Louth GAA club | Division Three round-up
O’Connells are crowned John O’Neill Sand and Gravel Louth GAA Division Three League champions
O’Connells 2-17 Nh Malachi 2-10
O’Connells were crowned Louth GAA John O’Neill Sand and Gravel Division Three League champions after holding off the challenge of Nh Malachi in their final game on Friday night at The Grove.
The hosts came out of the blocks firing, hitting 1-3 in the first ten minutes to establish an early advantage. Two points from Robert Quigley and a goal and point for Niall Conlon set the tone for what was a great game of football.
Naomh Malachi were there to do more than just make up the numbers, however, answering back with 1-1 of their own to cut the O’Connell’s lead to two.
Another Robert Quigley point and an effort from Jackie Agnew left O’Connell’s four points up at the water break on a blistering hot evening for football.
Two points from Robert Quigley and one from Niall Conlon did little to settle any nerves the home fans had, with the visitors hitting 1-3 to head into the half-time break only a point behind, at 1-8 to 2-4.
Conor Nicholson and Sean Rooney scored the goals for the visitors. O’Connell’s came out of the interval in fine form, with Niall Conlon and Robert Quigley bagging a score each along with substitute Cian Geeney.
The visitors would hit back with two scores of their own before another Niall Conlon point was followed by a goal from Justin Cooney.
Three more points from Robert Quigley, along with a brace from Bernard Osborne, were enough as O’Connell’s came away seven-point winners.
O’Connell’s: Johnathan Brennan; Joshua Horwell, Jack McGeough, Adam Flynn; Emmet Byrne, Conor Culligan, Conall Clerkin, Cailum Woods, Sean Cairns; Jackie Agnew (0-1), Robert Quigley (0-9), Rian McKeever; Bernard Osborne (0-2), Niall Conlon (1-4), Justin Cooney (1-0).
Subs: Cian Geeney (0-1) for R McKeever, Harry Kierans for C Clerkin.
Naomh Malachi: Dylan Rooney; Shea Burns, Lee McShane, Sean Rooney (1-2); Dàithì Conway, Jamie Kelly (0-2), Donal Begley; Kevin McShane, Joey Hearty; Darren Clarke, Jason Clarke, Andrew Begley (0-1); Paul Burke, Conor Nicholson (1-5), Matty Campbell.
Sub: Jack Fagan for K McShane.
Naomh Fionnbarra 2-22 Westerns 0-11
Naomh Fionnbarra confirmed a second-place finish in Division 3 with a comfortable win away to Westerns on Friday night.
The first half was tit-for-tat, with the lead changing hands no fewer than seven times. The Westerns had the aid of a slight breeze and turned in a good display as they went in at the break level at eight points each.
The score of the half came from Barr's full back Ronan Callaghan, who won a turnover in his own full back line and broke at pace before firing over.
The Barrs finally showed their potential with a high work rate and clinical scoring in the second half as they outplayed the Reaghstown men and outscored them by 2-14 to 0-3.
Stephen O’Reilly and Ciarán Markey found the net to complete the win, while Jack Murtagh finished with seven points, Jack Butterly added three, and James Markey came off the bench to land three points.
Naomh Fionnbarra: Fionn McQuillan; Máirtín Murphy, Ronan Callaghan (0-1), Adam Kirwan; Chris McGlynn (0-1), Josh Crosbie, Sean Boyle; Matthew O’Reilly (0-1), Rory Smith (0-1); Jack Butterly (0-3), Hugh Osborne, Pádraig Butterly (0-1); Jack Murtagh (0-7), Stephen O’Reilly (1-1), Ciarán Markey (1-2).
Subs: Cillian McQuillan 0-1 for H Osborne, Andrew O’Reilly for P Butterly, Stephen Doyle for M Murphy, James Markey 0-3 for J Murtagh, Jake Young for A Kirwan.
Clan na Gael 6-10 Cuchulainn Gaels 0-13
Clan na Gael finished the season with a big win, but in the end it was only good enough to secure third place in the Division 3 table, behind champions O’Connells and Naomh Fionnbarra.
