Glyde are forced to fight for title glory
GLYDE RANGERS NAOMH MALAHI 2-10 1-7
GLYDE Rangers secured the Division 3 league title with a hard fought win over a gallant Naomh Malachi outfit in Courtbane on Sunday evening. In very foggy conditions the Tallanstown side eventually shook off the challenge of the border side to run out six-points victors at the final whistle.
Brian Duffy opened the scoring inside the opening 60 seconds before talisman, Trevor O’Brien, curled over a free kick from an acute angle to extend their lead. Padraig Moley and O’Brien traded points before the former pointed from long-range to leave a solitary score between the sides.
The crucial score of the opening half was to follow when O’Brien found time and space in the Mals defence to flick the ball past net-minder Ronan Lynch. Points from Shane Rogers and Collie Rooney led the Mals fightback before an O’Brien and Dion Conlon brace.
Moley and O’Brien exchanged scores in the latter stages of the half as the men in sky blue went into the interval four points to the good, 1-6 to 0-5.
Duffy continued his fine performance with a well-taken score after the break but his side were rocked in the 41st minute when Jamie Kelly squeezed the ball past David Brennan to leave just two points between the sides.
Almost immediately, the visitors replied with their own major when Niall Sharkey’s 45’ eluded the Mals defence and fortuitously found itself in the back of the net. The goal settled the table toppers and further points from O’Brien, substitute Barry Sharkey, and Duffy gave them a comfortable lead by the 54thminute.
To their credit the Mals battled to the end and two late scores from Ronan McElroy and Ronan Greene were testament to their determined efforts. However, it was Glyde Rangers who deservedly claimed the spoils and with that The Dixon Cup, as Division 3 league champions.
NAOMH MALACHI: Ronan Lynch; David Begley, Stephen Burns, Conor Gonnelly; Sean Gogarty, Ronan Greene (0-1), Donal Begley; Padraig Moley (0-3), Ronan McElroy (0-1); Colin Hoey, Shane Rogers (0-1), Jamie Kelly (1-0); Mark Meegan, Eamonn Agnew, Collie Rooney (0-1, 1f).
GLYDE RANGERS: David Brennan; Fiachra Sheridan, Gerard Farrell, Peter Duffy; Aaron Devlin, Mark O’Brien, Conor McCullough; Ciaran Sheridan, Dion Conlon (0-1); Niall Sharkey (1-0), Conor Sheridan, Alan Brennan; Trevor O’Brien (1-4 3f), Brian Duffy (0-4), Gavin Duffy. Sub: Barry Sharkey (0-1).