Division 1 Roundup: Ardee prove too strong for struggling St Brides

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 1 ROUND 6

ST MARYS 4-14 ST BRIDES 1-8

A depleted St. Brides hosted Ardee St Mary's on Sunday afternoon at the sun-drenched Pairc an Chuinnigh, where they were completely outplayed by the visitors from start to finish.

The Mary's started off very well and raced into a seven-point lead before The Reds eventually got off the mark on 19 minutes through Ciaran Deane.

The Ardee men then registered three minors in a row, with both veterans Ronan Carroll and Darren Clarke running riot. Liam Molloy raised the white flag again for the Knockbridge men on 27 minutes. 

However, in stoppage time St Mary's tagged on the final score of the half, through Shane Matthews to leave them leading by nine points at the interval, 0-11 to 0-2. With the introduction of fresh legs at half time, the hosts tagged on three points. 

This was cancelled out by the first goal of the match on 38 minutes from Ronan Carroll. It was followed soon after with another major, this time by Darren Clarke, which effectively ended the match as a contest.

St Mary's split the uprights three more times thereafter before Sean Brennan got one back on 56 minutes. Substitute Cian Commins got his side's third three pointer with three minutes remaining.

Emmet Kirk then took the bad look off the scoreboard with a goal and two points in less than 90 seconds, just before the hour mark. But substitute Cian Commins then found the net again in stoppage time to give his side a big win by 15 points.

ST MARYS: James McGillick; Jay Crawley, Tiernan Corrigan (0-1), Carl Gillespie (0-1); Ben Clarke, Paraic Mc Kenny, Conor Gillespie (0-1); Evan Malone, Cillian Keenan; Conor O' Brien, Shane Matthews (0-1), Dean Matthews (0-1); Paudy Clarke, Ronan Carroll (1-4), Darren Clarke (1-4). Subs: Cian Commins (2-0), David Rooney (0-1), Karl Faulkner.

ST BRIDES: Aaron Devin; Padraic Mackin, Laurence Steen, Stephen Hoey; Sean Brennan (0-1), Cillian Kirk, Evan Wynne; Bernard Laverty (0-1), Liam Molloy (0-1); Ross Murnaghan, Ciaran Deane (0-1), Paraic Rutledge, Daniel Mc Ardle, Kieran McArdle (0-1), Nathan Kirk. Subs: Adam Plunkett, Emmet Kirk (1-3), James Costelloe, Shane Tubridy. Robert McCaughey.

ST PATRICKS 1-10 DREADNOTS 1-10

St Patrick’s struck deep into injury time to claim a share of the points with Dreadnots at Pairc Eamoin last Friday night.

Goalkeeper Martin McEneaney kept his cool to land the equalising point four minutes into added time to secure what could be a valuable point for his side after the visitors appeared to have snatched victory.

The game opened with Jason Woods kicking the first point of the game, but it was Dreadnots who assumed control of proceedings as they bagged 1-4 without reply, with the goal coming from the boot of Eoin Murphy.

Woods pulled another point back, but the Clogher men continued to boss the game with a further three white flags to open up a nine-point advantage on 21 minutes.

However, the game took a dramatic turn when Adam Finnegan found the net from a penalty before points from Aidan McCann and Woods cut the deficit at the break to 1-8 to 1-5.

In a low-scoring second half the teams traded points early on and it looked as if the visitors would hold out for victory only for Jason Woods to level with successive points entering the closing stages.

The Dreadnots then looked to have won it with a point in injury time from Craig Shevlin only for McEneaney to hold his nerve to send over the equalising point.

ST PATRICKS: Martin McEneaney (0-2); Barry Dunne, Kevin Toner, Daniel Tumilty; Conor Grogan, Tom McCann, Matt Pagni; Joe Connor, Jack Murphy; Aidan McCann (0-1), Darren Connor, Adam Finnegan (1-0); Jason Woods (0-7), Cathal Grogan, Sean Fearon. Subs: Cillian White for T McCann.

