Round-Up: Go-Ahead AFL1 & AFL2- 8th May

Two late points from Fionn Murray rescued a share of the spoils for Thomas Davis as they played out an entertaining 1-9 apiece draw against Ballinteer St John’s in their Go-Ahead Dublin Adult Football League Division 1 clash at Kiltipper Road on Tuesday evening.

The hosts started on the front foot through points by Sean Kennedy and Murray but St John’s played their way into the game, buoyed by a goal from Luke Breathnach in the second quarter and black cards received by both Sean Benton and Eoin Kirby for Thomas Davis.

Chris Sallier looked lively in the home attack, kicking three points from play, and a goal from Conor Guilfoyle in the 25^th minute handed Thomas Davis a 1-5 to 1-3 interval lead.

A Murray free and an Adam Waddick point in the 39^th minute helped keep the hosts ahead but they failed to score for the ensuing sixteen minutes as the visitors took control through the efforts of Ben Millist, Jack Lundy, Fearghal Duffy and Matthew Gardiner.

Tom Aherne and Breathnach pointed before two scores by Lundy looked to have sealed a St John’s success before Murray restored parity when converting a 40-metre free with the last kick of the game.

The draw leaves both teams leading the way at the summit of the table, a point ahead of a Clontarf team that picked up their fifth win of the year when overcoming Cuala by 1-12 to 1-8 at St Anne’s Park.

Kieran McKeon’s second-half goal proved the pivotal moment of the game as the hosts withstood some concerted late pressure thanks to fine displays by Fionn Delaney, David Egan and Paddy O’Grady.

On Wednesday night, St Mary’s Saggart finished the first-half on the front foot as they registered an impressive 2-14 to 0-12 win against Castleknock at Somerton Park.

There was little to separate the teams initially but goals before the break from Jamie McCarville and Carl Finn handed the visitors a healthy 2-6 to 0-7 interval lead.

St Mary’s pushed further clear upon the restart with Adam Drewett hugely influential from wing-back, while the scoring returns of McCarville (1-4), Finn (1-1), Conor Jameson (0-3), Adam Brady (0-3) and Eoin Murray (0-2) proved more than sufficient by the final whistle.

Previous leaders Na Fianna suffered their second reverse of the season with Darren Gavin kicking four points as they succumbed to Lucan Sarsfields by 2-10 to 0-14 at the 12^th Lock.

In Páirc Uí Mhurchú, an excellent Ryan O’Dwyer display up front and a John Maguire goal helped Ballyboden St Enda’s to victory over a Kilmacud Crokes side for whom new goalkeeper Devon Burns kicked four points. 

In Division 2 of the Go-Ahead AFL, leaders St Brigid’s finally saw their unbeaten run come to an end as they fell to an impressive Fingal Ravens by 0-19 to 1-13 in Rolestown.

The hosts showed well from the outset to take an early lead through a brace of Dylan Kettle frees and a fine Adam Donoghue point.

They continued to control matters with scores from Daire O’Rourke, Conor Foley, Kettle, Dan Sammon and Jake Pope and smart defensive play by Lorcan McMahon and goalkeeper Aaron Lee helping prompt a four-point interval advantage.

The visitors clawed their way back into contention but pivotal points from Callum Monaghan, Pope, Sean Kinsella, Kettle and Simon Maguire helped Ravens regain control before Lee ensured their victory with two outstanding saves late on.

In St David’s, goals in either half from Daryl Curley proved decisive as Parnell’s cemented their mid-table position with a hard-fought 2-10 to 0-12 win against Naomh Barróg.

The hosts trailed by 0-9 to 1-3 at the break with their points coming via Cillian Hunt, Alex Hutton and Jamie Sammon with Curley’s goal on the stroke of half-time handing them much-needed momentum going into the second-half.

They maintained the initiative with goalkeeper Carl Quinn a solid presence between the sticks with three points from Hunt and further scores by Callum Green, Ryan O’Shea and Alex Carolan augmenting Curley’s clinching second goal.

There was another home win in Ballyboughal as the hosts edged Scoil Uí Chonaill by 1-14 to 0-16, helping end a sequence of four straight defeats in the process.

The foundation for their win lay at the back through the influence of Simon Barrett, Ross Gallagher and Will Rafter while Cahal Flynn and John Rodgers worked tirelessly at midfield in addition to combining for four points.

Gerry Seaver top scored with 1-5 while two points apiece from Cian Warren and Jack Ryan proved key by the final whistle.

GO-AHEAD AFL1 RESULTS: Thomas Davis 1-9 Ballinteer St John’s 1-9; Clontarf 1-12 Cuala 1-8; Lucan Sarsfields 2-10 Na Fianna 0-14; Ballymun Kickhams 0-19 Skerries Harps 2-13; Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-15 Kilmacud Crokes 2-8; Castleknock 0-12 St Mary’s Saggart 2-14; Round Towers Lusk 0-18 St Sylvester’s 3-12; St Jude’s 3-14 Whitehall Colmcille 1-14.

GO-AHEAD AFL2 RESULTS: Ballyboughal 1-14 Scoil Uí Chonaill 0-16; Fingallians 1-14 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 3-15; Round Towers Clondalkin 2-9 St Patrick’s Donabate 1-14; Naomh Mearnóg 1-15 Erin’s Isle 0-12; Fingal Ravens 0-19 St Brigid’s 1-13; Kilmacud Crokes 1-12 Naomh Olaf 2-10; Raheny 2-9 St Vincent’s 1-13; Parnell’s 2-10 Naomh Barróg 0-12.