Gaels spoil Saints’ return to top tier

DUNDALK GAELS ST BRIDES 0-11 0-8

ST BRIDES first outing on their return to the top flight was not a good one as they were beaten in this close encounter by Dundalk Gaels in Pairc an Chuinnigh on Sunday evening.

The visitors opened the scoring on seven minutes and had the better of the first-half exchanges, adjourning with a 0-6 to 0-2 lead. Things could have been much different for the Gaels who had Joe O’Donoghue for two point blank saves from Kevin Hearty shots midway through the half.

Soon after the restart Brides narrowed the gap to three points when substitute Ross Kehoe slotted over. However McArdle and Sweeney had two quick fire points in reply at the opposite end. Sean Marry pointed a free kick for St Brides but again the visitors fired over twice, this time from David McComish and McArdle again.

Another Hearty goal chance went abegging as his close shot somehow missed the target and the Gaels breathed again on the three quarter of the hour mark.

Aaron Hoey and Hearty added two for St Brides to leave a goal in it with nine minutes to play and reduced the deficit to two with time almost up when Hoey pointed a ‘45.

However staunch defending by the Gaels and an added time point from McSorley saw out the game. DUNDALK GAELS: Joe O’Donoghue; Daire O’Callaghan, Jamie Faulkner, Conor Morgan; David Maloney (0-1), Oisin Murray (0-1), David McComish (0-1); Sean Murray, James Stewart; Barry Watters, Gerard McSorely (0-2), Jason Clarke; Eanna McArdle (0-2), Niall Hearty (0-1), Chris Sweeney (0-3). Subs: Sean McCann, Gary Shevlin, Padraig Fallon.

ST BRIDES: Darren Breen; Ronan Bailey, Cillian Kirk, Padraic Mackin; James Costelloe, Andrew Smyth, Michael Keane; Alan Dunne, Conor Deane; Richard Halpenny, Patrick Reilly (0-1), Mark Hoey; Sean Marry (0-1), Aaron Hoey (0-2), Kevin Hearty (0-3). Subs: Ross Kehoe (0-1) for R Halpenny, Conaill Devin for S Marry.