Raghs stay in play-off picture

O RAGHALLAIGHS O’CONNELLS 2-14 1-12

O’RAGHALLAIGHS’ third visit to The Grove in 13 days saw them gain their first victory, this time in the Division 2 league against O’Connells, after defeats to Geraldines and Pats in the senior championship.

Ben Rogan got the visitors’ first point of the game, but the home side replied with the next three from Paul McKeever and two frees from Stuart Osborne.

On the Drogheda side’s next attack Chris Smith scored the opening goal of the game. Two more quick points from Ruairi Moore and Eoin Moore put them three in front and further points from Osborne and Eoin Moore made sure the margin stayed at three - 1-4 to 0-4 - after 20 minutes.

The teams were level a minute later thanks to a Jackie Agnew goal, but the men from the Gaelic Grounds finished the half stronger and added another four points through Damien Boyle, Ruairi Moore and a brace of frees from Barry Flanagan to leave the score at the break 1-8 to 1-4.

O’Connells were out the traps quicker at the start of the second half and they landed the first three points through McKeever, Keith Woods and Dean Stanfield.

The Drogheda side responded with the next three points, all frees and all from the boot of Flanagan, but back came the Bellingham team with the next three from Osborne, McKeever and Sean Connolly.

Points from Rogan and Ruairi Moore increased the lead to three - 1-13 to 1-10 - inside the last 10 minutes and they soon doubled that lead when the Moore brothers combined before Ruairi shot to the net.

A brace of points from Agnew reduced the margin to four, but try as they did the Bellingham team could not add to their score. Flanagan got the last point of the game that moves his team to fifth in the table and keeps the O’Connell’s third from bottom with just two games remaining.

O RAGHALLAIGHS: Joe Flanagan; Thomas Callan, Ciaran Brassil, Stephen Murphy; Eoin Moore 0-2, Chris Smith 1-0, Sean Grennan; Robert Mulroy, Alan Doyle; Ruairi Moore 1-3, Barry Flanagan 0-6 (5f), Andrew Rogan; Eoin Morrison, Ben Rogan 0-2, Damien Boyle 0-1(f). Subs Olan Walshe for A. Rogan, Cillian Curran for E. Morrison.

O’CONNELLS: Stuart Reynolds; James Clerkin, Emmet Byrne, Micheal Cairns; Conor Culligan, Salem Rifaie, Keith Woods 0-1 (f); Dean Stanfield 0-1, Ciaran O’Brien; Jack Sadlier, Jackie Agnew 1-2, Paul McKeever 0-3; Dean Corrigan, Sean Connolly 0-1 (f), Stuart Osborne 0-4 (fs). Subs: Stefan O’Hanrahan for J. Sadlier, PJ Tuite for C. Culligan, Sean Cairns for C. O’Brien.