Four-midable Jocks show their mettle
AFTER starting the season with a bang, before losing their way slightly come the summer months, no-one really knew which Naomh Mairtin would turn up at The Grove on Saturday night.
But we didn’t have to wait long for the answer as the Jocks delivered an emphatic first-half blitz, leaving Dundalk Gaels with too much to do as they attempted to follow up on their opening round win over Cooley Kickhams.
The Monasterboice outfit were relentless from the first whistle, barely giving the Gaels time to sort out their defensive match-ups.
And there certainly didn’t seem to be anybody picking up Conor Healy as he danced in from the left wing to flick a delicate finish past John Burlingham in the opening seconds.
The evergreen JP Rooney teed up Stephen Campbell for a ‘sitter’ and as the Gaels tried desperately to gain some kind of foothold, wing back Padraig McDonagh surged through to fire the third home.
The Gaels had no option but to throw off the shackles and when presented with the opportunities, Sean McCann and Eanna McArdle proved accurate over dead balls.
But the Mairtins were in control and, despite needing to call on Craig Lynch for a couple of smart saves, they adjourned with a 3-7 to 0-8 advantage.
Malachy O’Rourke must surely have stressed the need to start the second-half on the front foot, but also tighten up at the back. He got neither.
Conor Whelan extended the Mairtins lead with a point, before Stephen Campbell capitalised ona defensive error to put the issue beyond any doubt.
The returning Derek Crilly did give the Gaels a bit of impetus with a goal and Barry Watters also found a way past Lynch.
But the mountain was too high for the Gaels and with Sam Mulroy finding his range from play and dead balls, the Jocks never really looked in any danger.
They can further stake their claim as genuine Joe Ward contenders with a win over Cooley Kickhams on Sunday evening at the sane venue, which would send them through to the last eight as group winners.
Gaels can only sit and wait and hope that the Jocks do them a favour. If Cooley pull of a surprise win, the Dundalk men will in all likelyhood bow out on score difference. NAOMH Mairtin: Craig Lynch; Thomas Sullivan, Mick Fanning, Paul Berrill; Padraig McDonagh 1-0, Brendan Reilly, Jack McCarville; Wayne Campbell, Val Leddy; Sam Mulroy 0-7 (3f 1’45’), Stephen Campbell 2-1, Conor Healy 1-2; Conor Whelan 0-2, JP Rooney 0-3, Bryan McQuillan. Subs: Gavan Mooney for V Leddy (41) ,Brian Berrill for P McDonagh (45), John Clutterbuck for J McCarville (49), Luke Harrington for B McQuillan (56).
DUNDALK Gaels: John Burlingham; James Lynch, Jamie Faulkner, Conor Morgan; David McComish, James Stewart, Oisin Murray; Sean McCann 0-5, (3f, 1’45’) David Maloney 0-1; Eamonn Kenny, Sean Fee 0-1, Sean Murray; Chris Sweeney 0-3, Barry Watters 1-1, Eanna McArdle 0-3 (2f). Subs: Derek Crilly 1-1 for E Kenny; (ht), Emmet Lyndsey for S Fee (41)s, Jason Clarke for S Murray (43)s, David Hearty for C Sweeney (46).
REFEREE DJ McArdle SENIOR champions, Sean O’Mahony’s began the defence of their crown with a one-point win over St Mary’s in a repeat of the 2016 final at Dunleer on Saturday evening.
In a Group 1 game that failed to produce the excitement of last September’s encounter, there was a familiar feel to proceedings as the Ardee side looked to have victory within their grasp only for the Point Road side to come from behind to claim the spoils.
After a slow start, the Dundalk outfit trailed by four points at the end of the first quarter and looked very much out of sorts at that stage. However, they managed to get themselves out of trouble with a display that was clinical and professional rather than flamboyant, but nonetheless had all the hallmarks champions.
The decisive score was also vintage O’Mahonys and saw Conor Crawley, not for the first time on his side’s remarkable journey in recent years, rise highest to expertly flick Conor Finnegan’s centre past the stranded Peter Duffy.
That put Alan Craven’s team ahead for the first time in the game and they used their experience and craft to hold out for victory which was secured by a late point from the impressive Stephen Fisher.
It was a bitterly disappointing NEWTOWN Blues booked their place in the last eight of this year’s Anchor Tours Senior Football Championship as they outfought the Dreadnots in Drogheda on Friday evening.
Ronan Phillips side just seemed that little bit hungrier especially in the opening half with Colm Judge and Ciaran Downey causing the Clogherhead side all sorts of problems. The Dreadnots were dealt a blow just before the game threw in when talisman Pauric ‘Pepe’ Smith was declared unable to start due to a problem with his knee.
With defender Anthony Williams also missing this was always going to be a tough task