Mals take big step toward knockouts
TEN points from the boot of talisman Barry O’Hare, helped Roche Emmets begin their Christy Bellew Cup campaign on a winning note in this Group 2 encounter against near neighbours Dowdallshill.
O’Hare scored six of his teams’ 11 points in the 1st half, and it could have been even more, had he not seen his eighth minute penalty brilliantly saved by ‘Hill keeper Robbie Arthur.
Fittingly, it was O’Hare who opened the scoring in the very first minute, and in spite of that missed penalty soon after, he went on to register 3 of his teams’ next 5 scores to put Emmets in command.
While Roche looked to O’Hare, Noel Finnegan was the ‘Hill’s ‘ go to man’, and the long serving forward wasn’t found wanting, converting 3 frees to make it a 4 point game with 3 mins left in the opening half.
But it was at that point that Roche moved into an unassailable lead, hitting 4 points in quick succession thanks to 2 from O’Hare, and one each from Niall Mc Ardle and Dan O’Connell, to open-up a commanding 11-3 half-time advantage.
Any prospect of a comeback from the ‘Hill in the 2nd half appeared to evaporate when O’Hare added his 7th point on the re-start, followed soon after by an effort from Shane Byrne, leaving 10 the difference.
But a glimmer of hope presented itself when Noel Finnegan’s long centre was met by the fist of sub Chris Mc Mahon at the far post, and with his first touch of the game, he found the back of the net.
That brought it back to a 6 point game, however any prospect that Dowdallshill could get any closer were soon dashed, as Roche tagged on 4 of the next 5 scores, to put the game firmly beyond their opponents’ reach..
Noel Finnegan kept the scoreboard ticking-over with 3 more frees to bring his own personal tally up to 7, before Roche midfielder Dan O’Connell landed the nights’ final score in injury time, to put the seal on a fairly comfortable 7 point win for Niall Callan’s men. DOWDALLSHILL: Robbie Arthur, Cathal Brady, Paul Flynn, Sean Duffy, Peter Hughes, Jack Mc Gailey, Emmet O’Brien, Ciaran Thornton, Justin Halley 0-1, Dylan Curran, Noel Finnegan 0-7, Luke O’Brien, Martin Og O’Brien, Paul Gill and Gerry Mc Shane 0-1. Subs: David McCrave for Martin Og O’Brien, Chris Mc Mahon 1-0 for Ciaran Thornton, Dylan Mc Donnell for Cathal Brady, Tiernan Duffy for Emmet O’Brien and Rob Traynor for David Mc Crave.
ROCHE: Sean O’Hare; James Tiffney, Harry O’Connell, Liam Rice; Liam Dawe, Liam Carthy, Shane Byrne 0-2; Dan O’Connell 0-2, Niall McArdle 0-1; David O’Connell 0-1, Enda Murphy, Cathal Byrne; Conor Mackin 0-1, Eugene Murray, Barry O’Hare 0-10. Subs: Paddy Quigley 0-2, Kevin Callaghan. DUNDALK Young Irelands justified their favourites tag for Christy Bellew glory after they cruised to an emphatic victory over Stabannon Parnells on Saturday evening in the Grove.
After 22 minutes, the marauding Dean Maguire scored his second goal of the opening half, to give the Dundalk side a lead of 2-4 to 0-2 and effectively put the game beyond Stabannon who were outplayed by a superior Young Irelands side.
Adrian O’Donoghue’s were dominant in al sectors in that Anglo Printers JFC Group D TWO late goals added some gloss to the scoreline, but Naomh Malachi were nonetheless full value for what could prove to be a vital win in the four team group of the Junior Championship in Stabannon on Friday night.
With Lannleire also off the mark the winners of this Friday’s tussle between the sides will have one foot in the quarter-finals with a game to spare.
However, with the Seans the team most likely to challenge for a knockout spot, this was a massive victory for the Mals.
Seans won the league meeting between the sides earlier in the season and they started brightly with a brace from Kevin McMahon.
However, once the Mals got going they soon reeled their opponents back in and a Padraig Moley goal swung the tie firmly in their favour as the forged into a 1-8 to 0-2 lead.
Late scores from McMahon (2) and Tony Kelly gave Seans a sliver of hope, but trailing by 1-8 to 0-5 at the break, they had it all to do in the second period.
When the closed the gap back to four that sliver of hope became something more tangible for Seans, but it proved short-lived as Mals replied with points from Ronan McElroy, Moley and Collie Rooney.
The decisive score was came from the boot of Jack Kirwan, whose rake from out wide dropped to the net, leaving the Mals in total control.
A third Mals goal dispatched by Dylan Rooney stretched the Mals lead still further and rendered a late Tony Kelly strike little more than consolation. NAOMH MALACHI: Christopher McCauley; David Begley, David Rogers, Stephen Burns; Jamie Kelly, Stephen Smith, Emmett Mullen; Padraig Moley 1-2, Christopher Smith 0-1; Dylan Rooney 1-3, Jack Kirwan 1-1, Donal Begley; Mark Meegan 0-1, Ronan McElroy 0-4, Colin Rooney 0-1. Subs: Colin Hoey 0-1, for Colin Rooney, Paul Gogarty for Dylan Rooney
SEAN MCDERMOTTS: Steven Carrie; Kevin McGahon, Sean McMahon, Leigh Ross; Daniel Commins, Peter Osbourne, Ian Corbally; Declan Carroll, Patrick Osbourne; Emmett Duffy, Cormac Walsh, David O’Neill 0-1; David McArdle, Tony Kelly 1-3, Kevin McMahon 0-5. Subs: Lorcan Myles 0-1 for Ian Corbally, BJ Matthews for Emmett Duffy.
REFEREE: Brian Brady.