AFL1 Roundup - 17th June

ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: JUNE 17

St Brigid’s boosted their Adult Football League Division One prospects at Tymon North on Saturday evening, when they recorded a comprehensive victory over St Jude’s.

Thomas Davis’ three-point home defeat to Na Fianna (3-13 to 1-16) meant that Jude’s would move to the top of the table with another win, but an early goal by Alan Daly helped Brigid’s to hit the ground running in the southside venue.

The dismissal of Colin Murphy also left Jude’s with a numerical disadvantage, as an additional goal from Philip Ryan offered Brigid’s a 2-7 to 0-6 interval lead.

Darren Freeman and Daire Plunkett were also on the scoresheet in the first-half, and a second major by Ryan upon the resumption effectively placed the tie beyond doubt. Scores by Kevin Callaghan, Collie Carr and Freeman increased the gap between the sides, before a fourth goal from Sean Egan steered the Russell Park men towards a 4-14 to 0-11 success.

This ensures that Brigid’s are just two points adrift of Thomas Davis with a game still in hand, and thanks to their 2-14 to 1-11 triumph against St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh on the same day, Ballymun Kickhams also remain in the chasing pack.

Clontarf’s quest for a first win in this season’s top-flight looked set to come to an end when they led St Maur’s by three points (1-11 to 2-5) early in the second-half of their meeting at St Anne’s Park. However, a Davy McGuinness penalty moved Maur’s back into the ascendancy, and with David Carthy in superb form throughout, the Rush outfit edged through on a scoreline of 3-12 to 1-14.

Kilmacud Crokes extended their unbeaten league run to four games at Somerton Park, claiming a narrow 1-12 to 1-11 win against Castleknock. A Pat Burke goal (following superb build-up play from Shane Horan), kept the Glenalbyn men in touch during the opening period, before points from Callum Pearson, Cian O’Connor and Mark Vaughan (who finished with a personal haul of 0-6) helped them to hit the front after the restart.

Crokes also had excellent displays from Nathan Nolan, Ross McGowan, Andy McGowan and Conor Casey, and although they registered a stoppage-time goal, a wayward last-gasp free from Dessie Carlos denied Castleknock a share of the spoils.

After a run of three consecutive draws, Skerries Harps defeated Cuala with two points to spare (1-15 to 0-16), while at Pairc Naomh Uinsionn St Vincent’s came out on top by 3-19 to 2-12 against Lucan Sarsfields. The home sides goals came courtesy of Albert Martin, Tomas Quinn and Craig Brennan while Darren Gavin gave a very impressive performance over the hour for Lucan.

By Daire Walsh