Louth GAA club | St Mochta's book place in SFC quarter-finals
Hunterstown Rovers 0-7 St Mochta’s 1-15
St Mochta’s produced a superb second-half display to defeat Hunterstown Rovers by 11 points at Cullen Autoparts Louth GAA Training Centre, Darver and secure their place in the Louth GAA Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship quarter-final.
The Louth Village men went into the game on Sunday night knowing they had to win by at least six points to leapfrog Hunterstown and advance from Group Two.
Hunterstown could afford to lose by five after their impressive victory over St Mary’s, but their championship hopes were ended by a strong Mochtas finish.
Mochtas played with a slight breeze in the opening half but struggled for accuracy early on, registering a number of wides. James Russell eventually opened the scoring for Hunterstown after six minutes, before Louth’s Ciaran Byrne levelled four minutes later.
Ciaran Russell then put Hunterstown back in front Almost immediately, Danny Kindlon scored the only goal of the game when he fired low and hard beyond Donovan Sheridan to give Mochtas a two-point lead.
Jamie Farrell followed with a fine point from the right, but Hunterstown refused to let Mochtas get away from them. Captain Ryan Burns pointed after a lay-off from his brother Dean before adding another score to reduce the deficit to one point.
Gerry Garland then landed a lovely two-pointer off his left foot to push Mochtas three clear.R. Burns converted a 45 before the break to leave St Mochtas ahead by two points at half-time.
Half time: Hunterstown Rovers 0-5 St. Mochtas 1-4
Conditions deteriorated after the restart as heavy rain swept across Darver, but it was the Louth Village side who took control. Lennon opened the second-half scoring before Declan Byrne, and Lennon again stretched their advantage.
Hunterstown had chances but several efforts drifted wide before substitute Ryan Ward finally ended their scoring drought in the 43rd minute.
Lennon replied for Mochtas, although a superb Dean Burns point left only four between the teams with 12 minutes remaining.
Then came the vital score which changed the complexion of the group as Declan Byrne stepped up and landed an excellent two-pointer to give Mochtas the six-point advantage they needed to progress.
Declan Byrne quickly added a close-range free to move his side seven clear, and Hunterstown were unable to find a response.
The former Louth player continued to punish them from placed balls, while Lennon remained a constant threat as Mochtas finished with real authority.
Declan Byrne converted another free in the 59th minute before Lennon pushed the lead further out. Ciaran Byrne then landed his second point of the evening, and Declan Byrne completed the scoring from another free as Mochtas ran out convincing winners.
It was an impressive response from St Mochta’s following their previous-round defeat to St Mary’s.
Their second-half performance was inspired by Declan Byrne and Shane Lennon, who stepped up when it was needed and advance to the last eight of the Joe Ward Cup.
Hunterstown’s excellent win over Ardee was in vain, and they now face a relegation play-off after a difficult night in which their wides proved costly.
Full time: Hunterstown Rovers 0-7 St Mochta’s 1-15
Hunterstown Rovers scorers: Ryan Burns 0-3 (1‘45), James Russell 0-1, Ciaran Russell 0-1, Ryan Ward 0-1, Dean Burns 0-1.
St Mochta’s scorers: Declan Byrne 0-6 (1tp, 3f), Shane Lennon 0-4, Danny Kindlon 1-0, Ciaran Byrne 0-2, Gerry Garland 0-2 (tp), Jamie Farrell 0-1.
Hunterstown Rovers: Donovan Sheridan; Euan Woodlock, Patrick Taaffe, Daithi Carroll; Cillian Taaffe, Michael Reid, James Rogers; Jason Monaghan, James Russell; Colm Murphy, Ciaran Russell, Tony McKenna; Dean Burns, Jamie O’Callaghan, Ryan Burns (c).
Subs: Ryan Ward on for Tony McKenna (40’), Aaron Levins on for Ciaran Russell (40’), Sam Scott on for Patrick Taaffe (57’), Ciaran Russell on for Ryan Burns (57’).
St Mochta’s: Daire O’Shea; Conall Kierans, Ben Goss-Kieran, Andrew Lennon; Dylan Farrell, Oisin Callan, Conor Garland; Sean Flynn, Darren McMahon (c); Danny Kindlon, Declan Byrne, Gerry Garland; Shane Lennon, Ciaran Byrne, Jamie Farrell.
Subs: Cormac Smyth on for Jamie Farrell (HT), Daniel Craven on for Oisin Callan (HT), Philly Englishby on for Dylan Farrell (48’), Sean Marron on for Danny Kindlon (51’).
Referee: Ultan McElroy (Kilkerley Emmets).