Sheelan Cup Roundup: Four sides left standing in the race for early silverware

Sheelan Cup Quarter Finals 

ST MARYS 0-12 ST FECHINS 0-8

It was the visitors to Páirc Naomh Feichín who put their mark on the game from the off in what was a very one sided first half. The Ardee side raced ahead, clocking up eight unanswered points in the first 20 minutes.  

Forward Caelum Dolan finally got the home side on the scoreboard with a fine point from play followed by another from Harry Haughney but St Marys finished up the half with another point to go in at the break 0-9 to 0-2 ahead.

The second half was a much more keenly contested affair, Niall McDonnell pointed the first of three from placed balls, St Mary's answered with two from play. But Fechins went up a gear and with a few fresh legs made a number of runs at the opposition’s defence, culminating in scores from James McGlew, Neal Hodgins, Harry Haughney and Niall McDonnell (2).

St Fechins had clawed back the deficit to three points with five minutes to go but it was just a step too far and the Mary's added one more from a free in the closing seconds to claim their place in the semi-final.

ST MARYS: James McGillick; Jay Crawley, Conor Keenan, Ben Clarke; Kian Moran, Evan Malone, Carl Gillespie (0-2); Cillian Keenan, Robbie Leavy; Dean Matthews, Paudy Clarke (0-3), Darragh McCoy; Luke Matthews (0-3), Ronan Carroll (0-2), Darren Clarke (0-2). Subs: David Rooney for B Clarke, Conor O’Brien for C Gillespie, Richard Rogers for D McCoy, Caolan O’Callaghan for R Carroll, Nathan Carroll for P Clarke, Michael Szostakowski for R Leavy.

ST FECHINS: Niall McDonnell (0-3); Robert McCarthy, Cian Gorman, Colm O'Neill; Neal Hodgins (0-1), Shane Reilly, Cathal O'Reilly; David Collier, Harry Haughney (0-2); James McGlew (0-1); John O'Connell, Joe Corrigan; Adam Kirwan, Caelum Dolan (0-1), Lee Grifferty. Subs: Alex Smith for C O'Reilly, Brian Devlin for L Grifferty, Eoin Hackett for C O'Neill, Ben Savage for R McCarthy, Evan Dolan for C Dolan, Matthew Burnell for A Kirwan, Cormac Dolan for N McDonnell.

NAOMH MAIRTIN 2-9 KILKERLEY EMMETS 0-10

Two first half goals sent Naomh Mairtin on their way to a last four of the Paddy Sheelan Cup date with Ardee St Mary’s, the first meeting of the sides since the senior championship semi-final. 

Joe McGrane’s first goal provided Declan McCoy’s side the perfect start made from a fantastic Jack Murphy pass. 

Emmets first half points came from Tadhg McEnaney brace, Cormac Mallon and Mícheál Begley and all that good work was wiped out with a second ‘Jocks’ goal from Craig Lynch.

Three second half points from Begley was the bright spark Emmets needed, but the Monasterboice outfit expertly closed out the game at home. Youngster Paul Murphy, son of referee Stephen, impressed with two scores in the win.

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Joe Gordon; Tadhg O’Brien, Thomas Sullivan, Cathal Dorian; Evan Whelan, Jack Murphy (0-1), Paul Murphy (0-2); Val Leddy, Wayne Campbell; Stephen Campbell, Ben Callanan (0-1), Joe McGrane (1-0); Craig Lynch (1-0), Conor Whelan (0-5) Jack Lynch. SUBS: Oisin Gray for C Lynch, Charlie Murphy for P Murphy, Adam Booth-Dorian, Thomas Rooney for McGrane, Daniel Harmon for Callanan.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Cormac Bellew, Cillian Mulligan, Ciaran Clarke; Fintan Brady, Andrew McGuill, Ronan Deery; Aaron Crawford, Kieran Murtagh; Cormac Mallon (0-2), Cathal Bellew, Brian Brady (0-1); Tadhg McEnaney (0-4), Micheal Begley (0-3), Conal McEnaney. SUBS: Fionn Cumiskey for Murtagh; Darragh Conlon for C McEnaney; Kyle Cotter for Clarke; Aidan Corrigan for T McEnaney.

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MATTOCK RANGERS 1-9 ST MOCHTA’S 1-7

Mattock Rangers once again turned the tide after half time to claim their Paddy Sheelan semi-final place with an excellent second half showing at home in Collon against the St. Mochta’s. 

For the third time this season, Rangers rallied back to take victory after half time as they came out on top by two points in the end.

Despite Declan Byrne being ruled out with injury, the visitors led 1-2 to 0-3 thanks to a fine Louth Village goal.
Upon the resumption, Alan Caraher came on and provided an injection to the Mattock attack by palming to the net. Ben McKenna clipped over frees and Mochta’s could not pull back the deficit.

MATTOCK RANGERS: Stephen Smith; Ben Markey, Eoin McCloskey, Ben Quaile; Pauric Bannon, Daire Englishby, Ronán Kilbane; Jason Condon, Ben McKenna; Terry Donegan, Brendan Leacy, Robert Holmes; Oisín McKenna, Aaron O’Brien, James Caraher. SUBS: Alan Caraher.

ST.MOCHTA’S: Jason Callan; Liam Lawlor, David Lennon, Andy Lennon; Ryan Cash, Andrew English, Owen Lennon; Sean Flynn, Liam O’Flaherty; Philip Englishby, Gavyn Shortt, Oisín Callan; Cormac Smyth, Eamonn O’Neill, Gerry Garland.

St Patricks vs Geraldines

Meanwhile in the final quarter final, played last Wednesday night, St Patrick's dug deep to overcome the challenge of the Geraldines by just a single point. 

Despite conceding the only goal of the contest, they utilised their home advantage to eke out an 0-11 to 1-7 victory and will now face Mattock in the Semi-finals next week.