Louth GAA club | Intermediate Football Championship round-up

St Brides 3-13 Geraldines 0-13

St Brides produced a fine team performance to see off neighbours Geraldines and get their Intermediate Championship campaign off to a winning start at Darver on Friday night.

Goals either side of the break from Andrew Smyth did the damage for the Knockbridge men before a late Morgan Tobin three-pointer put the Group 3 game beyond doubt.

The Gers entered the game as slight favourites but it was the Division 2 side that got off to a flying start with two-pointers from Sean Marry and Kieran McArdle helping them to lead by 0-5 to no score before Michael Rogers got the Haggarsdtown side on the scoreboard.

The Geraldines rallied and scores from Jim McEneaney, David O’Connell, Danny Nordon and Beanon Corrigan saw them move 0-8 to 0-7 in front. However, Smyth pounced for his first goal to send his side in with a 1-7 to 0-9 lead.

Nordon and McEneaney edged the Gers in front but Smyth’s second goal on 36 minutes turned the game back in his side’s favour.

Donal McArdle and Marry kept their side in control as the McGeough Park men failed to find a response, and the victory was sealed when Tobin found the net in the closing minutes.

St Brides: Aaron Devin; Stephen Hoey, Cillian Kirk, Robert McCaughey; Ruairí Carpenter, Bernard Laverty, Ross Murnaghan; Paddy Reilly, James Costelloe; Donal McArdle 0-2, Andrew Smyth 2-0, Morgan Tobin 1-0; Kieran McArdle 0-5, Sean Marry 0-5, Senan Hoey 0-1.

Subs: Neil Thornton for R Murnaghan, Nathan Kirk for D McArdle, Paraic Rutledge for S Hoey, Matthew Kerr for A Smyth.

Geraldines: Cian O’Donoghue; Tiarnan Hand, Finn Madine, Jack McGailey; John McCrohan, Gareth Neacy, Thomas McNamara; Beanon Corrigan 0-2, Michael Rogers 0-4; Josh Arrowsmith, James Craven, Darragh Burke; Danny Nordon 0-3, Jim McEneaney 0-2, David O’Connell 0-2.

Subs: Jamie Callan for J McCrohan, Eoin McDonnell for J Arrowsmith, Sean McKenna for J McEneaney.

O’Raghallaighs 1-20 Glen Emmets 2-11

O Raghallaighs got their Intermediate Championship campaign off to a flying start with a six-point win over Glen Emmets at Darver on Saturday evening.

The Group 1 victory was based on a starring role from Ruairi Moore whose ten points included four orange flags, while Kyle McElroy was also in fine form as he finished with 1-5.

The North Road side conceded the opening two points to Keefer Carolan and Callum Wogan but McElroy pulled back a point and then added a goal when he fired home the rebound after his penalty had been saved.

James Butler got is side back in the game with a two-pointer only for Ruairi Moore to reply with three orange flags as his side opened up a 1-10 to 0-6 gap after 25 minutes.

The Tullyallen men came storming back with two goals from Kealan O’Neill in quick succession to level the game. Just before the short whistle, Ben Rogan pointed to put the Raghs 1-11 to 2-7 ahead at half time.

The Drogheda outfit turned the screw at the start of the second half as points from Moore (2) and Ben Rogan saw them restore their six point lead, 1-18 to 2-9, with James Butler hitting two points in reply for the Emmets after 50 minutes.

Despite losing Olan Walsh to a red card and Stephen Murphy to a black card in the closing stages, the O Raghallaighs remained on top and sealed victory with points from Moore and McElroy.

O’Raghallaighs: Connor Brown; Conor Higgins, Steven Murphy, Joe Meehan; Harry Devitt, Conor McGinty, Olan Walsh; Eoin Moore, Daniel Reilly; Barry Finnegan, Kyle McElroy 1-5, Ruairi Moore 0-10 (4x2p); Joshua Moore 0-1, John Horan 0-1, Ben Rogan 0-3.

Subs: Senan McGinty for B Finnegan, Ben Smyth for J Horan.

Glen Emmets: Ian O'Reilly 0-2 (2p); Shane Curtis, Keith Boylan, Evan English; Ronan Carr, Cathal Maguire, Callum Wogan 0-2; Andrew Mooney, Cian Talbot; Darragh Russell, James Butler 0-5 (2p), Conor Wogan; Lorcan Lynch, Kealan O'Neill 2-0, Keefer Carolan 0-2.

