Division 3B Reports: Mitchels secure huge win over second placed Naomh Malachi

HOLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 3B ROUND 10

JOHN MITCHELS 2-16 NAOMH MALACHI 0-7

John Mitchels laid down a marker in Ballybailie with a comprehensive victory over second placed Naomh Malachi to stretch their lead at the top of Division 3B out to six points.

Playing with a strong cross field breeze, Mitchels started the half well. Mals took the lead with an early score, but John Gallagher landed a brace and one each came from Diarmuid Durnin and Mikey Nulty.

Trevor Matthews then made a driving run before burying the ball in the bottom corner to leave the hosts 1-4 to 0-1 to the good. The Malachis responded well and hit the next three points in a row from Jason Clarke and Conor Nicholson to make it 1-9 to 0-4 at the turn.

The second half started in a similar fashion to the end of the first with Mitchels controlling things despite playing into the breeze. Further points from Robbie Coyle, Jake Gillespie, John Bingham and Trevor Matthews pushed their lead to 12 points.

Mals only mustered three points in the second half, as John Bingham rifled to the bottom left corner to seal the vital win for Jimmy Murray’s unbeaten side.

JOHN MITCHELS: David Anderson; Mickey Quinn, Shane Crosson, Aaron Kane; Mikey Nulty (0-1), John Bingham (1-1), James Sands; Trevor Matthews (1-2), Aaron Keely; Jake Gillespie (0-1), John Gallagher (0-6), Diarmuid Durnin (0-1); Robbie Coyle (0-2), Stephen Campbell (0-1), Andrew Bingham (0-1). SUBS: Alan Mackin for A Bingham, Leigh Ross for M Nulty, Liam Devitt for J Sands, Barry Cousins for D Durnin, Stephen Bingham for S Campbell.

NAOMH MALACHI: Mark Meegan; Daniel Mulligan, Kevin McShane, Stephen Burns; Jamie Kelly, Tiernan Gonnelly, Darren Clarke; Paudie Moley, Paudie McLoughlin (0-1); Conor Begley (0-1), Jason Clarke (0-2), Conor Nicholson (0-1); Ronan McElroy, Jack Kirwan (0-2), Collie Rooney. SUBS: Brendan McShane for C Rooney, Keelan Conlon for R McElroy, Shane Rogers for P McLoughlin, Aaron Gogarty for C Begley.

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS 2-20 CUCHULAINN GAELS 3-11

On a breezy night in Omeath, Cuchulainn Gaels fell to a storming Annaghminnion Rovers fightback in the second half of this round 10 Division 3B fixture.

Gaels started the quickest with Jamie Molloy getting a point within the first minute and David McQuaid, on his first senior start for Cuchulainn Gaels, hitting a 45. Then the hosts’ on-fire corner forward James Sharkey hit over a well-taken point before Rovers registered their first point.

Despite Dwayne Markey adding to the visitors’ tally, Cian McDonald and James Sharkey hit the back of the net leaving this game well in the hosts’ favour at half time. 

Rovers roared out of the blocks in the second half with a game-winning display in the first four minutes, as Shane Grimes hit the goal in a 1-5 without reply run.

McQuaid stopped the rot with his second ’45 into the wind, but it dropped short into the square and Sean McManus pounced, slotting home a well taken goal.

Mícheál McCabe soon levelled. James Sharkey hit another point, but a direct ball in saw Conor Russell find the net as the Stonetown men ran out comfortable winners on the night. 

ANNAGHMINNON ROVERS: Ciaran O’Reilly; Tomas Byrne, Paul McArdle, Chris Connolly; Tiernan O’Brien, Eddie Finnegan (0-1), Colin Campbell; Niall Brennan, Conor Russell (1-0); Ronan Byrne (0-1), Dylan Mulholland (0-2), James O’Connor (0-1); Dwayne Markey (0-10), Rory Phelan (0-3), Shane Grimes (1-2). SUBS: Fergal Markey for O’Brien, Aidan Lee Martin for Phelan.

