Gaels make semis

DUNDALK GAELS NAOMH MAIRTIN 0-15 1-10

DUNDALK Gaels secured a place in the Cardinal O’Donnell Cup semi-finals when they fought back from an early deficit to record a two-point win over Naomh Mairtin on Sunday evening.

As a result, the Dundalk men move into third place in the table a point ahead of the Monasterboice side who can still clinch their place in the play-offs with a draw in their final game.

The Mairtins got off to a flying start and had the ball in the net after just four minutes through Brian Berrill. However, the Gaels came storming back and with Derek Crilly and Gerard McSorley on target they found themselves leading by a point in the closing stages of the first half only for a late Eoghan Callaghan point to send the teams in level at 1-4 to 0-7.

The second half proved to be an equally tight affair with the Gaels edging in front shortly after the restart and at the end of the third quarter they were leading by 0-11 to 1-6, before oints from Brian Berrill and sub Fra McCullough (2) then saw the Mairtin regain the lead with seven minutes remaining.

It was the Dundalk men who found the extra gear in the closing minutes and kicked four points in reply to just one form the Mairtins to seal a crucial victory with Eanna McArdle and Emmet Linsday contributing to the scores. DUNDALK GAELS: M Lambert; D O’Callaghan, J Faulkner 0-1, D McComish 0-2; O Murray, D Crilly 0-3, S Murray; S Mc Cann, J Stewart; N Hearty, J Clarke, B Watters; E McArdle 0-3, E Kenny, G McSorley 0-5. Subs E Lindsey 0-1, E Boyle.

NAOMH MAIRTIN: Craig Lynch; Paul Berrill, Mick Fanning, Thomas Sullivan 0-1; Padraig McDonagh, Benny Reilly, John Clutterbuck; Wayne Campbell, Gavin Mooney; Stephen Campbell, Eoghan Callaghan 0-2, Conor Healy; Sam Mulroy 0-2, Brian Berrill 1-3, Brian McQuillan. Subs: Mark McCullough for G Mooney, Fra McCullough 0-2 for B McQuillan, Conor Morgan for C Healy.