DREADNOTS: Dylan Cassidy; Aaron Scullion, Pop Rath, Ciaran Finnegan (0-1); Darragh Shevlin, Conor Faulkner, Cathal Lynch; Cian McEvoy, Craig Shevlin (0-4); Eoin Murphy (1-0), Pepe Smith, Jay Hughes (0-2); Dean Hyland (0-1), Peter Kirwan (0-1), Conor Shevlin (0-1). Sub: Sean Reilly for D Hyland.

ST MOCHTAS 1-13 GERALDINES 1-11

St Mochtas turned in a strong second half display to ensure they picked up another victory at home to Geraldines on Friday night. The result sees the Louth Village men keep the pressure on leaders Naomh Mairtin as they sit just two points off the top after six games.

For the Gers it was another setback after their promising start to the campaign as their second successive defeat leaves them six points adrift of top spot.

This proved to be an even contest for much of the hour and it was the Gers who had the slight advantage at the short whistle as they led by 0-8 to 1-4, with a goal from David Lennon keeping the Mochtas in touch.

The visitors were unable to build on that advantage in the second half, despite finding the net through Matt Corcoran. Points from Gerry Garland and Cormac Smyth along with three from the returning Declan Byrne off the bench secured a fifth win of the season for the hosts.

ST MOCHTAS: Jason Callan; Liam Lawlor, Ben Goss Kieran, Andy Lennon; Oisin Callan, Darren McMahon (0-1), Andy English; David Lennon (1-1), Danny Kindlon; Conor Garland, Liam O’Flaherty, Phily Englishby; Cormac Smyth (0-3), Gerry Garland (0-5), Jamie Farrell. Subs: Shane McMahon for P Englishby, Declan Byrne (0-3) for L O’Flaherty, Ryan Cash for L Lawlor, Gavyn Short for C Smyth.

GERALDINES: Des Reenan; Tom Cunniffe, Gareth Neacy (0-1), Jack Traynor; Paul Smith (0-1), Ryan Brennan, John McGrohan; Michael Rogers (0-2), Beanón Corrigan (0-1); Brian Cafferty (0-1), Matt Corcoran (1-2), Kevin Pepper; Jim McEneaney (0-3), Shane O’Hanlon, James Craven. Subs: Thomas McNamara, Francis Lynch, Jamie Callan.

NAOMH MAIRTIN 1-14 ST FECHINS 1-11

Naomh Mairtin made it six wins out of six with a hard-fought victory over St Fechins at Monasterboice last Friday night.

The first quarter of this match was a cagey affair, one which the home side were able to capitalise on with their more accurate shots between the uprights, scoring four unanswered points.

Ryan Walsh, back from county hurling action, got Fechins on the scoreboard heading into the second quarter, only for the Martins to extend their lead to six.

However, it was the visitors’ turn to go up a gear thanks to points from Ryan Walsh, John O’Connell, Eoin Hackett and Niall Devlin (2) to cut the gap to 0-9 to 0-6 at half time.

The Martins staked their claim on the match after the restart with a goal two minutes in as Conor Whelan finished off a fine move with a neat finish, followed by a point a short while later which left the gap at seven.

A point from Ryan Walsh in the 38th minute and in the 50th minute a bit of quick thinking from the same player, saw him find the net with a quickly taken 20m free to give his side hope.

Conor Whelan was on form up the other end and continued to find their scores. The introduction of Ronan Holcroft late in the second half gave the Fechins some much needed scores, but it was too late in the game to secure the much-needed points.

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Joe Gordon; Tadhg O’Brien, Evan Whelan, Conor Smith; Craig Callanan, Sean Healy (0-1), Dara McDonnell; Wayne Campbell, Val Leddy (0-1); Ben Callanan, Tom Grey (0-1), Stephen Campbell; Darragh Dorian (0-2), Conor Whelan (1-6), Craig Lynch (0-2). Subs: Jack Murphy for C Callanan, Mick Fanning for C Smith, Paul Murphy for B Callanan, Oisin Gray (0-1) for C Lynch.

