Round-Up: Go-Ahead Ireland AFL 1 & AFL 2 April 11th

Image Courtesy Matthew Burke

Raheny were pushed all the way before eventually pipping Ballinteer St John’s by 0-17 to 1-13 in their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 clash at Marley Park on Saturday evening. 

The visitors played with the benefit of a strong breeze and availed fully to lead by 0-15 to 1-5 at half-time thanks largely to two-pointers from Conor Baldwin, Darren Lunney and one off either foot from Brian Fenton. 

The latter dominated the aerial exchanges and his influence helped yield further scores from Cian Ivers, Thomas Hurley, Adam McAweeney and Sean Magann in the opening half. 

Ballinteer started brightly to lead through a Jack Long goal with scores after the break by Joey Quirke and Luke Cullen reducing their deficit incrementally. 

However, Raheny held on through second-half points from Killian McGuirk and Hurley with St John’s dropping a late two-pointed free into the hands of away goalkeeper Darragh O’Sullivan. 

That defeat saw previously unbeaten St John’s slip back into the back, two points behind leaders Ballymun Kickhams, who maintained their perfect start by beating Skerries Harps by 3-11 to 1-10.  

There was another away win at St Mobhi Road as Kilmacud Crokes impressed when getting the better of Na Fianna by 1-17 to 0-14. 

The visitors dominated the first-half to lead by 1-11 to 0-3 at the interval with Dara Mullin’s goal augmented by points by Paul Mannion and Darragh Dempsey. 

Na Fianna piled on the pressure upon the restart, kicking a trio of early two-pointers but Crokes held firm with Mannion (0-6), Mullin (1-3), Dempsey (0-5) all to the fore while Luke Ward, Andy McGowan and Shane Horan also chipped in with scores. 

Go-Ahead Ireland AFL1: St Mary’s Saggart 3-16 Castleknock 1-22; Cuala 4-13 St Jude’s 0-11; Thomas Davis0-10 St Patrick’s Donabate 4-15; Ballinteer St John’s 1-13 Raheny 0-17; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-16 St Vincent’s 1-12; Skerries Harps 1-10 Ballymun Kickhams 3-11; Clontarf 3-13Lucan Sarsfields 0-10; Na Fianna 0-14 Kilmacud Crokes 1-17. 

In Go-Ahead Ireland AFL2, Whitehall Colmcille preserved their unbeaten start when edging Naomh Olaf by 0-13 to 0-11 at Páirc Uí Bhriain on Saturday afternoon. 

The visitors enjoyed a wind-assisted 0-8 to 0-2 lead by the turnaround with Tony O’Sullivan delivering a hugely influential display for the winners. 

Three early points in the second-half handed Whitehall a sufficient buffer with three Peter Moloney scores and two-pointers by Sean Foran and Sean Gannon pivotal to their victory. 

Colmcille lie a point behind league leaders St Maur’s, who dropped their first point of the campaign when drawing 0-20 to 1-17 with St Sylvester’s. 

At Clontarf Road, Scoil Uí Chonaill picked up their second successive victory as they defeated Round Towers Lusk by 3-13 to 2-13. 

The hosts were down a number of regulars but a crop of last year’s minors excelled over the hour with Conor Maher leading the way with 1-2 from midfield. 

The likes of Fionn Daly, Luke Murphy and Alan Murphy more than held their own for a Scoil side that held the initiative through 2-4 by Emmet Rogan and a two-pointer by wing-back Eoghan O’Connell. 

Home captain Evan Doyle was an inspired presence around the middle third as Scoil took the points thanks to strong defensive displays from Sean Morgan, Roan O’Halloran and Brian Maloney. 

Go-Ahead Ireland AFL2: Scoil Uí Chonaill 3-13 Round Towers Lusk 2-13; Fingallians 1-12 Erin’s Isle 2-9; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 3-15 Fingal Ravens 1-14; Naomh Barróg 2-12 Kilmacud Crokes 1-15; Naomh Olaf 0-11 Whitehall Colmcille 0-13; Naomh Mearnóg 0-14 Templeogue Synge Street3-8; St Maur’s 0-20 St Sylvester’s 1-17; St Brigid’s 1-14 Clanna Gael Fontenoy 0-14.