Go Ahead AFL Division One Round-Up- 19th February

Mon, 20th February 2023

All-Ireland champions Kilmacud Crokes were pushed all the way before getting the better of southside rivals Ballyboden St Enda’s by 1-14 to 1-13 in their Go Ahead Adult Football League Division 1 1^st round encounter at Páirc Uí Mhurchú on Sunday morning.

The visitors had enough reserves of energy to get over the line with the scoring returns of Shane Horan (0-6) and Hugh Kenny (1-3) proving critical in such a tight affair.

The experience of Rory O’Carroll was invaluable to Crokes with the performances of Rob Kenny, Dan Murphy, Andy Fox and Denis Murray reflecting well on the depth of their panel.

A late Alan Connolly goal helped St Jude’s to an impressive 1-12 to 0-14 victory over Na Fianna in their entertaining Division One opener at Tymon Park.

It proved similarly close at St Anne’s Park as Cuala’s ability to find the net saw them overcome Raheny by 4-3 to 0-12.

Conor O’Brien nipped in with two goals for the Dalkey outfit while Cathal Ó Giolláin and Liam Fitzgerald were others to raise green flags for Cuala.

Goalkeeper Ryan Scollard impressed between the sticks for the visitors while Eoghan O’Callaghan and Cal Doran shone in defence and up front respectively for a Cuala side that added to their tally through points from O’Brien, Jamie Keenan and Fitzgerald.

Across the park, there was another away success as Skerries Harps pipped Clontarf by 2-9 to 0-13.

Ciaran Murphy was in sparkling form for the visitors, finishing the game with 1-6 (0-3f) from full-forward with Skerries’ other goal coming through Donal Cotter.

Killian McGinnis delivered an exceptional display from midfield in addition to kicking two crucial points while full-back Eoghan McGinley and wing-forward Aidan Coleman were equally instrumental in their team’s victory.

At Kiltipper Road, Thomas Davis pulled away in the second-half to defeat Ballymun Kickhams by 2-12 to 2-6.

The hosts enjoyed a 1-6 to 1-4 interval advantage with Éanna O’Toole’s goal augmented by three frees from Fionn Murray and further scores by Eamon Conroy, Kevin Mullarkey and Eoin Kirby as Ballymun kept in touch through a goal late in the half.

With O’Toole, Kai Young Byrne and Conroy all to the fore, Thomas Davis kept in control through a goal from Murray and with Conor Guilfoyle, Adam Waddick and Chris Sallier adding points, they eased home with six points to spare.

Elsewhere, St Sylvester’s made a welcome return to the top flight and started off impressively with a 3-14 to 2-8 win over St Vincent’s while Naomh Olaf also enjoyed their return to AFL1 when defeating Castleknock by 3-9 to 0-13.

Go Ahead AFL1 results: Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-13 Kilmacud Crokes 1-14; Clontarf 0-13 Skerries Harps 2-9; St Sylvester’s 3-14 St Vincent’s 1-8; Lucan Sarsfields 1-16 Ballinteer St John’s 3-8; Naomh Olaf 3-9 Castleknock 0-13; Raheny 0-12 Cuala 4-3; Thomas Davis 2-12 Ballymun Kickhams 2-6; St Jude’s 1-12 Na Fianna 0-14.