Go-Ahead Ireland AFL 1 & 2 Round-Up

Ballyboden St Enda’s kept their narrow lead at the summit of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 table when narrowly overcoming southside rivals Kilmacud Crokes by 2-14 to 0-17 at Páirc Uí Mhurchú on Saturday evening. 

There was rarely much to separate the teams with Ryan Basquel and Daire Sweeney keeping the home scoreboard ticking over initially, cancelling out a couple of early points from Padraig Purcell for Crokes. 

The away full-forward line of Purcell, Shane Cunningham and Tom Fox caused numerous headaches for the Boden defence in the first-half with a Cunningham brace augmented by two monster two-pointed scores from Fox. 

The trio shared ten points between them but a Sweeney goal ensured St Enda’s entered the break trailing by just the bare minimum (0-11 to 1-7). 

Kilmacud continued to impress in the third quarter with Craig Dias excelling at centrefieldbut a 50th minute goal from David Keogh helped turn the tide back in Ballyboden’s favour. 

This allowed Boden to finish strongly thanks to strong displays from John McGuire and Patrick Warren and they ensured the victory through late points by Michael O’Gara and Mark Walsh. 

There was another three-point home win in Marley Park as Ballinteer St John’s continued their fine recent form with a 0-22 to 0-19 victory over Clontarf. 

The hosts led by 0-13 to 0-7 at half-time with four Jack Lundy points augmented by three Luck Cullen scores and a Joe Sweeney two-pointer with Liam Howley replying for the visitors with a late two-pointed effort of his own. 

Clontarf impressed upon the restart through a brace of two-pointed scores from Sean Horkan and another by goalkeeper Brian Dufficy to restore parity by the start of the final quarter. 

However, with Finn Nolan, Sweeney, Cullen and Lundy all highly influential, St John’s seized control in the closing stages with Lundy’s two-pointer followed up by insurance scores by Liam Fenton and Johnny Quirke. 

In Somerton Park, first-half goals from Ger McDermottroe and Conor Chawke helped Castleknock overcome Fingal Ravens by 2-21 to 2-11 while Na Fianna were highly impressive in their 6-18 to 0-11 win over St Patrick’s Donabate.  

Go-Ahead Ireland AFL1: St Sylvester’s 2-10 Cuala 4-24; Thomas Davis 1-20 St Jude’s 0-20; Ballinteer St John’s 0-22 Clontarf 0-19; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 4-11 Ballymun Kickhams 3-17; Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-14 Kilmacud Crokes 0-17; St Mary’s Saggart 3-11 Lucan Sarsfields2-14; Castleknock 2-21 Fingal Ravens 2-11; Na Fianna 6-18 St Patrick’s Donabate 0-11. 

In Go-Ahead Ireland AFL2, a degree of separation has opened up between the top three and the chasing pack with St Brigid’s enhancing their promotion prospects as they overcame previously unbeaten St Vincent’s by 3-12 to 1-11 at Russell Park. 

In doing so, they moved to within two points of the Marino side, who are now joined in top spot by a Skerries Harps team that edged past Raheny by 0-16 to 1-11. 

At the opposite end of the table, Pobal Parnell enhanced their survival chances as they got the better of Naomh Fionnbarra by 4-7 to 0-4 in St David’s. 

Reece Moloney and David Corbett were the pick of the hosts with the former scoring 2-1 and with Harry Gardner and Adam Myler also netting, Pobal Parnell eased home through further scores by TJ Tighe, Jamie Sammon, Sean Quinn and John Sammon.  

Go-Ahead Ireland AFL2: Scoil Uí Chonaill 0-17 Naomh Mearnóg 1-15; Whitehall Colmcille 1-11 Na Fianna 1-12; Templeogue Synge Street 2-15 Fingallians 3-14; Naomh Barróg 0-17 Kilmacud Crokes0-10; Naomh Olaf 1-23 Round Towers Lusk 0-13; St Brigid’s 3-12 St Vincent’s 1-11; Skerries Harps 0-16 Raheny 1-11; Pobal Parnell 4-7 Naomh Fionnbarra 0-4.