Mals spring a surprise to send Naps to second league defeat

Division 3A

Naomh Malachi 1-12 Na Piarsaigh 0-5

Naomh Malachi scored a surprise Division 3A victory over Na Piarsaigh at Courtbane on Sunday morning.

The Dundalk men made the trip with expectations of maintaining their push for league honours, but on the day they were unable to match a very impressive Malachi’s outfit.

The wind made it very difficult for both sides to play, but it was the Malachi’s who got the first point and it was 16 minutes on the clock before Naps scored their opening point, a free converted by Alan McCartney.

This score prompted Na Piarsaigh and the visitors scored three more points in quick succession to go in at half-time leading 0-4 to 0-1.

The second half started with a gale blowing and Naomh Malachi made use of the wind at their backs to outscore the Dundalk side who only scored one point in the second half. The all-important goal for the home side came from Jack Kirwan.

Naomh Malachi: Christopher McCaughley; Stephen Burns, David Rogers, Conor Begley; Donal Mulholland, David Begley, Aaron Mulholland; Jack Kirwan, Mark Meegan; Jamie Kelly, Ronan Greene, Donal Begley; Ronan McElroy, Pádraig Moley, Colin Rooney

Subs: Keelan Conlon, Paul Gogarty, Shane Rogers, Colin Hoey, Liam McCann, Pierce Caherty, Emmet Mullen.

Na Piarsaigh: Adam Molloy; Stephen McGuinness, Ronan McCartney, Fergal Mulholland; Shane Roddy, Gerard Smyth, Joe Woods; Jarlath Lyons, David Egan; Eamonn McAuley (0-2), Michael Woods (0-1), Tommy Muckian; Seán McAuley, Alan McCartney (0-1), David Boyle (0-1)

Subs: Stephen Arrowsmith, Robert Murphy, Gerry Scanlon, Mark Larkin, Aidan Marks