Round-Up: AFL1 & AFL2 Tuesday May 5th

Thomas Davis picked up their second win of the season as they pipped Castleknock by 2-16 to 1-18 in their Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 Round 7 encounter at Somerton Park on Tuesday night.

The visitors seized the early initiative though Fionn Murray in attack but a Ger McDermottroe goal for Castleknock levelled matters at the start of the second quarter.

Murray (1-6) replied with a goal of his own to leave Thomas Davis trailing by 1-8 to 1-6 at half-time and the hosts pushed five points clear entering the final quarter.

However, a goal from substitute Fionn Lynch saw the visitors back on track and with Dennis Ogbanna, Cian Murphy and Mark Nolan all to the fore, they did enough to prevail thanks to two points apiece from Conor Guilfoyle, Ryan Fahey, Sean Farrelly and Jack O’Connor.

Matters were similarly tight in Robbie Farrell Park as St Patrick’s Donabate withstood some late Na Fianna pressure to claim a vital 2-13 to 1-14 victory.

The hosts controlled matters for the large part with a penalty from Adam Dunne setting them on their way and they continued on the front foot through scores at regular intervals by Adam Conroy, Stephen Dempsey, Clyde Burke and Dylan Knight Sands.    

The St Pat’s half-back line of Kieran Conroy, Adam Darby and Dunne all impressed in addition to scoring and they built up a sufficient lead when Sean Walsh palmed home from close range early in the second-half.

In Páirc de Búrca, Kilmacud Crokes produced a dominant second-half performance as they overcame Cuala by 2-18 to 1-12 with all their scores coming from open play. 

The visitors were full value for their 1-9 to 1-5 interval lead with a goal from Darragh Dempsey keeping Crokes in touch.

The hosts seized control upon the restart thanks largely to their midfield pairing of Ben Shovlin and Niall Comerford while Mark O’Leary impressed off the bench with a personal tally of 1-1.

Robbie Murray shone between the sticks with a number of key saves as Kilmacud pulled away thanks to the scoring returns of Dara Mullin (0-6), Paul Mannion (0-4), the influential Leo Fearon (0-3) and Cian O’Connor (0-2). 

On Wednesday night, Ballinteer St John’s kept up their title charge with a Liam Fenton goal and three late points from Joey Quirke sealing a 1-14 to 0-15 win over St Jude’s, for whom Oisín Costello landed a brace of two-pointers.    

AFL1 RESULTS: Lucan Sarsfields 0-12 Ballyboden St Enda’s 2-20; St Patrick’s Donabate 2-13 Na Fianna 1-14; Ballymun Kickhams 4-21 St Mary’s Saggart 1-9; Kilmacud Crokes 2-18 Cuala 1-12; St Vincent’s 1-16 Skerries Harps 2-15; Castleknock 1-18 Thomas Davis 2-16; Raheny 0-15 Clontarf 3-17; St Jude’s 0-15 Ballinteer St John’s 1-14.

In AFL2, Whitehall Colmcille kept up their promotion ambitions as they defeated Kilmacud Crokes by 2-17 to 0-13 at Collins Avenue.

The home goals were scored through Tony O’Sullivan (penalty) and Sean Gannon as Colmcille seized control through the efforts of Cian Ashmore (0-3), Patrick Manning and Peter Moloney.

That victory keeps Whitehall in joint second spot, two points behind league leaders Fingal Ravens, who edged Clanna Gael Fontneoy by 0-16 to 0-13 at Sean Moore Park.

Fingallians remain in the top half of the table as they scored goals at crucial times when accounting for Naomh Olaf by 3-11 to 1-13 at Páirc Uí Bhriain. 

The hosts placed some early pressure on the Fins goal but failed to translate that pressure into scores as the visitors took the lead through a Cameron Clarke goal.

Points followed through Sean O’Neill, Patsy O’Neill, Killian Murphy and Gavin Hickey with a fortuitous goal by Graham O’Brien prompting a 2-8 to 1-5 interval lead.

Naomh Olaf resumed in a similarly lively manner, drawing level by the end of the third quarter but a Murphy goal and points from Clarke, Sean O’Neill and O’Brien handed Fingallians a sufficient buffer by the final whistle.   

AFL2 RESULTS: Scoil Uí Chonaill 3-16 St Maur’s 1-9; Whitehall Colmcille 2-17 Kilmacud Crokes 0-13; Templeogue Synge Street 6-19 Round Towers Lusk 3-9; Naomh Barróg 1-6 St Oliver Plunkett/ER 2-13; Naomh Olaf 1-13 Fingallians 3-11; Naomh Mearnóg 2-12 St Sylvester’s 3-9; St Brigid’s 0-7 Erin’s Isle 1-17; Clanna Gael Fontenoy 0-13 Fingal Ravens 0-16.