Round-Up: AFL3 & AFL4 May 23rd

We’ve reached the two-thirds mark in Division 3 of the Dublin Adult Football League with O’Dwyer’s finally picking up their first win of the campaign as they overcame fellow strugglers Thomas Davis by 1-20 to 1-8 in Bremore Park. 

The win came as a massive relief to the Balbriggan outfit, who controlled large parts of the game thanks to their dominant midfield pairing of brothers Darragh Kehoe and Padraic Kehoe. 

Both players kicked four points over the hour and with Shane Nally adding 1-1, they gave their survival prospects a massive boost thanks to three points apiece from Tristan Cawley and Cathal O’Rourke. 

On a night when half of the matches finished in draws, including Na Fianna’s thrilling 3-14 to 1-20 clash against Ballyboughal, Ballyboden St Enda’s caught up with the leaders as they edged Clontarf by 1-15 to 1-12 in St Anne’s Park. 

The visitors were on the back foot for the bulk of the first-half with the free-taking of Stephen McGrath and Darragh Cullen limiting the damage as they trailed by 1-9 to 0-6 at the break. 

Boden were a different prospect upon the restart as they gradually seized control of matters and their improvement was reflected in points from Paddy McWalter, Collie Dunne and David Keane. 

The pivotal moment arrived early in the final quarter as the experienced Bob Dwan netted and St Enda’s did enough to prevail through further scores from Ciaran Ó Sé and Cullen. 

Round Towers Clondalkin remain in third spot, a point behind joint leaders Na Fianna and Ballyboden following their high-scoring 5-16 to 2-15 win against St Margaret’s at Monastery Road. 

Harry Leech plundered a hat-trick for Towers with the other green flags raised by Ben Casey and Joey Leech.  

AFL3 RESULTS: O’Dwyer’s 1-20 Thomas Davis 1-8; Cuala 0-14 Trinity Gaels 1-11; Round Towers Clondalkin 5-16 St Margaret’s 2-15; Clann Mhuire 2-17 St Anne’s 3-14; Naomh Fionnbarra3-5 St Sylvester’s 2-8; Castleknock 0-18 Pobal Parnell 0-20; Clontarf 1-12 Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-15; Na Fianna 3-14 Ballyboughal 1-20. 

In AFL4, St Patrick’s Palmerstown continue to lead the way at the summit of the table following their comfortable 3-19 to 2-10 win over Ballymun Kickhams at Glenauline Park.

The hosts were full value for their victory with the aerial dominance of Adam Lambe, Garbhán Gallagher and Dave Griffin, augmented by Lambe’s goal seeing them build a healthy 1-12 to 0-7 interval advantage. 

St Pat’s enhanced their position early in the third quarter through 2-1 by Luke McGovern while Alan Griffin and Gallagher kicked two-pointers to effectively settle the issue. 

The former kicked six points over the hour while the hard-working Conor McHugh and James Dunphy added three points apiece to extend the St Pat’s lead at the summit to three points. 

At Páirc Naomh Uinsionn, St Jude’s ended a sequence of three straight losses as they edged St Vincent’s by 2-13 to 1-13. 

Tom Bassett top scored with 1-5 for a St Jude’s side that were indebted to midfielder Sean Bealin for an exceptional display of fielding throughout. 

Further down the field, both Finbarr Wardick and Sean Kavanagh kept matters tight at the back and with Shane Pendergast impressing when introduced off the bench, the visitors claimed a deserved win thanks to the scoring contributions of Anthony McGinnis (0-4), Con McGinnis (1-0), Ryan Rooney (0-2) and points apiece by Pendergast and Odhran McLoughlin.  

AFL4 RESULTS: St Peregrine’s 4-14 Fingal Ravens 1-8; O’Toole’s 4-19 Craobh Chiaráin 1-4; Whitehall Colmcille 2-12 Geraldine P. Morans 0-14; Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels 0-13 Man O’War 4-18; Garristown 0-17 St Patrick’s Donabate 4-8; St Patrick’s Palmerstown 3-19Ballymun Kickhams 2-10; Ballinteer St John’s 2-12 St Finian’s Swords 2-16; St Vincent’s 1-13 St Jude’s 2-13.