Jocks back on top

NAOMH Mairtin reclaimed the outright lead in Division 1 after coming through a rather scrappy encounter with Geraldines.

Conor Whelan was the hero for the home side as he landed two late points to deny the Haggardstown men a Monasterboice.

It was the visitors who came flying out of the blocks and they dominated the opening half, picking their scores off with ease. They suffered a setback when Sean Thornton.

The Martins looked a pale shadow of the free-scoring side from their opening four games as they were surviving on scraps, and it wasn’t looking good when they went in at the break trailing by 0-9 to 0-3.

Shane O’Hanlon and Dara Hamill led the scoring for the Gers.

However, they lifted their game considerably in the second period atlthough their bright start was halted somewhat when they had Gave Mooney sent off after 35 minutes.

Despite this, the home side slowly chipped into the Geraldines lead, and this was mainly down to scores from Conor Whelan, who was excellent from play and with his frees, while Brian Berrill also contributed four points.

The Mairtins levelled with just over minutes left on the clock and again Whelan stood up to take another free and duly slotted it over with time nearly up and give the Mairtins a scrappy win.

MAIRTINS: Jamie Mulholland; Paul Berrill, Benny Reilly, Jack McCarville; Padraig McDonagh 0-1, Mick Fanning, John Clutterbuck 0-1; Gavin Mooney, Val Leddy; Stephen Campbell, JP Rooney, Conor Healy; Conor Whelan 0-6, Brian Berrill 0-4, Mark McCullough. Subs: Joe McGrane for V Leddy, Paddy Usher for C Healy.

GERALDINES: Darrin Kearney; Nicky Mackin, James Craven, Robbie Lynch 0-1; Kevin Pepper, Jack Traynor, Dylan Kresa; Stephen Reidy, Paddy Hoey; Dara Hamill 0-3, Shane O’Hanlon 0-5, Matt Corcoran 0-1; Josh Arrowsmith 0-1, Paul Clarke, Sean Thornton. Subs: Gareth Neacy for D Kresa, Niall Craven for M Corcoran, Shane Thornton for R Lynch.