The Dundalk men fired in three goals in each half as they dominated from the outset and saw Liam O’Hanlon finish top scorer with 2-4 to his name.
The hosts were quick off the mark with early points from Sean O’Hanlon and Billy Smith before O’Hanlon struck the first of his two goals. Before the break, Smith and Craig Long also found the net to send their team in with a 3-5 to 0-5 lead.
Just after the restart, O’Hanlon added his second of the night while Lee O’Carroll and Conor Smith added further three-pointers to complete the win.
Clan na Gael: Sean Smith; Conor Smith 1-0, Lee O’Carroll, Ellis O’Carroll; Aodhan Kirk 0-1, Micheal McDonald, Craig Long 1-0; Gerry Curran, Stephen Coleman; Mickey Doyle, Sean O’Hanlon 0-1, Farouq Ibrahim 0-1; Shane Carroll 0-1, Billy Smith 1-1, Liam O’Hanlon 2-4.
Subs: J Callan for C Long, C Noonan for L O’Hanlon, M McKenna for S Smith, G Gaffey for S Carroll.
Wolfe Tones 1-2 Sean McDermotts 0-6
Wolfe Tones finished the Division 3 campaign on a winning note as they brushed aside the challenge of Sean McDermotts in Drogheda on Friday night.
Victory confirmed the Tones finished in fourth place in the table, and they can now look forward to a meeting with Clan na Gael in the play-offs.
The Drogheda men were on top from the outset, and a goal from Conor Farrell completed a comfortable evening. That goal came in the opening half as the Tones laid strong foundations with a 1-13 to 0-4 lead at the break.
Chris Cudden, Mark Healy, Sam Kelly and Garrett Cooney were among the points for the Tones, while Kevin McMahon, Emmet Duffy and Nathan Commins accounted for the Seans’ scores.
Wolfe Tones: Seán McMahon; Shane Leslie 0-1, Garrett Cooney 0-2, Alan Fanning; Sam Kelly 0-2, Dean Haggins, Sean McQuail 0-1; Mark Healy 0-2, Rhys McGovern 0-2; Dwayne Leavy 0-1, Davy Bolger 0-1, Taidgh Rock 0-1; Conor Farrell 1-0, Chris Cudden 0-4, Lorcan Mallon 0-1.
Subs: Sean Flanagan for S McQuail, Alan Wilton for C Farrell, Niall Smith for A Wilton.
Sean McDermotts: Finbar Moran; Luke Hoey, Ian Corbally, Conor Walsh; Sean Martin, Sean McMahon, Dean Tuite; Emmet Duffy 0-2, David McArdle; Ian McDonald, Kevin McMahon 0-3, Cian Martin; Nathan Commins 0-1, Cormac Walsh, David O’Neill.
Subs: Jack Martin for N Commins, Nathan Commins for C Martin, Cian Martin for J Melia, J Melia for I McDonald, Ian McDonald for C Walsh.
Glyde Rangers 0-13 St Nicholas 1-6
Glyde Rangers finished the season with a four-point win at home to St Nicholas, but the real story of the night was the Drogheda side’s fortunes from the penalty spot.
The visitors were awarded three spot kicks over the hour but failed to convert any of them as they hit the post, hit the crossbar and saw another saved by goalkeeper David Brennan.
Despite those misses, the Nicks were in the game throughout, and a goal from Oisin O’Malley saw them go in at the break level at 1-3 to 0-6.
However, the second half saw Glyde gradually take a grip on proceedings with Oisin Crosbie taking his tally to seven, while sub Ciaran Sheridan landed four points. Con Sheehan kicked three points for the Drogheda men, while Aaron Flanagan was always on the mark.
Glyde Rangers: David Brennan; Shane Mullany, Ged Bourton, Conor Robinson; Oisin Reenan, Jack McKeever, Tadgh Kellett 0-1; Adam Sweeney, Oisin Lynch; Leigh Byrne, Aaron Devlin, Olan Crosbie 0-7; Shane Byrne, Conor McAuley, Cormac Lundon 0-1.
