CHAMPIONSHIP2017

O’Connell’s advance as group winners

O’CONNELLS hopes of making an immediate return to the Senior Championship were boosted on Friday evening at Dowdallshill as victory over Young Irelands saw them clinch a place in the Intermediate quarter-finals as Group C winners.

The Bellingham side may not have been as impressive as they were in dismissing Nh Fionnbarra in the opening game, but in the end had just enough to hold off a gallant Young Irelands revival.

On this occasion it was their grit and determination in the second half that were crucial qualities in ensuring they came out on top in a game where referee, Stephen Johnson, left both sides frustrated with a number of his decisions.

Ultimately the Young Irelands were made pay for a very sluggish start that saw them concede two goals in the opening five minutes as the O’Connells burst into a seven point lead.

The Dundalk men looked to be on course for a very long evening but the battled back and twice in the second half got back on level terms. However, the O’Connells were able to dig deep in final quarter and with the help of Stuart Osborne’s frees and Jackie Agnew’s drive, they held out for victory.

Those nervy closing stages seemed a long way removed from the blistering start made by Paddy Bates’ side as it was Osborne who rounded off the first real attack by firing to the net from close range.

Although Jordan O’Donoghue opened the Young Irelands account from a free, things soon got much worse for his side. After four minutes Conor McGill landed a point and the same player won possession from the kick-out before rounding goalkeeper Fergal Sheeky and driving the ball to the net. Two Osborne frees then had the O’Connells 2-3 to 0-2 ahead after 12 minutes.

While it was looking bleak for the Dundalk side, they would have been boosted by the fact that they had created goal chances for Dermot Mone and Dean Maguire during that spell. Their persistence finally paid off when a Cian O Naraigh effort took a deflection and looked over Stuart Reynolds to bring his side right back into the game.

Kieran Maguire’s side played a defensive formation but their ability to break quickly saw them create space for O’Donoghue and Maguire with the result that at the interval they were just 2-3 to 1-5 behind.

It took a fine save from Reynolds to deny Mone seconds after the restart but from the follow up the Young Irelands man pointed to level the game.

As the teams battled for supremacy the next four points were shared before the O’Connells made the decisive burst with two Osborne points either side of a brilliant Agnew score from near the sideline. The Young Irelands’ cause wasn’t helped by the dismissal of Johnny Breen just minutes after his introduction as sub.

The Dundalk side got back to within two points but were unable to breach the determined defence, They will feel aggrieved that a fine run from Dean Maguire ended in a free being given against him despite him being pulled back a number of times.

From that free, the O’Connells broke forward and sealed victory with another Agnew point. O’CONNELLS: Stuart Reynolds; John McLaughlin, Jack Sadlier, Micheal Cairns; Conor Culligan, Salem Rifaie, Keith Woods; Ciaran O’Brien, Dean Stanfield 0-1; Stuart Osborne 1-6, Jackie Agnew 0-2, Dean Corrigan; Paul McKeever, Sean Connolly, Conor McGill 1-1. Subs: James Clerkin for S Connolly, Stefan O’Hanrahan for C McGill BC, PJ Tuite for D Stanfield BC.

DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheeky; Peter McCourt, Aaron Rogers, Robbie Farrell; Aidan Sheeky, Peter Nixon 0-1, Shane O’Connell; Gerard Nixon, Gerard Rogers; Dermot Mone 0-3, Johnny Lynch, Jordan O’Donoghue 0-4; Cian O Naraigh 1-0, Dean Maguire 0-2, Ciaran Murray. Subs: Johnny Breen for S O’Connell, Ian Campbell for R Farrell BC, Peter Flynn for Alan Hanks, Simon Flynn for G Nixon. MATTOCK Rangers cruised through to the quarter-finals of the CTI Business Solutions Intermediate Football Championship with a comfortable victory over the Plunketts in Drogheda on Friday evening.

Goals from Aaron O’Brien, Adrian Reid and Alan Carragher proved the difference as the Collon outfit’s greater cutting edge saw them through against a game Plunketts outfit.

The game began after an impeccably observed minute’s silence for Mattock supporters Michael Power, Rose Everett and Peter Corrigan who all passed away recently.

Plunketts started well with Gerard Harran slotting over a free for the opening point of the game in the second minute after Conor Early was hauled down.

Mattock responded well, scoring the next three points with Conor Lenehan slotting the pick of the bunch with a wonderful score from way out on the left to give his side the lead.

The greasy pitch was causing problems for defenders as the game began to get scrappy with both sides conceding plenty of frees in the opening quarter. Plunketts goalkeeper stepped up to nail a long range free which left the scores all level at 0-4 apiece midway through the opening half.

Both sides traded points before Mattock made the breakthrough