Louth GAA club | Kilkerley get IFC campaign off to winning ways

Kilkerley Emmets opened their Louth GAA Intermediate Championship campaign with a victory at Hunterstown on Friday evening, but only after being pushed all the way by the Wolfe Tones.

The Emmets looked to be cruising to victory when they led by six points at the break, but had to survive a determined rally from the Drogheda men before they secured victory thanks to a late Micheal Begley point.

The Tones travelled in a confident mood after their opening round victory in Group 2 and were first off the mark when Alan Wilton hit the target.

However, Donal McElroy’s charges soon found their rhythm and levelled through Tadhg McEneaney before Begley, Conor Quigley, Kieran Murtagh and McEneaney again, had their side leading by 0-5 to 0-1.

Chris Cudden pulled one back for the Tones, but they couldn’t get a foothold in the game and Kilkerley tightened their grip when Conal Brady’s point was followed by the only goal of the game from McEneaney.

Sean McQuail had the final say of the half to cut the gap to 1-6 to 0-3. The Drogheda side came out fighting in the second half and signalled their intentions with a two-pointer free from Eoghan Brennan.

Although that score was cancelled out by Fintan and Conal Brady, the Tones refused to lie down and hit back in style.

A Johnny Woods point was followed by two Chris Cudden frees to cut the gap to three points, and when Brennan raised another orange flag, it was very much game on.

However, Kilkerley held their nerve in the closing stages and Begley’s point put an end to the Tones' comeback.

Kilkerley Emmets: Callum Mulholland; Cormac Bellew, Patrick Murtagh, Cillian Mulligan; Ronan Deery, Kieran Murtagh 0-1, Conal Brady 0-2; Michael Begley 0-2, Ciaran Bellew; Oran McMahon, Tadhg McEneaney 1-2, Fintan Brady; Ultan McEneaney, Cathal Bellew 0-1, Conor Quigley 0-1.

Subs: Finann Crawley for Cathal Bellew; Ciaran McGlynn for Ciaran Bellew; Fionn Cumisley for C Quigley; Rian Hand for R Deery.

Wolfe Tones: Sean McMahon; Shane Leslie, Garrett Cooney, Dean Haggins; Sam Kelly, Rhys McGovern, Sean McQuail 0-1; Mark Healy, Alan Wilton 0-1; Tadhg Rock, David Bolger, Sean Flanagan; Dwayne Leavy, Chris Cudden 0-3, Eoghan Brennan 0-4 (2x2p).

Subs: Patrick Fanning, Alan Fanning, Johnny Woods 0-1, Niall Smith.