Clogher eyeing two-in-a-row
Dreadnots Dundalk Gaels 2-10 0-6
WITH one eye almost certainly on a Championship semi-final showdown with Naomh Mairtin, Dundalk Gaels suffered a heavy home defeat to O’Donnell Cup holders Dreadnots on Saturday afternoon.
Malachy O’Rourke named a strong team, but Dreadnots’ determination to rescue something from their season proved to be crucial as they took a firm grip on proceedings after half-time to wun out comfortable winners.
Inevitably, both sides struggled in the atrocious conditions, particularly in the early stages, but Dreadnots were the better team in the first-half and slowly made it count on the scoreboard.
Louth star Paraic Smith was in form as they opened a 0-4 to 0-1 lead, but Gaels closed the gap with points from Eanna McArdle, from a free, and Derek Crilly.
A Califf free made it a two-point game at the break, 0-5 to 0-3, but Dreadnots made their move straight after the interval as Smith showed his class with a goal and point either side of a David Moloney effort, making it 1-6 to 0-4.
Dreadnots lost two key men to black cards in quick succession as Derek Shevlin and Califf were sent for early showers, but it didn’t really affect the Clogherhead side or spark a response from their lacklustre hosts.
In fact the Gaels could only muster a couple of late frees before a Richard Kirwan goal put some extra gloss on the scoreline for Dreadnots.
Colm Donnelly’s men will defend their title against Naomh Mairtin, while the Gaels revert their attention back to the senior championship and a semi-final date with the Jocks.
DUNDALK Gaels: Micheal Lambert; Dáire O’Callaghan, Jamie Faulkner, Eamonn Kenny; James Stewart, David McComish, Óisín Murray; David Moloney 0-1, Seán McCann; Jason Clarke, Seán Murray, Derek Crilly 0-1; Eanna McArdle 0-03, Gerard McSorley 0-1, Errol Boyle. Subs: Chris Sweeney for E Boyle, Peter McGinnity for J Clarke, Seán Fee for E McArdle, Conor Morgan for E Kenny.
DREADNOTS: Kenneth Shevlin; Brian Gargan, Derek Shevlin, Pádraig Rath; Anthony Williams, Cian McEvoy, Dermot Campbell; James Califf 0-2, Fergal McGuigan; Liam Shevlin 0-1, Páraic Smith 1-5, Pat Lynch; Peter Kirwan, Richard Kirwan 1-1, Anthony Lynch 0-1. Subs: Barry Faulkner for D Shevlin (BC), Jerome O’Brien for Califf (BC), Carl Monaghan for R Kirwan, Ronan Califf for A Lynch.
REFEREE: Paul Finnegan.