Gaels pass first test at the Gers expense
DUNDALK Gaels got their Senior Championship campaign off to the best possible start as they came out on top against the Geraldines at Clan na Gael Park on Sunday night.
Ger McSorley’s goal after 18 minutes proved to be the difference between the teams but in truth it should have been much more comfortable for the Dundalk men who had the better of the game for much of the hour.
However, despite being severely hampered by a lengthening injury list, the Haggardstown side battled gamely and managed to keep themselves in touch until the end. Ultimately, they were lacking a cutting edge in attack and relied on the free-taking of Michael Rogers to stay in contention with eight of his nine points coming from placed balls.
With the Gers short a number of regulars, the Gaels were able to impose their game on the opposition from the outset and their ability to break quickly from defence and get quality ball into the forward line paid instant dividends.
Ger McSorley, Sean Murray and Barry Watters were all on target before Glen Trainor got the Geraldines off the mark on ten minutes. Eanna McArdle and Conall McArdle stretched the lead before Rogers got his first of the game to cut the gap to 0-5 to 0-2 at the end of the first quarter.
There was no let up from The Ramparts side and another quality pass from Crilly released McSorley who cut in and found the net via the base of the post, with Eanna McArdle following up with a point from a free to make it 1-6 to 0-2.
Given the Gaels discipline in defence it was difficult to see the Gers coming back from that seven point deficit. However, a more direct approach in the closing ten minutes of the half was rewarded with points from Rogers (3) and Glen Trainor cut the gap to three points. McSorley had the final say of the half with a pointed
free to put his side 1-8 to 0-7 to the good.
Another excellent point from Barry Watters increased the gap to five just after the restart and there after the Gaels looked content to take the sting out of the game and wait for the opportunity to release the ball into McSorley on the square.
Rogers continued to chip in with frees to keep the Gers in the game but with three minutes of normal time remaining Gaels looked comfortable with a 1-12 to 0-10 lead.
However, two further efforts from Rogers and the dismissal of Eamon Kenny saw the Gaels forced to endure a slightly tense finish, and although sub Conor Rafferty twice went close with two half chances in injury-time the Dundalk side held out for a deserved win. DUNDALK GAELS: Miceal Lambert; David McComish, Jamie Faulkner, Peter McGinnity; Sean Murray 0-1, Barry Watters 0-3, David Maloney 0-1; James Stewart, Derek Crilly; Niall Hearty, Eamon Kenny, Jason Clarke; Eanna McArdle 0-2 (2f), Ger McSorley 1-4 (2f), Conall McArdle 0-1. Subs: Errol Boyle for E McArdle BC, Padraig Fallon for C McArdle.
GERALDINES: Sean McEneaney; Tiarnan Hand, Dan Corcoran, Ryan Trainor; Jack Traynor, James Craven, Gareth Neacy; Shaun Callan, Stephen Reidy; James Corrigan, Glen Trainor 0-3, Josh Arrowsmith; Sean Thornton, Michael Rogers 0-9 (8f), Killian Dempsey. Subs: Conal Hoey for S Thornton, Conor Rafferty for J Arrowsmith, Ronan Greene for R Trainor, Kevin Pepper for J Traynor BC.
REFEREE: Noel Hand.