Round-Up: AFL3 & AFL4 March 8th

Corner-back Sean Conville proved the match-winner as his late point for Ballyboughal helped edge Clann Mhuire by 1-14 to 2-10 in their entertaining Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Football League Division 3 encounter at Naul on Sunday morning. 

The North County derby was a typically tight affair with the visitors well served at the back by Will Rafter, Simon Barrett, Jordan Hoey and John Rodgers, with the latter chipping in with three points over the hour. 

Mark Cooper and Cian Warren more than held their own at centrefield for a Ballyboughal side that did just enough to prevail through the scoring contributions of Cian Casey (0-5), Cian Downey (0-3) and Richard Downey (1-0). 

In Somerton Park, Castleknock moved through the gears in the second quarter to eventually see off Cuala by 1-12 to 0-9. 

After a relatively even opening, the hosts gained the ascendancy through excellent scores by Ashraf Dafalla and Stephen Kane while a well-worked goal finished by Sam Ryan pushed them seven points clear at half-time. 

That buffer proved sufficient upon the restart as the intensity of the home defence, epitomised by joint captain Ronan Conway, left Cuala largely restricted to scores from placed balls. 

Cillian O’Sullivan, Niall Walsh and Tyrone Kelly were others to impress in the Castleknock rearguard while a terrific save from goalkeeper Alex Conroy helped confirm their deserved win.    

GO-AHEAD IRELAND AFL3 RESULTS: O’Dwyer’s 2-14 Ballyboden St Enda’s 3-13; St Sylvester’s 1-12 St Anne’s 7-8; Thomas Davis 1-5 Trinity Gaels 1-9; Round Towers Clondalkin 2-16 Clontarf 3-10; Clann Mhuire 2-10 Ballyboughal 1-14; Naomh Fionnbarra 1-14 Na Fianna 0-17; Castleknock 1-12Cuala 0-9; St Margaret’s 2-14 Pobal Parnell 3-15. 

In Go-Ahead Ireland AFL4, St Finian’s Swords started on the front foot on their way to a comfortable 1-15 to 0-7 victory over Ballymun Kickhams at Ridgewood Park. 

A Sean Cronin goal pushed the hosts into an early six-point lead and with Ballymun reduced to fourteen players, the hosts pushed on through a brace of points from influential midfielder Oisin O’Hea and Anthony McGonigle. 

Conor Halpin top scored for St Finian’s with 0-9, including a trio of two-pointers in the second-half and with Kieran Murnane and Conor Collier also impressing, they eased home through further points by Nathan Foster, Fergal O’Donnell and Ciaran Doyle.  

Geraldine P. Morans picked up their first win of the campaign as the pipped St Patrick’s Donabate by 3-9 to 2-10 in Ballyogan. 

That they managed to claim the two points was largely down to an exceptional display by their goalkeeper Brian Casey, who made some superb saves in addition to excelling on his restarts. 

The momentum of the contest turned as Conor Cannon converted from the spot with the hosts finishing well through Kevin Quinn (1-3) and Paddy Brogan. 

There was a similar margin of victory at Blakestown Road as St Peregrine’s controlled the final quarter when accounting for Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels by 4-15 to 4-13. 

The hosts were reduced to fourteen players after ten minutes but remained in the hunt through the scoring prowess of both Chris Reddy and Caelum Moriarty with Darragh O’Connor a hugely influential presence throughout at midfield. 

Trailing by eight points with twenty minutes remaining, St Peregrine’s rolled the dice with the introduction from the bench of Dylan Nulty, Stephen McGuinness, Senan Stynes and James Callaghan and all four made a huge impact in their comeback.  

GO-AHEAD IRELAND AFL4 RESULTS: Gerladine P. Morans 3-9 St Patrick’s Donabate 2-10; St Peregrine’s 4-15 Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels 4-13; O’Toole’s 1-7 Man O’War 1-14; Whitehall Colmcille 2-11 St Vincent’s 2-5; Craobh Chiaráin 0-11 St Patrick’s Palmerstown 1-7; Ballinteer St John’s 1-15Garristown 0-11; St Finian’s Swords 1-15 Ballymun Kickhams 0-7; Fingal Ravens 1-8 St Jude’s 1-9.