Round Up: Go-Ahead AFL 2- March 2nd & 3rd

Naomh Mearnóg picked up their second successive win in Division 2 of the Go-Ahead Dublin Adult Football League when overcoming Fingal Ravens by 2-11 to 1-10 in Páirc Mearnóg on Saturday afternoon.

Karl Lynch Bissett proved their match-winner with a personal tally of 2-5 and with Rory O’Loughlin, Eoin Kelly and Frank Doyle keeping matters tight at the back, they did enough to prevail with Aodhan Fee and Michael Gibbs a constant threat in attack.

The Portmarnock side are joined at the top of the table by a Parnell’s side that raced out of the blocks on their way to a comfortable 5-12 to 1-12 victory over Erin’s Isle at Farnham Drive.

Harry Gardner set the tone with a goal inside the opening minute and the visitors remained on the front foot following points by Cillian Hunt, Gardner and Adam Myler.

The procession towards the home goal continued as Conor McGrath netted in the 11^th minute and the Coolock side pulled further clear thanks to scores by Daryl Curley, McGrath, Thomas Davis, Hunt and Gardiner.

Further goals arrived through Myler in the 22^nd minute and an Alex Hutton penalty, while at the opposite end, Stephen Cluxton made a superb save to ensure his side a healthy 4-9 to 0-6 interval lead.

Cluxton was once again called into action with another cracking save early in the second-half and while the hosts made small but incremental inroads into their deficit, a late Graham George sealed an ultimately comfortable twelve point win for Parnell’s.

Another team with maximum points are St Patrick’s Donabate, who finished strongly to defeat Scoil Uí Chonaill by 1-13 to 1-9 in Ballymastone.

The visitors pounced for an early goal but the point-scoring of Ollie Brooks, Kieran Conroy and Stephen Dempsey saw St Pat’s overtake their opponents at the break, leading by 0-8 to 1-2.

However, it was a far from complete display by Donabate, who struggled in terms of their marksmanship, allowing the visitors to take the lead with five minutes remaining.

The hosts refused to accept their fate as an excellent interception by Darren Maher prompted a counter-attack that culminated in Brooks palming in from close range with Sean Turner and Ben Gaston adding insurance points late on.

The action began on Thursday evening as St Vincent’s picked up their first league win when powering past Ballyboughal by 4-19 to 1-6 at Páirc Naomh Uinsionn.

The likes of Eddie Duffy, Paddy Gilroy, Cian Dunne and Mark l’Estrange all impressed for the hosts with James McCusker at centre-back and Nathan Mullins at midfield exerting a strong influence on proceedings.

Mullins and Dunne raised green flags alongside Gavin Burke and Albert Martin while Shane O’Leary popped over the score of the game as Vins bounced back emphatically from their opening round defeat to Parnell’s.

Elsewhere, St Brigid’s edged Naomh Barróg by 0-9 to 0-8 with the remaining three matches deemed unplayable.

Go-Ahead AFL2: St Vincent’s 4-19 Ballyboughal 1-6; Naomh Mearnóg 2-11 Fingal Ravens 1-10; St Patrick’s Donabate 1-13 Scoil Uí Chonaill 1-9; St Brigid’s 0-9 Naomh Barróg 0-8; Naomh Olaf v St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER OFF; Erin’s Isle 1-12 Parnell’s 5-12; Raheny v Round Towers Clondalkin OFF; Kilmacud Crokes v Fingallians OFF.