Round-Up: Go-Ahead Ireland AFL1 & AFL2 Feb 21st/22nd

Raheny made a winning start to their Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 campaign as they overcame St Mary’s Saggart by 2-13 to 1-15 in DCU on Saturday afternoon. 

The Dublin 5 outfit developed a welcome habit of coming through tight matches when gaining promotion from AFL2 last year and they continued that trend at the weekend withgoals in the first-half by Darren Lunney and Conor Baldwin setting them on the road to victory. 

It was Raheny that started on the front foot through a Brian Fenton point and Lunney’s penalty before St Mary’s replied with a goal of their own from Colin Lawlor. 

A well-worked move saw Baldwin fire low to the net as Raheny seized the initiative thanks to a Fenton brace but Jamie McCarville’s three late points saw St Mary’s back to within a point by half-time. 

Scores from Baldwin (1-3), Fenton (0-4) and Cian Ivers (0-2) kept Raheny on the front foot after the break but a Blaine Kelly score and a two-pointed free from goalkeeper George Kenny left the bare minimum between the sides by full-time. 

Matters were far more straightforward at Kiltipper Road on Sunday morning as Ballinteer St John’s pulled away in the second-half to defeat Thomas Davis by 3-14 to 1-10.  

The visitors played against the breeze in the first-half but a Jack Lundy penalty saw them enter the break on level terms. 

St John’s seized control upon the restart thanks to further goals by Joey Quirke and substitute Liam Fenton and with Lundy adding a brace of two-pointers, they eased home thanks to strong displays by Colm Fitzpatrick, Liam Smith, Mark McNally and Seamus Fenton. 

There was another comfortable away win at Páirc Naomh Uinsionn as Castleknock defeated St Vincent’s by 1-25 to 1-10. 

Danny Leonard and Rob Shaw impressed in the visitors’ defence and with Senan Forker also to the fore, they built up a healthy buffer through the scoring contributions of Conor Chawke, Ger McDermottroe and Cian Boyle.  

GO-AHEAD IRELAND AFL1 RESULTS: Lucan Sarsfields 1-7 St Patrick’s Donabate 4-10; Thomas Davis 1-10 Ballinteer St John’s 3-14; St Vincent’s 1-10 Castleknock 1-25; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-14 Kilmacud Crokes 1-9; St Mary’s Saggart 1-15 Raheny 2-13; Skerries Harps v St Jude’s OFF; Clontarf2-6 Ballymun Kickhams 3-13; Na Fianna 3-13 Cuala 1-19. 

In AFL2, St Sylvester’s delivered a free-scoring performance when overcoming Scoil Uí Chonaill by 3-25 to 0-10 in Broomfield on Sunday morning. 

Sean Guiden sparkled up front for the hosts, finishing the game with 1-13 to his name, and he received strong support in attack from Ross Keogh, Sean Burke and Rory Guiden. 

Stephen Cunningham and Páidí White dominated the exchanges at centrefield while Pierce Donohoe added a goal when introduced off the bench. 

At Dolphin Park, St Maur’s finished on the front foot as they edged Templeogue Synge Street by 2-7 to 0-10. 

In what was a cagey encounter throughout, the hosts led by three points with ten minutes remaining but a flurry of key scores by Jack Burke, Kevin Nugent and Harry Doyle completed a late comeback for the Rush outfit.  

On Saturday evening, a strong first-half lay the foundations for Fingal Ravens, who defeated Naomh Olaf by 0-17 to 0-12 in Stepaside. 

The nominal visitors were well served at the back by Jake Donnelly, Callum Monaghan and Daire O’Rourke while Sam Hannigan and Dylan Kettle exerted a strong influence at midfield. 

Their pairing allowed Niall Daly, Sean Kinsella and Jake Pope to shine up front with substitute Luke Griffin adding an insurance point to help complete his team’s victory. 

GO-AHEAD IRELAND AFL2 RESULTS: St Sylvester’s 3-25 Scoil Uí Chonaill 0-10; Whitehall Colmcille 0-13 Clanna Gael Fontenoy 2-7; Templeogue Synge Street 0-10 St Maur’s 2-7; Erin’s Isle 4-10 Naomh Barróg2-9; Fingallians 2-8 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 2-4; Fingal Ravens 0-17 Naomh Olaf 0-12; Kilmacud Crokes 1-9 St Brigid’s 3-14; Round Towers Lusk v Naomh Mearnóg OFF.