Round Up: Go-Ahead AFL 3 & AFL 4 18th of February

A late Karl Grimes penalty proved pivotal as Naomh Fionnbarra pipped Cuala by 2-14 to 1-16 in their entertaining Go-Ahead Dublin Adult Football League Division 3 opener in Hyde Park on Sunday morning.

The visitors looked in serious peril as they trailed by ten points at the break but were a much-improved outfit in the second-half with Owen Fogerty and Clayton Farrell impressing at the back.

Grimes and Lee Cooney kept their scoreboard ticking over and with Jay Roe gaining the upper hand at centrefield, Fionnbarra overtook their opponents through Wayne Losty’s goal and Grimes’ dramatic late intervention.

There was another away win at Tymon Park as Trinity Gaels dominated from the outset en route to a healthy 5-13 to 0-6 over St Jude’s.

The foundation for their win lay in the strong defensive performances from the likes of Darren Byrne, Evan McDonagh and Alex Kinsella while Jamie Bishop showed well for Gaels around the middle third.

Sean Boylan top scored with 2-3 and with Josh McCann (1-2), Colin Dempsey (1-2) and Byrne (1-1) all netting, the Donaghmede side pulled away with Liam Glynn, Bishop and Craig Reilly among their point scorers.

Clann Mhuire were another team to enjoy their travels as they recorded a 2-12 to 0-9 win over Ballymun Kickhams in Páirc Ciceam.

The visitors led by 1-5 to 0-7 at the break but buoyed by 1-4 from Adam Rogers and 1-1 by Steven Rogers, they handed themselves sufficient breathing room to pull away by the final whistle.

They were indebted to goalkeeper Chris Hagan’s 53^rd minute penalty save while three points from Ronan Reilly and further scores by John Reynolds, Daryl Browne and Colm Ó Muircheartaigh saw them home with nine points to spare.

There were two draws on Sunday as St Patrick’s Palmerstown shared the spoils with St Margaret’s at 0-11 apiece while Clanna Gael Fontenoy and Ballyboden St Enda’s could not be separated as they finished level at 2-10 to 1-13 in Sean Moore Park.

Go-Ahead AFL3: St Patrick’s Palmerstown 0-11 St Margaret’s 0-11; Cuala 1-16 Naomh Fionnbarra 2-14; Na Fianna 2-15 St Sylvester’s 1-6; Clanna Gael Fontenoy 2-10 Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-13; Ballymun Kickhams 0-9 Clann Mhuire 2-12; St Anne’s v Castleknock OFF; St Jude’s 0-6 Trinity Gaels 5-13; St Maur’s v Templeogue Synge Street ABANDONED.

Newly promoted Geraldine P Moran made the perfect start to life in Division 4 of the Go Ahead Dublin Adult Football League when edging Ballinteer St John’s by 1-10 to 0-11 in Ballyogan.

Centre-forward Kevin Quinn was in sparkling form for the hosts in the first-half, chipping in with 1-2, while Richie Barrett delivered an influential display at midfield to keep his side on the front foot.

St John’s improved after the break but three Daniel Hussey points and an excellent save by Cormac McCabe late on helped ensure a two-point success for Gers.

On a day when three fixtures were lost to unplayable pitches, goals proved the difference in the remaining fixtures with Lucan Sarsfields earning themselves a share of the spoils when raising three green flags in their 3-3 to 0-12 draw against O’Dwyer’s.

At Blunden Drive, O’Toole’s defeated Kilmacud Crokes by 3-5 to 0-9 and elsewhere, Clontarf’s ability to find the net proved crucial as they pipped St Finian’s Newcastle by 3-8 to 1-12 and the same applied in Skerries as Harps edged St Mark’s by the slimmest of margins (3-5 to 0-13).

Go-Ahead AFL4: St Finian’s Swords v Thomas Davis OFF; Lucan Sarsfields 3-3 O’Dwyer’s 0-12; Clontarf 3-8 St Finian’s Newcastle 1-12; St Peregrine’s v Fingal Ravens OFF; Geraldine P Moran 1-10 Ballinteer St John’s 1-11; O’Toole’s 3-5 Kilmacud Crokes 0-9; Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels v St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER OFF; Skerries Harps 3-5 St Mark’s 0-13.