Jocks too strong for Mals

NAOMH MAIRTIN NAOMH MALACHI 1-17 1-10

A strong finish to the opening half was the difference between the sides as Naomh Mairtin claimed the spoils.

Ronan McElroy and Shane Rogers opened the scoring for the visitors before David Delaney and Paddy Usher drew the sides level by the ninth minute. Collie Rooney and Carl Courtney traded scores from placed balls, and although Karl Morgan put the home side in front, a fine Rooney point drew parity by the 15th minute.

The Monasterboice men began to get on top and extended their lead once again through Usher and Delaney, before a Luke Harrington goal just before the break gave his side a 1-9 to 0-6 lead.

The Mals made a promising start to the second half and when a back-heeled effort from Rooney trickled across the line the Courtbane men were just two points behind by the 39th minute.

However, they were unable to sustain the effort as the Mairtins regained control with scores with efforts from Harrington, Kenny Lambe and Jamie Mulholland. NAOMH MAIRTIN: Jamie Mulholland (0-1 45); Cian Byrne, Paul Campbell, Michael Goodwin; Robert Smyth (0-1), Adam Winters, Eamon McQuillan (0-1); Joe McGrane (0-1), Gavin Mooney; Karl Morgan (0-2), David Delaney (0-3), Luke Harrington (1-1); Conor Brady, Carl Courtney (0-2 2f), Paddy Usher (0-3 2f). Subs: Barry Sullivan for Courtney, Kenny Lambe (0-2) for Harrington.

NAOMH MALACHI: Niall Bird; David Begley, David Rogers, Conor Gonnelly; Peter McShane, Ronan Greene (0-2 2f), Donal Begley; Ronan McElroy (0-1), Padraig Moley (0-2); Emmet Mullen (0-1), Collie Rooney (1-2 1f), Ciaran Hughes (0-1); Tiernan Gonnelly, Shane Rogers (0-1), Jamie Kelly. Subs: Sean Gogarty for D Rogers, Mark Meegan for T Gonnelly, Eamonn Agnew for Kelly.