Louth GAA club | Blues book their place in SFC semi-final

Newtown Blues served up another reminder that they have not gone away as far as the race for Joe Ward is concerned, as they booked their place in the last four of the Louth GAA SFC following this win over St Patrick’s in Darver on Sunday evening last.

The Drogheda side finished strongly, emerging from Darver with six points to spare, having trailed the Pats by four points in the second half. The Pats moved ball through the hands impressively, scoring 1-6 from turnovers in the first half.

However, key players once again stepped up for the Blues, Andy McDonnell producing heroics at both ends of the field to ensure his side came out on top. Alongside Conor Branigan, McDonnell finished with 31 possessions.

Two minutes into the game, a free outside the arc from Pats keeper Martin McEneaney hit the woodwork, a Tadgh O’Connor reacted quickest to slot to the Blues net from close range to give the Pats the perfect start.

The Pats will rue spurning several presentable goal chances as well. They moved the ball sharply, mostly through the hands, with Eoin O’Connor, Ciaran Murphy and Michael O’Shaughnessy effective here.

One such move saw Sean Fearon’s goal bound attempt blocked by Blues’ Liam Branigan, before Tadgh O’Connor later knocked over a point for his side in the same attack. He was on fire at this stage.

The Blues felt their way into the game, and back-to-back points from the highly talented Conor MacCriosta got them on the board.

The Pats quickly restored that four-point lead, thanks to another fine point from Tadgh O’Connor after being set up by Jack Murphy, while the evergreen Aidan McCann also found the range to leave Jamie O’Hare’s side 1-3 to 0-2 ahead by the 11th minute.

The Blues were somewhat under the cosh at this stage, but Andy McDonnell set up Conor MacCriosta for a two pointer which was eventually awarded by referee Paul Kneel after consulting with his linesman.

The resultant kickout was collected by Blues’ Brian Kermode, before Andy McDonnell again turned provider for Ewan Hoban to race away from his marker before kicking over to leave the Blues just a point in arrears by the end of the first quarter at 1-3 to 0-5.

When breaking down Blues’ attacks, the Pats ran the ball very well, and another move saw Sean Fearon pick out Joe Connor in behind the Blues defence, but his strike was batted away by keeper, Ronan Browne.

A magnificent catch inside his own square from Ciaran Murphy from a wayward Conor Branigan shot, led to another flowing Pats move, which was finished off with a left footed point by Jack Murphy.

Further points from Sean Fearon and Murphy again left the Pats 1-6 to 0-5 ahead after 21 minutes.

Conor MacCriosta got one score back for the Blues, before a Michael O’Shaughnessy two pointer and another Tadgh O’Connor point left the Pats six clear.

But the Blues struck for a key score before the break, when Ciaran Cluskey picked up a loose ball from a Daire Nally effort which had dropped short, before teeing up Andy McDonnell who sent a missile to the top corner to give the Blues the perfect tonic before half time.

The Pats spurned another goal chance, when Blues Alan Connor managed to clear the ball off the goal line to deny Aidan McCann, before Jamie Kelly pointed for the Blues to leave just two between the sides at the break.

Second Half:

From the throw in, Eoin O’Connor who impressed in midfield, fisted over the bar following a fine solo run, while the lively Joe Connor cut inside from the left to kick over, leaving the Pats 1-11 to 1-7 ahead after 33 minutes.

The Blues soon emptied their bench, with Ryan Kelly, Conor Moore and Ciaran Downey all entering the fray.

Conor Branigan and Jamie Kelly points narrowed the gap to two again, before the Blues hit the front for the first time, eight minutes into the second half.

Conor Moore and Andy McDonnell combined for the latter, to find Ross Nally with a fine kick pass. But the forward still had a lot to do as he held off two Pats defenders, before firing to the net, for the Blues’ second goal.

Joe Connor did level things up with a free for the Pats, but the Blues took the game by the scruff of the neck, amassing 0-7 without reply.

Andy McDonnell and Conor MacCriosta put the Blues two ahead, before Ciaran Downey came to the party to leave his side three to the good after 48 minutes.

Downey’s point came about following a wonderful block by Andy McDonnell to deny Pats’ Darren O’Hanlon from close range moments earlier. One of many key moments in this game.

McDonnell and a magnificent two pointer with the outside of the right boot by Downey, stretched the Blues’ lead to six with eight minutes remaining.

Jack Murphy did end the Pats’ wait for a score with a two-pointer free. They kept plugging away, as they brought on Thomas McCann and Rory Duffy from the bench and into the square to try to rescue the game. But they will rue managing 0-4 from 16 second half shots.

The Blues signed off with more points from Jamie Kelly and the outstanding MacCriosta to seal that six-point win for last year’s finalists.

Newtown Blues Scorers: Conor MacCriosta (0-7) (1tp), Andy McDonnell (1-2), Ross Nally (1-0), Ciaran Downey (0-3) (1 tp), Jamie Kelly (0-2), Ewan Hoban, Conor Branigan & Daire Nally (0-1 each).

Newtown Blues: Ronan Browne; Joey Nally, Ciaran Cluskey Kelly, Ian Connor; Liam Branigan, Daire Nally, Ian Connor; Conor Branigan, Brian Kermode; Andy McDonnell Conor MacCriosta, Sean Cummins; Jamie Kelly, Ross Nally, Ewan Hoban.

Subs: Ryan Kelly for Cummins (30), Conor Moore for Kermode (34), Ciaran Downey for Hoban (41), Niall Devlin for Jamie Kelly (58), Colm Judge for Cluskey Kelly (62).

St Patricks Scorers: Tadgh O’Connor (1-3), Jack Murphy (0-4) (1 tpf), Joe Connor (0-2) (1f), Michael O’Shaughnessy (0-2) (1 tp), Sean Fearon, Eoin O’Connor & Aidan McCann (0-1 each).

St Patricks: Martin McEneaney; Sean Holland, Kevin Toner, Conor Grogan; Michael O’Shaughnessy (0-2) (1 tp), Barry Dunne, Leonard Grey; Ciaran Murphy, Eoin O’Connor (0-1); Darren Connor, Jack Murphy (0-4) (1 tpf), Joe Connor (0-2) (1f); Sean Fearon (0-1), Tadgh O’Connor (1-3), Aidan McCann (0-1).

Subs: Darren O’Hanlon for Joe Connor (47), Tommy Keenan for Fearon (54), Tom McCann for Aidan McCann (57), Rory Duffy for Dunne (59).

Referee: Paul Kneel (Kilkerley Emmets).