell all pointed in quick succession to reduce the margin to just three.

Suddenly, the momentum had shifted as the Joes’ forwards finally began to convert pressure into scores.

Yet once again, the Louth Village outfit had the answers when Quinn settled the nerves with a well-taken point, before Declan Byrne added another from a free.

Mochtas re-established a four-point cushion when Shane Lennon’s effort was tipped over by Joes' goalkeeper Shane Barron. 

McCaul clipped over a free, and Smyth added two in quick succession to bring it a two-point game with just minutes left. But just as in the first half, Mochtas’ ability to find the net proved decisive.

With time ticking down, county star Craig Lennon slipped a perfectly timed ball through to Jamie Farrell, who made no mistake with a clinical finish for his second goal of the evening and his side’s third overall.

It was the killer blow, extinguishing any hopes of a late Joes comeback. A flare-up in the closing minutes saw Joes defender Killian Staunton dismissed on a second yellow, while boss Wayne McKeever was also cautioned after the melee.

But once the dust settled, Craig Lennon had the final say as he coolly stroked over a point to seal a six-point win. It is relief for the Mochtas, who once again proved that goals win games.

However, the Joes will now prepare for a relegation play-off final as their senior status hangs in the balance.

Full time: St. Mochtas 3-11 St. Josephs 0-14.

St. Mochtas: Diare O'Shea; Dylan Farrell (0-1), Ben Goss-Kieran, Liam Lawlor; Oisin Callan, Andrew English (jc), Jamie Farrell (2-0); Conor Garland, Seán Flynn (0-1); Shane Lennon (0-2), Gerry Garland, Craig Lennon (0-1); Daire Quinn (1-1, 0-1 45'), Declan Byrne (jc) (0-5, 2f), Ciarán Byrne.

Subs: Cormac Smyth on for Andrew English (22'), Conor Garland on for Liam Lawlor (47'), Liam O'Flaherty on for Daire Quinn (61').

St. Josephs: Shane Barron; Rian Devlin, David Kieran (jc), Ciarán Johnson; Ben McKeown, Cormac McKeown, Killian Staunton; Gabriel Bell (0-1), Conal McCaul (0-3, 1f); Oisin McGuinness (0-2, 1f), Craig Doherty, Pearse Grimes-Murphy; Conal Smyth (0-6), Ben Collier (jc) (0-2, 1f), Alan Quigley.

Subs: Conor Neary on for Alan Quigley (HT).

Referee: Stephen Fitzpatrick (Clan na Gael).