Subs: Ciaran Sheridan 0-4 for C McCauley, Liam Gallagher for A Devlin, Mark McKeever for Oisin Reenan, Conor McCauley for L Byrne.
St Nicholas: Declan Heeney; Alex Jordan, Donal Carr, Aaron Flanagan (0-1); Caebhan Housidari, Roy Kierans, Dylan Brogan; Sam Reilly, Ruairí Hanlon; Con Sheehan (0-3), Shane Downey, Leo Quinn (0-1); Fionn Meagher, Lee Kavanagh, Oisin O'Malley (1-1).
Subs: Cian Flynn for S Reilly, Senan Meagher for L Quinn, Paudi Downey for R Hanlon, Stevie Finnegan for A Jordan.
Annaghminnon Rovers 2-14 Lannleire 1-13
Annaghminnon Rovers finished the season on a high with two wins inside a week against Cuchulainn Gaels and Lannleire.
Goals from Dwayne Markey and Tony Brennan saw the hosts come out on top and see Lannleire’s difficulties continue. However, despite the loss, the Dunleer men can look forward to a play-off with Nh Fionnbarra.
In what proved to be a lively contest, there was little to choose between the teams, but Darragh Malone found the net to put his side 1-7 to 0-9 ahead at the break.
It remained tight in the second half on a night when Bob Murphy, Conor Dunne and Mark Grogan were on the mark for Lannleire. However, a late goal from Tony Brennan settled the issue, while James O’Connor, Rory Phelan and Aidan Lee Martin were on target.
Annaghminnon Rovers: Shane Grimes; Chris Connolly, Ryan Cash, Richie Ashfield; Kyle Martin, Nathan Buckley, Fergal Markey; Conor Russell 0-1, Colin Campbell; Dwayne Markey 1-4, Rory Phelan 0-4, Michael Marron; Aidan Lee Martin 0-2, Ciaran O’Reilly, James O’Connor 0-2.
Subs: Tony Brennan 1-1, Tiernan O’Brien.
Lannleire: Liam Callan; Michael O’Hare, Paul Doyle, Aaron McArdle; Killian Gregory (0-3), Alex Carroll, Jack O'Connor; Kyle Van Rhijn, Mark Grogan (0-2, 2p); Darragh Malone (1-3, 2p), Cian Kearney, Mark Dunne; Ryan McArdle, Bob Murphy (0-3), Conor Dunne (0-2).
Subs: Brendan Cassidy for M Dunne, Rory Dunne for C Kearney, Luke Reilly for C Dunne.
Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock 3-20 Dowdallshill 0-6
Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock completed their Division 3 campaign with a win at home to neighbours Dowdallshill on Friday night.
It was the second time inside five days that the Naps posted a big score, having accounted for Nh Malachi in midweek.
Ciaran Murphy was in good form for the winners as he bagged 2-4 over the hour, while Matty McLoon also found the net. Meanwhile, Robbie Murphy and Jamie Fealy finished with four points apiece, while Oisin Woods and Michael Woods had two points each.
Cathal Byrne top-scored for the Hill with three points, while Stephen Murray, Ciaran Kilcaby and Justin Halley were also on target.
Na Piarsaigh/Blackrock: David Boyle; Eoin Farrell, Ronan McCartney, Joe Woods; Jarlath Lyons, Darren McElhinney, Tommy Muckian; Shane Roddy, Conal Myles; Ciaran Murphy 2-4, Matty McLoon 1-4, Oisin Woods 0-2; Robbie Murphy 0-4, Jamie Fealy 0-4, Michael Woods 0-2.
Subs: John Galligan, Chris Kellet.
Dowdallshill: Chris Mullen; Stephen King, Emmet O’Brien, Stephen Traynor; Donal Magennis, Stephen Murray 0-1, Kevin McGonagle; Justin Halley 0-1, Paudie Murray; Ciaran Kilcavy 0-1, Cathal Byrne 0-3, Cian Kierans; Eoin O’Hare, Paul Flynn, Thomas McKenny.
Subs: Eddie Lapkins for S Traynor, Chris Boyle for E O’Hare.