GAA Round Up | Division 3A & 3B

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3A

OLIVER PLUNKETTS 0-7

O’CONNELLS 0-5

Oliver Plunketts took a big step towards the Division 3A title when they had a two point victory over O’Connells at the Grove on Saturday evening.

In a low scoring scrappy affair that neither team wanted to lose, scores were hard to come by. Indeed, with only 12 scores in the game and only three from play, it explains what kind of game it was.

Conor Culligan opened the scoring with a long range point for the home side and Adam Smith equalised for the visitors with a free a couple of minutes later. A point from Robert Quigley put the Bellingham side in front again but goalkeeper Luke Haggans levelled the game from a free.

Quigley got his side’s third of the game from a mark but a brace of frees from Sean Callaghan saw the Drogheda side go in at the break one in front by 0-4 to 0-3.

Most of the second half was played in the rain but it continued much in the way of the first. Another free from Callaghan put the Plunketts two in front but a free from Quigley brought it back to a one point game again.

Goalkeeper Haggans got his second point of the night from a free after 43 minutes to move two in front again. Niall Conlon got on the scoresheet with a free to leave the score 0-6 to 0-5 with just over ten minutes to go. Substitute Luke Carley put the visitors two in front again and although there was eight minutes to go plus injury time that was the last score of the game. 

O’CONNELLS: John Brennan; Sam Shearman, Conor Byrne, Nathan Carragher; Emmet Byrne, Justin Cooney, Liam Kiernan; Conor Culligan 0-1, Cailum Woods; Jackie Agnew, Niall Conlon 0-1, Harry Kierans; Bernard Osborne, Robert Quigley 0-3, Evan Kearney.

Subs: Sean Geeney for H. Kierans, Dean Stanfield for B. Osborne, Jack McGeough for N. Conlon.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Luke Haggans 0-2; Ricky Bateson, Cillian Matthews, Jamie Byrne; Barry Reynolds, Dean Carolan, David Lambe; Shaun Smith, Stephen Keely; Niall Murtagh, Cian Matthews, Killian Nolan; Adam Smith 0-1, Sean Boyle, Sean Callaghan 0-3.

Subs: Luke Carley 0-1 for S. Boyle, Ben Boyce for N. Murtagh.

GLYDE RANGERS 0-12

NA PIARSAIGH 0-5

Glyde Rangers came out on top in this basement battle with a seven-point victory over Na Piarsaigh at Tallanstown on Saturday.

The Dundalk men made the trip hoping to move above Glyde in the table but the hosts were on top from the outset and ran out comfortable winners. The result leaves the Tallanstown side three points clear of Na Piarsaigh at the foot of the table.

On a night when the hosts had eight different scorers, they had established a 0-5 to 0-2 lead at the interval and increased their stranglehold on the match in the second half as the visitors were unable to sustain any serious challenge.

Killian Scott, Ciaran Sheridan, Oisin Lynch and Sean Devenney all contributed two points each to the victory. At the other end, Jamie Fealy top-scored with a brace for Na Piarsaigh, while Mark O’Hare, Michael Woods and Jonathan Deeney were also on target.

GLYDE RANGERS: David Brennan; Aaron Myles, Lee Finnegan, Fiachre Sheridan 0-1; Killian Scott 0-2, Barry Brennan 0-1, Ged Bourton; Adam Sweeney 0-1, Ciaran Sheridan 0-2; Tadhg Kellett 0-1, Aaron Devlin, Oisin Lynch 0-2; Leigh Byrne, Sean Devenney 0-2, Conor Sheridan.

Subs: Kevin Teather, Pauric Kearney, Oran Matthews.

NA PIARSAIGH: Aidan Marks; John Galligan, Shane Roddy, Eoin Farrell; Tommy Muckian, Joe Woods, Stephen McGuinness; Mark O’Hare 0-1, Ciaran Murphy; Michael Woods 0-1, Fionn Tipping, Jamie Fealy 0-2; James Mahoney, Jarlath Lyons, Robbie O’Hanlon.

Subs: Chris Kellett, Jonathan Deeney 0-1, Gerry Rice, Conall Myles, Darren Muckian.

JOHN MITCHELS 0-13

NH FIONNBARRA 0-7

John Mitchels moved into second place in the Division 3A table thanks to this six-point win over Nh Fionnbarra on Saturday. On a wet evening in Ballygassan, quality was lacking at times due to the conditions with some wayward shooting from both sides.

John Gallagher opened the scoring from play before Andrew Bingham followed suit and got his first of the night. Finbarrs levelled and it remained at two points apiece for several minutes before the Mitchels lifted it and two frees from Gallagher stretched the lead.

Mikey Nulty got his name on the scoresheet with a surging run up the field before Tristan Knowles closed out the first half scoring with a delightful solo dummy and finish. Some brilliant defensive including a sublime diving block by Mitchell Keenan kept the Togher men at bay to leave the half time score at 0-6 to 0-2.

The hosts came to the fore more in the second half as they looked to mount a comeback but were met with a well organised defensive shape by the Mitchels.

Knowles opened the scoring for the visitors followed by a point from a free by Gallagher. Togher responded and found their range to close the gap to three.

The gap remained at three with teams trading scores with Robbie Coyle, Andrew Bingham and Gallagher getting further scores. Some great turnovers, pressing and more diving blocks this time by John Bingham kept Naomh Fionnbarra out and the game was closed out by points from Trevor Matthews and a third by Andrew Bingham.

JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; Barry Kirk, Mitchell Keenan, James Sands; John Bingham, Mikey Nulty (0-1), Aaron Kane; Aaron Keely, Andrew Bingham (0-3); Tristan Knowles (0-2), John Gallagher (0-5), Jamie Durnin; Trevor Matthews (0-1), Stephen Bingham, Alan Mackin.

Subs: Robbie Coyle (0-1) for S Bingham, Liam Devitt for A Keely, Anthony Coyle for A Mackin

NH FIONNBARRA: Fionn McQuillan; Kalum Regan, Colin McGrane, Sean Boyle; Colum Kierans, Stephen Doyle, Dylan Hanratty; Adam Hanratty, Jack Regan; Cormac McArdle 0-3, Conor Osborne, Chris McGlynn; Padraig Butterly 0-2,Thomas McCreesh, Jack Murtagh 0-1.

Subs: James Butterly, Aaron Kearney 0-1, Ciaran Murphy, Mairtín Murphy and Michael McArdle.

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3A League Table

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3A Fixtures

Saturday, 20th July – Round 12

Oliver Plunketts vs. Glyde Rangers – Páirc Oilibhéar Pluincéad – 7PM

John Mitchels vs. O'Connells – Páirc Seán Misteal – 7PM

Na Piarsaigh vs. Naomh Fionnbarra – Páirc An tAthair Ui Dhubhthaigh - 7PM

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3B

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS 1-9

WOLFE TONES 0-10

Annaghminnon Rovers have pushed themselves right into the promotion hunt with a well-earned win at home against Wolfe Tones. Understrength but it didn’t matter a jot to Glenn Burden’s men.

An opening half goal crystallised their explosive start to the key Division 3B tie while Fergal Markey pushed the hosts into the ascendancy as the Tones struggled for parity. A number of wides left the door ajar but Rory Phelan did leave four between the sides at the turn.

Thanks to Darren Weldon, Tones fought back like to find themselves level shortly after the break. But a late push and a flurry of points in the finish pushed Rovers into a crunch game against fellow promotion chasers St. Nicholas this Saturday.

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Ciaran O’Reilly; Christy Connolly, Nathan Buckley, Tomas Byrne; Richie Ashfield, Ronan Byrne, Tony Brennan; Conor Russell, Rory Phelan 0-4; Fergal Markey 1-0, Shane Grimes, Paul McArdle; James O’Connor 0-1, Aidan Lee Martin 0-1, Dwayne Markey 0-2.

Subs: Paul Tierney 0-1, Seamus McConnon, Micheal Marron, Diarmuid Murray.

WOLFE TONES: Alan Sweeney; Danny Byrne, Reece Owens, Rhys McGovern; Liam Gaffney 0-1,  Alan Fanning 0-1, Seán McQuail; Paddy Fanning, Dean Haggins; Kevin Brady, Eoghan Brennan 0-3, Taidhg Rock; Dwayne Leavy, Darren Weldon 0-3, Garrett Cooney.

Subs: Rory Taaffe 0-2 for P Fanning, Cailean Floody for Cooney.

ST NICHOLAS 1-12

CUCHULAINN GAELS 0-6

St. Nicholas continued their recent good form with a win in a rain-soaked Pàirc Naomh Lorcan on Saturday evening over Cuchulainn Gaels. The miserable conditions made for an error filled first half with handling being extremely difficult and the free takers were to the fore.

The home side struck early with two frees from James Sharkey but Nicks keeper Shane Finegan brought the sides level with two dead balls of his own.

A Lee Kavanagh free and two points from play from Dylan Brogan and Roy Kierans pushed the visitors ahead. The Gaels struck back with another free but a Sam Reilly point and a ‘45' from Finegan had the Nicks up by four at the break.

The second half was a better standard from both sides, but a black card for the Nicks midway through the half didn't slow the Karl O’Connor’s sides scoring, with Phillip Kirwan finding the back of the net for the 14 men.

A fine goal line block from corner back Lorcan Downey kept the Nicks clean sheet intact. Another Finegan free and a solo effort from Hayden Quinn had the Drogheda men heading back south of the county top of the table.

ST NICHOLAS: Shane Finegan 0-5; Stephen Finegan, Alex Finegan, Caebhan Housidari; Aaron Flanagan, Ruairí Hanlon, Dylan Brogan 0-1; Sam Reilly 0-1, Cian Flynn; Philip Kirwan 1-1, Fionn Meagher, Hayden Quinn; Brian Carter, Lee Kavanagh 0-1, Roy Kierans 0-1.

Subs: Lorcan Downey for Flynn, Stephen Hodgins for Kavanagh, Kevin Newman for Carter, Josh Byrne for Kierans, Tadgh Martin for Flanagan

CUCHULAINN GAELS: Seamus Quigley; Rowan Mulligan, Seán Brennan, Eamonn Donnelly; Seamus McCabe; Martin Hynes, Peter Morgan 0-1; Larry Brennan 0-1, Rammie Philips; Adam Sharkey, Jamie Molloy, Cian McDonald; James Sharkey 0-4, Mícheál McCabe, Stephen Mullen.

Subs: James Keenan for Mulligan, Eoin McDonald for Mullen, Aaron Donnelly for C McDonald.

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3B League Table

John O’Neill Sand & Gravel Louth Division 3B Fixtures

Saturday, 20th July – Round 13

Wolfe Tones vs. Naomh Malachi – Páirc Bhoilfe Toin – 7PM

Westerns vs. Sean McDermotts – Reaghstown – 7PM

St. Nicholas vs. Annaghminnon Rovers – Jimmy Pentony Park - 7PM