Subs: Robbie Byrne for D Russell, Aaron Kelly for E English, Diarmuid Cullen for A Mooney, Ronan Grufferty for C Wogan.

Mattock Rangers 1-12 St Kevins 0-13

A Sean Flynn goal proved to be the difference between the sides as Mattock Rangers began their Intermediate Championship campaign with victory over St Kevins at Ardee on Sunday afternoon.

In a game where there was little to choose between the teams over the course of the hour, the Collon side held off a late rally to seize the early initiative in Group 4.

This was certainly a slow burner as it took Mattock until the seventh minute for Liam Flynn to cancel out Cameron Maher’s opener.

Lee Crosbie and Maher opened up a two-point gap but Mattock regained the lead in the 23rd minute when Flynn grabbed the only goal of the game.

Rob Holmes kept Mattock in front coming up to the half time break but it was Cian Callan who had the final say as he landed a two-pointer to send the teams in level at 1-3 to 0-6.

It remained tight after the restart as the sides shared the next four points, but Mattock made the decisive move when Holmes and Tom Grimes opened up a two-point gap which was doubled when a Ben McKenna orange flag made it 1-9 to 0-8 entering the final quarter.

Jack Thompson added to the lead and although St Kevins rallied with another Callan two-pointer and efforts from Finn Carter and Lee Crosbie, late points from Finn Carter and Ben Waters ensured they held out for the win.

Mattock Rangers: Stephen Smith; Rian Hickey, Shane Maguire, Ben Quaile; Ben Watters 0-1, Terry Donegan Tom Grimes 0-2; Rob Holmes 0-2, Jason Condon; Liam Flynn 0-2, Ben McKenna 0-2, Jack Thompson 0-1; Sean Flynn 1-0, Oisín McKenna, Cathal Fleming 0-1.

Subs: Adrian Reid 0-1, Daire Englishby.

St Kevins: Danny Crosbie; Niall Gregory, John Callaghan, Keelan Maher; Donnacha Boylan, Cameron Maher 0-2 (2p), Darren McMullen; Finn Carter 0-1, Evan Maher 0-2 (2p); Robbie Mathews, Shane Meade, TJ Doheny 0-1; Tom Mathews, Lee Crosbie 0-3, Cian Callan 0-4 (2x2p).

Subs: Jacob Finlay for T Mathews, Brian Callaghan for R Mathews, Liam McGee for D Boylan.

Wolfe Tones 2-13 Oliver Plunketts 0-16

Wolfe Tones produced an excellent display at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday afternoon to claim the scalp of neighbours Oliver Plunketts in Group 2 of the Intermediate Championship.

In an entertaining derby it was the Tones who came out on top by three points and avenge some recent defeats at the hands of the Mell outfit.

While it was a fine team effort overall, Chris Cudden led the way in terms of scoring as his tally of 1-8 ensured that his side are in a strong position to qualify for the knock-out stages.

Sean McQuail also raised a green flag for the winners while Eoghan Brennan and Davy Bolger contributed two points apiece, with Sam Kelly also on the scoreboard.

Kristian Nolan did his best to keep the Plunketts in the game as he finished with five points, while Adam Lambe raised two orange flags. Adam Smith and Stephen Keeley were also on the mark but it wasn’t enough to rescue their side.

Wolfe Tones: Sean McMahon; Niall Smith, Garrett Cooney, Shane Leslie; Sam Kelly 0-1, Killian McLoughlan, Sean Flanagan; Rhys McGovern, Mark Healy; Sean McQuail 1-0, Davy Bolger 0-2, Taidhg Rock; Eoghan Brennan 0-2, Chris Cudden 1-8, Dwayne Leavy.

Subs: Alan Wilton, Dean Haggins, Alan Fanning.

Oliver Plunketts: Daire Moore; Ricky Bateson, David McTeggart, Gary Keogh; Barry Reynolds 0-1, Adam Lambe 0-4 (2x2p), Jack Boyce; Shaun Smith, Robbie Brodigan; Niall Murtagh, Adam Smith 0-3, Sean Callaghan; Ben Boyce, Stephen Keeley 0-2, Kristian Nolan 0-5.

Subs: Cillian Smith for G Keogh, Adam O’Connor for R Bateson, Killian Nolan 0-1 for J Boyce, David Lambe for N Murtagh, Dean Carolan for B Boyce.