Emmets condemn Na Piarsaigh after tense showdown

GLEN EMMETS NA PIARSAIGH 1-14 3-7

GLEN Emmets clung on to their intermediate status for dear life on Friday night, edging out Na Piarsaigh in a tense and close encounter at Darver.

Two first-half goals appeared to set the Dundalk outfit on the right road, but they were pipped by a strong-finishing Emmets side and make the drop to the junior grade in both league and Championship next season.

The evergreen Alan McCartney netted both of the Naps first-half goals, but a Keith Lynch strike at the other end kept Emmets in contention at the interval, 2-4 to 1-4.

A Niall Franklin goal kept Na Piarsaigh’s hopes alive but Emmets slowly and surely reeled them in and finished well to hold on to their status. GLEN EMMETS: Conor Kelly, Evan English, Tom Grimes, Keith Boylan, Evan Lynch, Stephen Healy, Niall Hackett, Mark Garvey, Sam Kenny, James Butler (0-5), Kealan O’Neill (0-2), Ronan Grufferty (0-5), Keith Lynch (1-1), Issac Walsh (0-1), Ben Hillard Subs: Davy Bracken for Evan English, Jamie Farnan for Evan Lynch, Robbie Byrne for Ben Hilliard.

NA PIARSAIGH: Adam Molloy ; Fearghal Mulholland, Jarlath Lyons, Shane Roddy; Ciarán Murphy , Joe Woods 0-1, Conall Shields, Michael Woods, Gerard Smyth 0-2; Niall Franklin 1-0, Ronan McCartney, Robbie Murphy 0-2; Mark Larkin 0-2, Alan McCartney 2-0, Eamonn McAuley. Subs: Stephen Arrowsmith for EMcAuley, Tommy Muckian for Ronan McCartney.