Al’s well that ends well for
OLIVER Plunkett’s left their best championship performance for the relegation play-off against Dundalk Young Irelands as they completed a straightward 13-point victory at the John Mitchel’s pitch in ideal conditions on Sunday morning.
The Dundalk side got off the mark first and in the early exchanges there was not much between the sides. However, Plunkett’s took control mid-way through the half and it was the younger lads from the Drogheda side that impressed most, with points coming from Cian Brady and Sean Rice.
Irelands were playing very deep in defence and that allowed Sean Brassil and the Matthews brothers to sweep up a lot a ball, but at half-time the outcome was still very much in the balance, with the Plunkett’s ahead on a 0-7 to 0-4 scoreline.
The start of the second half really determined the game as the Dundalk side missed three easy scores for points and had a great goal opportunity, only to be denied by a great save from Plunkett’s goalie Luke Haggins.
The Drogheda men took over after that and knocked over five points without reply before Cian Brady hit the net with a great goal.
To their credit the Irelands kept plugging away and got three points of their own. However, the game was killed off as a contest when Dave McTaggart clinically dispatched to the goals after a lovely lay-off from Walsh to ensure the Plunkett’s will remain in the Intermediate grade.
Young Irelands now have one final chance to save their status and they await to see the outcome of the second relegation play-off between St Fechin’s and Na Piarsaigh next weekend, with the Irelands facing the losers of that match.
OLIVER PLUNKETT’S: L Haggins, C Matthews, F Daly, B Reynolds, Cian Matthews, Sean Brassil, Gary Keogh, Robbie Brodigan, Conor Early, David Lambe, E Kelleher, N Murtagh, C Brady, T Walsh, S Rice. Subs: K Keogh, D McTaggart, A Morgan, A O’hEochaidh.
DUNDALK YOUNG IRELANDS: Fergal Sheekey; Jason Mulligan, Peter McCourt, Robbie Farrell; Peter Flynn, Peter Nixon, Shane O’Connell; Andrew Nixon, Kevin Keelan; Dermot Mone, Dean Maguire, Aidan Sheekey; Johnny Lynch, Sean McLaughlin, Simon Flynn. Sub: Alan Flood for Flynn.
•MATTOCK Rangers boosted their hopes of avoiding relegation from the Division 1 FL when they defeated Cooley Kickhams 2-11 to 1-12 in a back match at the weekend. The Peninsula side now find themselves in trouble towards the bottom of the table. AN excellent display of accuracy with the dead ball from Alan Quigley helped St Joseph’s edge past the Mary’s in a pulsating game of football in Dunleer on Saturday evening.
This Group 1 play-off was played in perfect conditions in front of a big crowd and it was the Dromiskin side who prevailed as they saw off the spirited men from Ardee who played all but five minutes of the game with 14 following Jamie Rooney’s early sending-off.
The Mary’s, last year’s beaten finalists, started well and quickly went two points clear thanks to a couple of close-range Darren Clarke frees.
Daire Smyth then got the Joes up and running with a fine score following an excellent cross-field pass from the boot of Conal O’Hanlon.
In the fifth minute there was a flashpoint between the Joes’ Stefan Potts and Jamie Rooney from St Mary’s. Following consultation with his umpires, referee Paul Finnegan flashed the red card in Rooney’s direction, much to the delight of the travelling Joes supporters.
Derek Mulligan equalised after good work from Alan Lynch, before Darren Clarke’s third free of the game put the Mary’s back in front. Just 30 seconds later the Joes missed a gilt-edge chance as Conal Hanlon’s scuffed his shot wide when one-on-one with the Marys goalkeeper.
Points from Killian Staunton and Conall Smyth gave the Joes the lead for the first time in the game, but the Mary’s came back strongly, dominating the next five minutes, with a couple of points from Ronan Carroll and one from Eimhin Keenan putting the Ardee side 0-6 to 0-4 ahead.
Both sides traded scores in what was becoming an increasingly end-to-end game of football, but it was the Mary’s, defying their numerical disadvantage, who closed out the half strongly with yet another Clarke free kick to put themselves in the driving seat, with a 0-9 to 0-6 advantage at the break.
Daire Smyth and Dean Matthews traded scores at the be- ginning of the second half, before the Marys had a let-off when Alan Quigley dragged his shot wide of the post when clean through on goal.
Dean Matthews smashed a point over the crossbar, but O’Hanlon and Quigley narrowed the gap to leave the scoreboard reading 0-11 to 0-9 with 20 minutes remaining.
It was at this point that Alan Quigley took centre stage, scoring four excellent frees in a 10-minute period, including one from what was seemingly an impossible angle from way out on the left sideline.
Those scores helped the Joes draw level with 10 minutes remaining and at this point it was tough to call a winner.
Conall Smyth’s fitness levels were on full display in the final 10 minutes as he continued to drive his team forward, exploiting inevitable gaps in the Mary’s defence. Points from Quigley, O’Hanlon and substitute Alan McKenna sent the Joes three points clear as the extra man began to yield dividends.
However, the Mary’s bossed in the possession stakes in the final five minutes and ultimately will look back on some wayward shooting as one of the causes of their downfall.
In all the Ardee side shot 14 wides over the hour, compared to just five for the more econom-