Louth GAA: St Oliver Plunketts maintain their bid for return to Intermediate ranks

St Oliver Plunketts 1-11

Cuchulainn Gaels 0-4

The introduction of Robbie Brodigan helped St Oliver Plunketts maintain their bid for a swift return to the Intermediate ranks at the first time of asking, as the former county man inspired a dominant second half for the Drogheda side, with a goal from young talent Kristian Nolan setting Emmett Kelliher’s side on their way to the semi finals of the Junior Championship.

Despite only being introduced at half time, Brodigan touched the ball an impressive 16 times in the 30 minutes he was on the field, as the Plunketts stepped things up, outscoring Cuchulainn Gaels by 1-6 to 0-1 after the restart, with the Gaels’ sole second period response coming in stoppage time, having made life quite difficult for the Plunketts in the first half.

In a cagey opening period, Noel Litchfield’s charges got men behind the ball, trying to force Plunketts players down blind alleys, before moving the ball into the nippy forwards like James Sharkey and Cian McDonald inside, with defenders Sean Brennan and the Morgans John and Peter standing up firm early on.

With young talents like James Sharkey, the Omeath club can potentially have better days to look forward to in the future, and two early frees from the young tyro, cancelled out scores from the Plunketts’ Kristian Nolan (free), and Stephen Keeley (one ’45), to leave it deadlocked at 0-2 apiece inside 14 minutes.

Following a brief water break just past the 15th minute in recognition of the hot and humid weather conditions, Cuchulainn continued to bring the heat to the Plunketts, with Jamie Molloy, and Eoin McDonald involved in a patient passage of play, which resulted in Seamus McCabe tapping the ball over the bar to put the team in yellow ahead after 17 minutes, a potential shock was possibly on the cards.

Along with a disciplined set up, Cuchulainn Gaels enjoyed their fair share of possession from their own kickout. Keeper Seamus Quigley found his teammates with six out of seven kickouts which he had pinged out to halfway in that first half.

Half backs Philip McGovern and Brendan O’Hagan provided support for the hardworking David Reilly and Seamus McCabe in the middle of the park.

As well as his kickouts, the vastly experienced Seamus Quigley was on hand to produce a smart save to deny Stephen Keeley who latched onto a Cillian Mathews foot pass, and accelerated passed the Gaels cover.

Finishing with an impressive 31 touches of the ball over the hour, Keeley had to make do with his side’s slender half time lead, as his two points, which included another ’45, following a Kristian Nolan free, gave the Plunketts a 0-5 to 0-3 lead at the break.

Second Half

Cue Brodigan’s cameo from the bench, the Plunketts pushed up on Cuchulainn Gaels, winning 8 out of 13 on their opponent’s second half kickouts, while the likes of Cian Mathews, and David McTaggart in defence, getting to grips with Sharkey and the pacey Cian McDonald.

However, McDonald did manage to evade the Plunketts cover to set up Jamie Molloy, who fired wide from close range, as the score stood at 0-8 to 0-3, with the Gaels needing to convert chances like that, to stay in contention.

You could feel with that miss, coupled with Robbie Brodigan’s growing influence, the Plunketts were looking good for the win.

They were 0-9 to 0-3 ahead, nine minutes after the restart, with Seamus Quigley again on hand to make sure that a Shaun Smith close range effort flew over the bar instead of under it in a move which involved a one/two with Nolan.

Half back Barry Reynolds also merits a mention. With 22 possessions in the game, Reynolds capped it off with a fine score from play, which was followed by a Cian Mathews free, with the writing on the wall from a Cuchulainn perspective at this stage.

Kristian Nolan then twisted and turned, before firing the ball low past Seamus Quigley, after good work by Brodigan to make it 1-9 to 0-3 after 41 minutes.

The same player and Adam Smith concluded the scoring for their side.

James Sharkey ended the Gaels’ wait for a score with a late free, after a foul on the hardworking Martin Hynes, but that scoring spurt in the third quarter was enough to assure the Plunketts passage through to the semi final draw.

Despite only scoring once from play in the match, Noel Litchfield’s Cuchulainn Gaels can be proud of their endeavour.

With plenty of young talent on the pitch, coupled with further players to join the panel from this year’s minor squad, the future is looking rosy for the Omeath club.

St Oliver Plunketts: Luke Haggins; Cillian Smith, David McTaggart, Cillian Mathews; Jamie Byrne, Gary Keogh, Barry Reynolds (0-1); Luke Carley, Dean Carolan; Shaun Smith (0-1), Cian Mathews (0-1) (1f), David Lambe; Sean Callaghan, Stephen Keely (0-3) (two ’45s), Kristian Nolan (1-4) (4f).

Subs: Robbie Brodigan for Carley (HT), Cian Brady for Shaun Smith (42), Sean Rice for Cillian Mathews (46), Killian Nolan for Cian Mathews (52), Adam Smith for Lambe (57). 

Cuchulainn Gaels: Seamus Quigley; Peter Morgan, Sean Brennan, John Morgan; Philip McGovern, Martin Hynes, Brendan O’Hagan; David Reilly, Seamus McCabe (0-1); Rammie Phillips, Michael McCabe, Jamie Molloy; James Sharkey (0-3) (3f), Cian McDonald, Eoin McDonald.

Subs: Francis O’Hagan for Molloy (39), Stephen Mullen for Peter Morgan (48).

Referee: Cathal O’Brien.