Louth GAA Division 2 Roundup: Gaels maintain unbeaten record with decisive win

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 2 ROUND 3

DUNDALK GAELS 0-14 LANNLEIRE 0-5

Dundalk Gaels continued their good start to the season when they proved too strong for Lannleire at The Ramparts on Saturday evening.

It has been a difficult return to the second tier for the Dunleer side, as they have now lost their opening three games of the Division 2 season.

It certainly didn’t help that they were short a number of experienced players and had a number of young lads making their first senior start for the club. 

The Dundalk men took advantage in the first half and by half time had built up a 0-8 to 0-2 lead before the inexperienced visitors battled gamely in the third quarter and cut the gap to 0-8 to 0-4 to give themselves hope.

However, the Gaels responded to the challenge and turned in a dominant final quarter showing as they kicked six points to secure the win.

LANNLEIRE: Liam Callan; Alex Carroll, Jason Torris, Aaron McArdle; Matthew Malone, Bob Murphy (0-1), Caoimhin Maher; Pierce Hawkins, Kyle van Rhijn (0-1);  Ciaran Dunne, Paul Callan (0-3), Cathal McEvoy; Cian Kearney, Conor Dunne, Luke Dunne Boylan.

CLAN NA GAEL 3-5 GLEN EMMETS 0-6

Clan na Gael remain top of the Division 2 league after recording their third successive victory, this time at home to Glen Emmets last Saturday night.

Once again, Billy Smith was in fine form as he continued his blistering start to the season by bagging a hat-trick on the night.

Robbie Curran opened the scoring for the hosts but two points from Keelan O’Neill had the Emmets ahead approaching the quarter hour mark.

However, the visitors were unable to sustain that effort and the Clans began to take control. Smith levelled with a point before finding the net on 24 minutes.

Jason Cullen stretched the lead with a point and Smith added a second goal from the penalty spot just before the break to send his team in leading by 2-4 to 0-2.

It didn’t get much better for the Tullyallen side in the second half as they could only manage to muster three points from Alex Conlon (2) and Cian Talbot. The Clans were never in any danger of letting the lead slip and Smith completed his hat-trick to put the seal on another fine win.

CLAN NA GAEL: Sean Smith; Craig Long, Gerard Curran, Brian McDonnell; Craig Callan, John Byrne, Paul Gore; Shay Coleman, Conor Noonan; Robbie Curran (0-2), Mark McGeown, Paul Crewe (0-1); Jason Cullen (0-2), Billy Smith (3-1), Gavin Gaffey.

GLEN EMMETS: Damien Grimes; Emmett Delaney, Cathal Maguire, Keith Boylan; Robert Byrne, Evan English, Luke McCarthy; Sean Byrne, Sam Kenny; Eoghan Maguire, Kealan O’Neill (0-3), Cian Talbot (0-1); Alex Fowler, Alex Carolan (0-2), James Breen. Subs: Tom Grimes for S Byrne, Stephen Murphy for A Fowler, Shane Curtis for R Byrne, Conor Kelly for J Breen.

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KILKERLEY EMMETS 1-16 ROCHE EMMETS 1-11

Kilkerley Emmets made the short trip to Roche on Saturday evening where they turned in another strong display to claim another Division 2 victory.

The visitors were in a confident mood following wins in their opening two games of the campaign and that was obvious in an impressive first half display that saw them establish a nine point lead by the time the short whistle sounded.

Kilkerley saw Micheal Begley open the scoring from play followed by a free, and Brian Brady pointed too before substitute Barry O'Hare replied to make it 0-3 to 0-1.

The visitors then moved up a gear and kicked six points through Tadhg McEnaney (2), Begley (2), Ewan McEnteggart and Fintan Brady before Glen Stewart pulled one back for the hosts.

McEnaney added two more points before Brady fired in a great goal to stretch the lead, but O’Hare had the final say of the half as he found the net to cut the gap to 1-11 to 1-2.

After Begley added another just after the restart, Roche rallied with six points from O’Hare (4), Caoimhin Reilly and Stewart.

However, any threat of a comeback was quickly snuffed out as Begley and McEneaney were on target to secure the victory despite three late scores from the home side.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Ultan McEnaney; Cormac Bellew, Cillian Mulligan, Ronan Deery; Ewan McEnteggart (0-1), Cathal Bellew, Conal Quinn; Fintan Brady (1-1), Brian Brady (0-1); Kieran Murtagh, Conal McEnaney, Cormac Mallon (0-1); Tadhg McEnaney (0-6), Micheal Begley (0-6), Ciaran Clarke. Subs: Conor Quigley for C Clarke; Andrew McGuill for K Murtagh Clarke.

ROCHE EMMETS: Evin Quigley; Adam McKay, David Quigley, Dermot Carthy; Sean Dawe, James McDonnell, Andrew Carroll; Glen Stewart (0-2), Martin Carroll; Aidan Grant, Marc Murphy, Jack McKay; Mark Byrne (0-1), Shane Byrne (0-1), Caoimhin Reilly (0-1). Subs: Barry O’Hare (1-5), DD Reilly (0-1), Fionn Connolly, Eugene Murray.

ST KEVINS 0-14 COOLEY KICKHAMS 0-14

Cooley Kickhams fought back from an interval deficit to secure a draw in this Division 2 clash at Philipstown on Saturday night. It was a welcome result for the visitors as they picked up their first point of the season, having opened with two defeats.

It might have been event better for the peninsula men as they edged in front by a point entering the dying moments, but Cian Callan stepped up to land an equaliser and give the Kevins a share of the spoils.

