Hard working Newtown Blues gain revenge in league decider

HOLLYWOOD DEVELOPMENTS DIVISION 1 FINAL

Ardee St Mary’s 1-7 Newtown Blues  0-11

Newtown Blues got the last word on the 2022 season. But claiming the Cardinal O’Donnell Cup was more than collecting a last piece of silverware on offer for the season. It was score settling.

The pain of the senior final loss still lingered and with that burning motivation against Ardee St Mary’s, the result was always going to be that way. Wasn’t it? 

Andy McDonnell would not bear coming out on the wrong side again. The Blues midfielder was even more determined than usual. His defiance and will was all over the field, but his two second half points were tone setting and would turn out to be the winner.

As well as McDonnell’s force of personality on proceedings, the Blues reverted back to the tried and trusted. Colm Judge and John Kermode were rolled out for perhaps one last hurrah.

Judge dropped into the sweeper position that served the Newfoundwell side so well in their three in a row run and Kermode played midfield for the duration, not full forward, as he has done for this season. The switches worked a treat and Ardee were on the back foot throughout.

Luke Matthews late goal aside, the Mary’s never looked like they had enough on the night to worry their Drogheda opponents. Missing county full back Donal McKenny and both the Jackson and Keenan brothers on the night didn’t help their cause either.

It must be said that Ciarán Downey was absent for Des Lane’s side, but a solid defensive platform and an early lead really helped the Blues to dictate the story of the game. Ardee simply could not break the Drogheda men down without their county quartet. Ciaran Kiki Keenan especially.

Jamie Kelly landed the first of two frees on the night to open the scoring thanks to a powerful Daire Nally run. Nally’s pace was more than noticeable on winter nights like this. The youngster was exceptional in the first half. Nally’s first of three first half points helped Newtown Blues open up a 0-3 to 0-0 lead.

Ardee captain RJ Callaghan did respond with a point from distance and the excellent Shane Matthews quickly followed up to cut the gap to one.

Matthews was searingly fast on the night and a real bright spot for the county champions on an uncharacteristically blunt evening in front of the posts.

With Dáire McConnon well marshalled and kept scoreless by Ciaran Cluskey Kelly on the night, it was all down to Matthews, but they would only score once more before the interval.

The Blues think-tank might also ponder why Kelly was their third choice in picking up the county star in the county finals. Emmet Carolan and Alan Connor marked McConnon on both days and had less than the desired effect.

Judge filled the sweeper role and Nally landed two more points, while Fergal Donohoe also grew into the contest as half time approached.

Having fluffed a few lines and kicked seven first half wides, Andy McDonnell took it upon himself to slap the ball over the bar from 45 yards out.  A Rob Carr free made it 0-7 to 0-3 at half time and McDonnell scored the first point of the second half to set the tone.

Despite chugging along, such is Ardee’s quality they cut the game to three points. Kian Moran, under the utmost pressure, never took his eye off the ball and clipped over before Ronan Carroll spun the ball over the bar.

Cathal Murray’s side now had momentum, but they never looked like getting a goal such was the Blues protection of that area and James McGillick’s wayward restarts.

Yet tired legs and Ardee’s Leinster campaign was surely to have a say in the final ten minutes of action. Darren Clarke came off the bench to add some clout and did so with two points.

But inspiration McDonnell drove forward to crucially keep the scoreboard ticking for the winners, 0-11 to 0-7. That point would prove to be the difference.

A half time substitute finished off a move only Ardee are capable of. It was a smashing strike after Robbie Leavy opened the play up with a cross field pass to Niall Eccles. Coupled with some quick hands from Conor Gillespie it teed up Luke Matthews, whose goal made it a one-point game.

Still Ardee could not get the ball enough. With McDonnell in the way, Newtown Blues kept the ball for up to three minutes in the finish and duly ate into additional time also. It was a masterful way to see out the victory. Just in the fashion of their hero, McDonnell. 

ARDEE ST MARY’S: James McGillick; Padraic McKenny, Evan Malone, Conor Keenan; Kian Moran (0-1), Niall Eccles, Carl Gillespie (0-1 free); RJ Callaghan (0-1), Karl Faulkner; Conor Gillespie, Shane Matthews (0-1), Jonathan Commins; Ryan Rooney, Daire McConnon, Ronan Carroll (0-1), SUBS: Robert Leavy for Callaghan (HT), Luke Matthews (1-0) for Malone (HT), Darren Clarke (0-2) for Rooney (41), Jay Crawley for Commins (50), Paudy Clarke for GIllespie (56).

NEWTOWN BLUES: Johnny McDonnell; Thomas Costello, Ciaran Cluskey Kelly, Johnny Connolly; Alan Connor, Emmet Carolan, Fergal Donohoe; Andy McDonnell (0-3), John Kermode; Ian Connor (0-1), Daire Nally (0-3), Jamie Kelly (0-2 frees); Colm Judge; Lorcan McQuillan, Rob Carr (0-2, 0-1 free). SUBS: Conor McGuirk for McQuillan (41) Conor Branigan for Kelly (53).

REFEREE: David J McArdle (St Brides)