Mals Nick last eight showdown with Emmets
Naomh Malachi St Nicholas 2-10 0-10
GOALS from Donal Begley and Eamonn Agnew saw the Malachis across the finish line at the expense of St Nicholas and into the Junior Football Championship quarter-finals for a second successive year.
With both sides struggling in their respective league campaigns there was added pressure to get a result following opening day losses at the hands of Glyde Rangers.
Noel Donaldson got the scoreboard ticking inside the first 60 seconds before Philip Kirwan levelled matters in the eighth minute.
Although Padraig Moley regained the lead for the Mals, the border outfit had to thank their net minder, Ronan Lynch, for a super save to deny Eddie Carr the opening goal.
Kirwan pointed soon after and then put the Drogheda side into the lead. Roy Kierans extended their lead further before a trademark run from Ronan Greene reduced the arrears to a solitary point. Moley drew the sides level soon after before Kirwan edged his side in front in the 25th minute.
Wing back Donal Begley then found space and finished past Vincent O’Hare for the only goal of the opening half, edging Mals to a 1-4 to 0-5 interval lead.
Conor Gonnelly opened the scoring after the interval with a fine point for the Courtbane outfit before John Heeney’s first score retained the status quo.
The sides traded points through Donaldson and Kirwan before the Mals seized the initiative.
The impressive Donaldson pointed for the third time, before Shane Rogers and Pierce Caherty extended their lead further.
The crucial score arrived in the 54th minute when Eamonn Agnew blasted past O’Hare to effectively end the contest.
Although Kirwan, Kierans and Keith Cluskey were on target for the Nicks, veteran Ronan McElroy had the last say to ensure the Mals advance to the quarter-finals at their opponents expense. NAOMH MALACHI: Ronan Lynch; David Begley, David Rogers, Conor Gonnelly 0-1; Sean Gogarty, Ronan Greene 0-1, Donal Begley 1-0; Padraig Moley 0-2, Pierce Caherty 0-1; Jamie Kelly, Ronan McElroy 0-1, Noel Donaldson 0-3; Colin Hoey, Shane Rogers 0-1, Francis McArdle. Subs: Eamonn Agnew 1-0 for Hoey (b/c).
ST Nicholas: Vinny O’Hare; Jack Downey, Brian Carter, Kieran Floyd; Alan Gregory, Darren Thornton, Ciaran Branigan; Johnny Carter, Declan Heeney; Roy Kierans 0-2, Jason O’Boyle 0-1, Phillip Kirwan 0-6 (3f, 1’45’); Stephan Hodgins, Eddie Carr, John Heeney . Subs; Ciaran O’Brien for Hodgins, Lorcan Downey for Gregory, Kevin Boyle for John Heeney, Keith Cluskey 0-1 for Branigan.