Mary’s have a little bit extra

ST MARYS 0-21 DUNDALK GAELS 1-13

ST Marys set up a meeting with Mattock Rangers in the final of the Paddy Sheelan Cup after coming through an entertaining semi-final against Dundalk Gaels on Good Friday.

In what proved to be a very keenly contested affair at Darver it took extra-time to separate the teams before the Ardee men edged home.

The Marys looked to be on course for victory coming to the end of normal time when they led by three points. However, the Gaels refused to give up and a goal from substitute Padraig Fallon levelled the game in a dramatic finish.

Despite that disappointment, the Mid Louth side dusted themselves down and responded impressively in extra time as they scored five unanswered points to make it through to the decider.

There were some fine performances on both sides but the winners were inspired by the scoring of former Louth players Darren Clarke and Ronan Carroll who finished with six and five points respectively, while Brendan Matthews, Dean Matthews and Kian Moran also weighed in with vital points.

The game was in the balance throughout but it was the Dundalk men who had the slight edge in the opening period as they went in at the break leading by 0-7 to 0-6.

The second half saw the Marys gradually take control and they looked set for a place in the final when they edged three clear. However, right at the death the Gaels struck through Fallon to level the match at 1-13 to 0-16.

The Gaels were unable to build on that momentum and they failed to add to their tally as the Marys finished with the last five points.

ST MARYS: Peter Duffy; Brendan Matthews 0-3, Philip Trainor, Conor Keenan; Wayne Matthews, Karl Faulkner, Kian Moran 0-2; Robert Leavy, Darragh McConnon 0-1; Paudy Clarke 0-1, Ronan Carroll 0-5, Mark Fay 0-1; Cian Commins, Jamie Rooney, Darren Clarke 0-6. Subs: Dean Matthews 0-2 for C Commins, Robbie Clarke for M Fay, RJ Callaghan for D Clarke, Alan Kirk for P Clarke, David Carroll for W Matthews.

DUNDALK GAELS: Joe O’Donoghue; James Lynch, Jamie Faulkner, Conor Morgan; Adrian Rafferty 0-1, Oisin Murray, David McComish 0-1; Sean Murray 0-8, David Moloney 0-1; Gary Shevlin, Eanna McArdle, Barry Watters; Chris Sweeney 0-1, Niall Hearty 0-1, Eamon Kenny. Subs: Padraig Fallon 1-0, Andrew Curley, Liam Lynch, Emmet Lindsay, Daire O’Callaghan.