ST FECHINS: Niall McDonnell; Cian Gorman, David Lally, Danny Burnell (0-1); Shane Reilly, Aaron McGlew, Harry Haughney; Eoin Hackett (0-1), Jamie McDonnell; Adam Kirwan, Colm O’Neill, John O’Connell (0-1); Ryan Walsh (1-3), Brian Devlin, Niall Devlin (0-2). Subs: Lee Grifferty for A McGlew, Eoghan Ryan for N Devlin, Ronan Holcroft (0-3) for B Devlin, David Collier for S Reilly.

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MATTOCK RANGERS 4-13 SEAN O’MAHONY’S 1-6

Against a depleted Sean O’Mahony’s side, Mattock Rangers picked up their third win of the season to go third in the Division 1 table. The entertaining affair came after the well contested Brendan Reilly Cup match that also went the way of the hosts.

With the tie’s opening goal, Oisín McKenna set the tone all evening for the Collon men with a fine showing. Conor Mackin did respond with an excellent goal for the men from the Quay, but their resistance was futile after the break.

Caolan Nulty came off the bench for Rangers to find the net and make it 2-8 to 1-3 at half time. Having added another goal shortly after the break, Nulty nearly had a hat-trick but was hauled down before he pulled the trigger.

Stephen Kilcoyne and Keith McLaughlin tried to get their side going but Mattock would not be denied and Shane Hickey raced through to seal the two points on offer.

MATTOCK RANGERS: Stephen Smith; Eoin McCloskey, Cillian Hickey, Alan Caraher; Pauric Bannon, Ryan Leneghan, Ronán Kilbane (0-1);  Jason Condon, Brendan Leacy;  Darren Henry (0-1), Aaron O’Brien, Terry Donegan; Shane Hickey (1-3), Cathal Fleming (0-2), Oisín McKenna (1-4). SUBS: Caolan Nulty (2-0), James Caraher (0-1), Jack Thompson (0-1), Ben Quaile, Aaron Smith.

SEAN O’MAHONY’S: Eddie Maguire (0-1); Ciaran Jamieson, Robbie Galligan, Cris O’Neill, Ciaran Jamieson; Keith McLaughlin (0-1), Colin Finan, Sean Cassidy (0-1); Conor Martin, Tiarnan Cassidy; Brian McGuirk, Thomas Rice, Conor Mackin (1-0); Conor Finnegan, Stephen Kilcoyne (0-3), Mark Treanor. SUBS: Robbie Clarke for Finan, Dean Carroll for Jamieson, Gareth Hall for M Treanor, Treanor for Kilcoyne.

NEWTOWN BLUES 5-15 O’RAGHALLAIGH’S 1-10

Local bragging rights went the way of the reigning Cardinal O’Donnell holders Newtown Blues against O’Raghallaigh’s in Newfoundwell on Friday night.

An opening half blitz did the trick for the impressive Blues on the night. Despite three goals in a row, winning manager Ronan ‘Smiley’ Philips showed no mercy to lead 4-5 to 0-7 after the opening half of action.

The second half was more controlled, with Louth hurler Danny Morgan finding the net for the struggling visitors.

That major would be a mere consolation as Emmet Murray added to his tally along with Iollan Farrell, Conor Branigan and Ciaran White’s first half efforts. 

NEWTOWN BLUES: Johnny McDonnell; Zach Levins, Ciaran Cluskey Kelly, Evin McConnon; Stephen Kerr Rafferty, Emmet Carolan (0-1), Iollan Farrell (1-1); Andy McDonnell (0-1), Alan Connor (0-1); Jamie Kelly (0-2), Conor Branigan (1-1), Ciaran White (1-0); Emmet Murray (2-2), Fergal Donohoe (0-1), Declan McNamara (0-4). SUBS: Johnny Clear for J McDonnell, Joe Harte for Levins, Cathal Broderick for A McDonnell, I Connor for White, C McGuirk for Donohoe.

O’RAGHALLAIGH’S SCORERS: Danny Morgan (1-2), Kyle McElroy (0-4), Ruairi (0-2), Connell Rice (0-1) and Alan Doyle (0-1).