CUCHULAINN GAELS: Seamus Quigley; Sean Brennan, Martin Hynes, Conal Donnelly; Eamon Donnelly, David Reilly, Peter Morgan; Brendan O’Hagan, David McQuaid (0-1); Rammie Phillips (0-1), Mícheál McCabe (0-4), Cian McDonald (1-0); James Sharkey (1-3), Sean McManus (1-0), Jamie Molloy. SUBS: Euan McArdle for C Donnelly, Calum Fearon for McManus.

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ST NICHOLAS 2-9 WESTERNS 0-5

St Nicholas took all two Division 3B league points on offer with a thumping win over Westerns in Jimmy Pentony Park on Saturday night.

The first half was a tight affair with both teams wasteful with their possession. Paudi Downey opened the scoring for the home team with two points, but the Westerns fought back while playing into a stiff breeze, with two frees of their own from their only scorer on the night Patrick Kerley.

Late in the half the Nicks extended their lead with points from Sam Reilly and Ruairí Hanlon to increase the advantage to three at the break.

The second half started with a fine solo goal from the Nicks corner back Stevie Finnegan. The home team then extended their lead through the impressive Lee Kavanagh and after Paudi Downey found the back of the net it was over as a contest.

WESTERNS: Dermott McArdle; Liam Murray, Connor McLellan, Andy Murray; John Murray, Adam Duffy, Conor Smyth; Matthew Kane, Ryan Duffy; Anthony Durnin, Dylan Ogle, Patrick Kerley (0-5); Killian Crosbie, Finn Duffy, Mick Martin.

ST NICHOLAS: Shane Finnegan; Stephen Finnegan (1-0), Conor Faulkner, Shahin Housidari; Dylan O'Rourke, Ruairí Hanlon (0-1), Andrew Starrs; Brian Carter, Sam Reilly (0-1); Aaron Flanagan, Lee Kavanagh (0-1), Con Sheehan; Stephen Hodgins, Paudi Downey (1-5), Declan Heeney. SUBS; Phillip Kirwan (0-1) for Kavanagh; Eoin McDonnell for Faulkner; Hayden Quinn for Hodgins; Conor Faulkner for Heeney.

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SEAN MCDERMOTTS 4-10 DOWDALLSHILL 1-5

Sean McDermotts defeated Dowdallshill thanks to a Niall Babington hat-trick on Saturday night in Mountrush. The Magheracloone Mitchells man transferred in this month and has certainly hit the ground running for the winners.

Dowdallshill were down to 14 in the first half following a red card. Noel Finnegan landed their only point of the half as they trailed 1-5 to 0-1 at the interval.

Babington slotted home a second half penalty and Emmet Duffy also found the net in response to Finnegan’s major, while substitute Gerry McShane landing two late consolation scores. 

SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Finbar Moran; Conor Walsh, David McArdle, Ronan Kerley; Danny Commins, Seán Martin, Nathan Commins; Emmet Duffy (1-0), Cormac Walsh; Ian McDonald, Kevin McMahon (0-2), Ian Corbally (0-3); Niall Babington (3-1), Peter Tuite (0-1), Danny Reilly. SUBS: Dean Brennan for Ian McDonald, Declan Carroll for Kevin McMahon, Kevin McMahon back on for Ian Corbally, Ian McDonald back on for Peter Tuite.

DOWDALLSHILL: Emmet O’Brien; Darragh Newman, Sean Duffy, Keelan McGavisk; Ryan Larkin, Stephen Murray, John Spain; Jack McGailey, Gavin Durkan; Eamonn Duffy, Donal Magennis, Luke O’Brien; Tommy Craig, Gary Slevin, Noel Finnegan (1-3). SUBS: Ciaran Murray for Jack McGailey, Kevin McGonagle for Ryan Larkin, Gerry McShane (0-2) for Tommy Craig.