Glyde seal semi-final spot
NAOMH Malachi and Glyde Rangers played out an entertaining contest on Saturday evening in Courtbane before the visitors claimed the two-points on offer to secure top spot in Group A.
Played in ideal weather conditions, it was the home side who got off to the best start with a third minute goal from the in-form Collie Rooney helping them to 1-5 to 0-6 half-time lead.
Glyde were much improved after the break and a Brian Duffy strike put them in the driving seat.
Mals responded well, closing to the minimum, but late points from Trevor O’Brien and Niall Sharkey sandwiched a Rooney effort to ensure that the visitors left with the spoils. GLYDE RANGERS: Gerard Carroll; Conor McCullagh, Cian Sheridan, Peter Duffy; Fiachra Sheridan, Philip McGahon 0-1, JP Boyle; Barry Sharkey 0-1, David Devaney 0-1; Aaron Devlin 0-2, Conor Sheridan, David Brennan 0-2; Trevor O’Brien 0-3, Brian Duffy 1-2, Niall Sharkey 0-2. Subs: Gerard Farrell, Niall Bird and Gavin Duffy.
NAOMH MALACHI: Mark Meegan; David Begley, David Rogers, Conor Gonnelly; Daniel Lundy, Ronan Greene 0-3 1f, Stephen Burns; Pierce Caherty 0-1, Padraig Moley; Donal Begley, Noel Donaldson 0-1, Emmet Mullen; Collie Rooney 1-5 1f, Ronan McElroy 0-1, Jamie Kelly 0-1. Subs: Jack Kirwan and Tiernan Gonnelly.
NAOMH Mairtin eased to a seven point win over Wolfe Tones at Monasterboice on Saturday evening.
The Mairtins started very well and Carl Courtney kicked 1-6 as they opened a 1-10 to 0-2 halftime lead.
The Tones came out strongly in the second period and scored an early goal and really made a game of it.
The Mairtins only scored four points in the second half, but the damage was done in the first period as the hosts held out for victory. NAOMH MAIRTIN: Luke Mitchell; Jamie Mulholland 0-1, Shane Morgan, Michael Goodwin; Eamon McQuillan 0-2, Paul Campbell, Eoin Lynch; Val Leddy, Joe McGrane 0-1; Robert Smyth 0-1, Brian McQuillan, Karl Morgan; James Martin 0-1, Carl Courtney 1-7, 2F; Paddy Usher 0-1. Subs: Gavin Mooney for V Leddy, Andrew Clarke for K Morgan, Ben Rose for J Martin, Patrick Sullivan for J McGrane, Alan Downey for S Morgan. DOWDALLSHILL’S first competitive match of the year almost produced a draw that their efforts would have merited, after they were pipped by two points by the men from Dunleer.
Having trailed at one stage by nine points, the home side rallied strongly in the final quarter, finding the net twice, while Noel Finnegan sent a penalty over the bar and Paul Gill also shot a good goal chance high.
Lannleire bossed the first-half exchanges with Alan Murphy getting in for the opening goal of the game, five minutes before half time to make it 1-6 to 0-2 at the break. Lannleire added two more scores after the break to stretch their lead.
The Dundalk men were grabbed a lifeline, when Noel Finnegan netted. He then blazed his penalty over before Gill found the net to reduce the gap to three. Right on the stroke of full-time, Gill had that opportunity to force a draw, only to see his shot go over, rather than under, the crossbar. LANNLEIRE: John King; Andrew Flanagan, Bob Murphy, Jason Torris; Paul Doyle, Brendan McEvoy 0-1, Paul McGeough; Ian Mulroy, Andrew Dowd; Colin Murphy 0-1, Donal Clare, Liam Callan; Gary Monaghan 0-2, Alan Murphy 1-4, Niall Lennon 0-2. Subs: Breen McGuinness for J Torris BC, Michael O’Hare for P McGeough, Ben Holdcroft 0-1 for L Callan, Paul McGeough for A Flanagan BC, Jimmy Kearney for Ian Mulroy, Alan Kealy for N Lennon.
DOWDALLSHILL: Gary Corrigan; Vincent Roe, Conor McGeown, Sean Duffy; Jack McGailey, Justin Halley, Aidan Moran; Eamon Duffy, David McCrave; Johnny Burke, Anthony Quinn, Noel Finnegan 1-4; Paul Gill 1-1, Peter Begley, Conor McGailey. Subs: Luke O’Brien, Emmet O’Brien, Aidan McCabe 0-1 and Ridwan Bodunrin.