Mullen Shield Roundup: Long hiatus doesn't stop Stabannon advancing to semi-finals

Kevin Mullen Shield Quarter Finals 

OLIVER PLUNKETTS 1-12 ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS 1-8

Conor Haggins was the hero of the hour for the depleted Oliver Plunketts’ victory over a plucky Annaghminnon Rovers outfit in the quarter final of the Kevin Mullen Shield.

With less than five minutes remaining in Mell, Rovers were leading and on their way to a significant win on the road. However Haggins dramatically found the net to help give Emmet Kelleher’s side the last gasp win.

Plunketts, minus a number of regulars, led 0-5 to 0-4 at half time but Rovers seized the initiative after the break with a Dwayne Markey goal, but they could not hold on in the dying moments. 

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Ciaran O’Reilly; Christy Connolly, Niall Brennan, Tiernan O’Brien; Colin Campbell, Eddie Finnegan, James Campbell;  Paudi Russell, Conor Russell (0-1); Kyle Martin, Dylan Mulholland (0-1), James O’Connor (0-1); Fergal Markey, Aidan Lee Martin (0-3), Dwayne Markey (1-2). SUBS: Sean Harte, Shane Grimes, Micheal Marron, Rory Phelan, Richie Ashfield.

OLIVER PLUNKETTS: Colum Duffy; Ricky Bateson, Cillian Mathews, Killian Smith (0-1); Tadgh O'Brien, Gary Keogh, Jamie Byrne; Shaun Smith, Luke Carley (0-3); Conor Haggins (1-0), Cian Brady (0-6), Kevin Keogh (0-1); Killian Nolan, Stephen Beirth, Adam Smith. SUBS: Evan Byrne for Killian Nolan, Killian Nolan for K Keogh, Coimh Reilly (0-1) for Beirth, Christopher Quinlan for Carley.

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

WOLFE TONES 0-7 NAOMH FIONNBARA 0-6

Wolfe Tones edged out Naomh Fionnbarra by a single point to advance to the semi-final of the Kevin Mullen Shield.

The first half was a struggle for both teams as scores were at a premium.  The ‘Barrs had scores from Ciaran Markey and a Padraig Butterly brace, as they trailed 0-4 to 0-3 at the turn. Points from Darren Weldon were crucial in that period for the Tones.

In the second half, it was more of the same as both teams found the going tough. Two Finbarrs scores came from the full back as free flowing football was not the order of the day. Points from Jordan Duffy andd Garrett Cooney saw the Drogheda men ground out the win.

WOLFE TONES: Johnny Lynch; Taidgh Rock, Paddy Fanning, Alan Fanning; Rhys McGovern,  Sean McQuail, Adam Gartland; Garrett Cooney (0-2), Sean Flanagan; Liam Gaffney (0-1), Joe Comiskey, Dwayne Leavy;  Darren Weldon (0-2), Jordan Duffy (0-2), Danny Byrne. SUBS: Eoghan Brennan for Rock, Sam Kelly for McGovern, Eoin Wynne for Duffy, Chris Cudden for Weldon, Mark Healy for Cudden, Eoghan O’Shea for McQuail

NAOMH FIONNBARA: Fionn McQuillan; Ronan Callaghan (0-1), Cormac Reynolds (0-1), Stephen Doyle; Hugh McGrane, Josh Crosbie, Niall Woods; Colm Smith, Kalum Regan; Padraig Butterly (0-2), Jack Regan, Colum Kierans; Conor Osborne, Ciaran Markey (0-1), Ciaran Murphy.  Subs:  Aaron Kearney (0-1) for Ciaran Murphy, Michael McArdle for Josh Crosbie, Mairtin Murphy for Colum Kierans, Rory Smith for Niall Woods, Kyle Treadwell for Conor Osborne.

STABANNON PARNELLS 1-7 JOHN MITCHELS 0-8

It was a welcome return to action for both teams after a number of weeks without a game, and in the end it was Stabannon who came out on top against their neighbours.

The first half opened in a cagey manner with Trevor Matthews and Aaron Keely scoring points for the Mitchels and Robbie Coyle on target from a free as the teams went in level at 0-3 each at half time.

Stabannon started the brighter in the second half and they got a goal through Fintan Martin despite some fine saves from David Anderson in the build-up.

The Mitchels responded with a great score from Mikey Nulty and a well taken free from John Bingham.

Stabannon stretched into a five point lead before the Mitchels rallied back in the final few minutes with two fine long range scores from Trevor Matthews and a palmed effort from Anthony Coyle which went narrowly over the bar in the final minute after a goalmouth scramble.

STABANNON PARNELLS: Podge Malone; Tadhg Carroll, Shane McCoy, Paddy Bell; Daniel Clinton, Niall Cluskey (0-1), David Cluskey (0-1); Derek Crilly, Shane Sweeney; Ryan, Halpenny (0-2), Bobby Butterly (0-1), Johnny McGee, Dean Lynch, Paul Egan (0-1), Jake Corrigan. Subs: Niall Fanning for D Lynch, Thomas McBride (0-1) for P Egan, Fintan Martin (1-0) for S Sweeney, Cathal Halpenny for T Carroll, Eanna McCartney for J Corrigan, Cathal Reynolds for B Butterly.

JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; Shane Crosson, Emmet Farrell, James Sands; Aaron Kane, John Bingham (0-1), Mikey Nulty (0-1); Andrew Bingham, Aaron Keely (0-1); Jamie Durnin, Trevor Matthews (0-3), Kevin Gallagher; Alan Mackin, Stephen Campbell, Robbie Coyle (0-1). Subs: Cathal Corrigan for J Durnin, Barry Cousins for A Keely, Jake Gillespie for R Coyle, Anthony Coyle (0-1) for E Farrell, John Gallagher for S Campbell.