In what was a well contested encounter, the Kevins had the better of things in the first half and with Callan and TJ Doheny on song in front of the posts, they held a 0-9 to 0-6 lead at the interval.

However, Cian Connor was also in fine scoring form and he helped drag Cooley back into the game as he finished with nine points to his name. Michael Rafferty chipped in with four points as the visitors looked to have done enough to win, only for Callan to deny them late on.

ST KEVINS: Danny Crosbie; Sean Powderly, Finbarr Lynch, Dylan Maher; Patrick Clarke (0-1), Cameron Maher, Darren McMullen (0-1); Seanie Crosbie, Brian Callaghan; TJ Doheny (0-4), Andrew Hynes, Caolan McMullen; Cian Callan (0-7), Lee Crosbie (0-1), Tom Matthews.

COOLEY KICKHAMS: Neil Gallagher; Ronan McBride, Dean McGreehan, Ian Arnold; Gerry Malone, Darren Marks, MJ Hanlon; Richard Brennan, Fearghal Malone; Gerard Hanlon, Enda O’Neill (0-1), Peter Thornton; Cian Connor (0-9), Michael Rafferty (0-4), Brian Boyle. Subs Eoin McDaid, Brian White, Sean White, Cormac Malone.

YOUNG IRELANDS 2-23 O’CONNELLS 1-11

Young Irelands remain unbeaten in the Division 2 league with a very comprehensive victory over O’Connell's in Pairc Eire Og on Saturday evening.

The home side got off to a great start with the first five points without reply from Jack McArdle, Dermot Mone, Ruairi Fee and a brace from Jordon O’Donoghue. Jackie Agnew got the visitors on the board with a brace of points.

The sides shared the next two points before the home team landed the next three from Mone and Liam Stravick (2). Two points from Robert Quigley and Sean Cairns for O’Connells were cancelled out by two from Fee and Cian O Naraigh to leave the score 0-11 to 0-5 with five minutes to go in the half.

In the remaining five minutes the Irelanders all but won the game, scoring 2-3 without reply with the goals from Mone and substitute Leon Duffy to put them well in front at the break, 2-14 to 0-5.

The sides shared the first six points of the second half before points from Cian O’Donoghue, Jordon O’Donoghue and Fee put the home side further ahead.

The Bellingham side never gave up and two points from Niall Conlon kept them going and the same player was brought down in the area and Agnew made no mistake from the spot.

Three more points for the home side left the score 2-23 to 1-10 with under five minutes remaining. Conlon got the O’Connells last point of the game and Mone got the Irelanders last score of the game, a goal to take his tally for the night to 2-5 and maintain his side’s unbeaten record.

Dundalk Young Irelands: Fergal Sheekey; Michael Mone, Ciaran Murray, Conn O’Donoghue; Lee O’Donoghue, Jamie Brown, Cian O Naraigh (0-1); Peter Nixon, Ruairi Kelly (0-3) Liam Stravick (0-3), Cian O’Donoghue (0-3), Jordon O’Donoghue (0-5); Jack McArdle (0-1), Dermot Mone (2-5), Sean Murphy. Subs: Leon Duffy (1-2) for L. O’Donoghue.

O’CONNELLS: John Brennan; Jack McGeough, Conor Byrne, David Hoey; Jackie Agnew (1-2), Conor Culligan, Emmet Byrne; Ciaran O’Brien, Sean Cairns (0-2); Cian O’Dwyer, Niall Conlon (0-3), Bernard Osborne; Dean Stanfield, Robert Quigley (0-4), Conor Kiernan. Subs: Alan McGovern for C Kiernan, Matthew Reynolds for D Stanfield.

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ST JOSEPH’S 1-16 HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS 2-12

St Joseph’s overcame a slow opening to defeat winless home side Hunterstown Rovers on Saturday evening.

The game burst into life in the 13th minute with two goals in two minutes from James Rogers and Dean Burns. That blitz had Rovers in control of this game after the first quarter.

Two excellent stops from Steven Carron kept the Joes in the game in that first half, with Jack Mulligan on target with five points to trail 2-4 to 0-7 at the turn.

The Joes took the lead early upon the resumption with a Craig Doherty goal. While Colm Donnelly’s side were still stunned, Joes tagged on more points that gave them the win.

Hunterstown would rally however, outscoring the Joes by five points to two, with Ryan Ward and Glen Matthews on target.

With five minutes added time, both sides had their chances and either could have taken the win, but it would be the Darver/Dromiskin based outfit that would hold strong. 

ST JOSEPH’S: Steven Carron; Killian McDonnell, Michael Staunton, Ben Mulligan; David Kieran, Killian Staunton, Cian Sheridan; Gabriel Bell, Daire McKiernan; Conor Neary (0-1), Craig Doherty (1-4, 0-4 frees), Jack Mulligan (0-7, 0-3 frees); Sean Allen (0-1), Ben Collier (0-1), Daire Smyth (0-1). SUBS: Conall Smyth (0-1).

HUNTERSTOWN ROVERS: Niall Carrie; Martin Lennon, Cillian Taaffe, Eunan Woodlock; David Finn, Dáithí Carroll, Tony McKenna (0-1); Marc Ward, Jason Monaghan; James Rogers (1-2), Glen Mathews (0-1), Jamie O’Callaghan (0-1); Ryan Ward (0-3), Paul Carrie, Dean Burns (1-2). SUBS: Benny Lennon, Jamie Ward (0-2), Adam O’Reilly.