Round-Up: Go-Ahead AFL2- July 3rd

On an evening when half of the fixtures in Division 2 of the Go-Ahead Dublin Adult Football League were called off, there was still plenty of important action taking place at either end of the table.

In Rolestown, Fingal Ravens secured promotion to the Go-Ahead AFL1 when beating local rivals Fingallians by 0-13 to 0-7.

Both teams took their time to settle with the first score of the game arriving in the 9^th minute through Dylan Kettle and the hosts moved three points clear by the end of the first quarter following further scores from Brian Gleeson and Kettle.

They maintained that buffer up to half-time as points by Jake Pope, Jack Ryan and Dan Sammon saw Ravens into a 0-7 to 0-4 interval lead.

The home dominance continued after the break with the influential Simon Maguire catching the eye with a string of points and another score by Ryan left Ravens comfortable winners by the final whistle.

Parnell’s failed in their opportunity to join Fingal in the top flight for next year, for the time being at least, as they were beaten by Raheny by 1-14 to 1-11 in St Anne’s Park.

It was the visitors that started on the front foot through early points from Conor Myler, Conor McGrath and Cillian Hunt and they moved five points clear by the end of the first quarter following an Adam Doyle goal.

They could well have added further goals but for the excellence of Rob Hennelly in the home goal and a flicked goal from Darren Lunney at the opposite end edged Raheny into a marginal 1-6 to 1-5 interval lead.

The contest remained similarly tight in the second-half with midfielder Brian Talty and Ben McHugh in defence excelling for the hosts while Lunney took his personal tally to 1-5 by the final whistle.

Substitute Conor Foran added two critical points for Raheny, who completed their win thanks to further scores by Adam McAweeney, Hennelly, Darren Byrne, Sean Grenham and Alan McLoughlin.

Parnell’s will now hope that Raheny can do them a favour as a victory for Raheny over St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh in their final match will confirm third spot and promotion for the Coolock outfit.

At the opposite end of the table, Kilmacud Crokes ensured their safety in Division 2 as they defeated Round Towers Clondalkin by 3-12 to 2-10 at Silver Park.

Despite playing against the breeze in the first-half, the hosts entered the break with a 2-5 to 1-6 lead with four frees by Mark Coughlan augmenting goals by Conor Kane and Conor Kelly.

Towers kept battling in the second-half but were undermined by black cards at crucial times and a penalty from Kane and points by Michael Nealon, Tom Doran, Cian Jones, Darragh Jones and Cian O’Connor saw Crokes home with five points to spare.

That defeat saw Towers fall through the trap door, joining Ballyboughal and Erin’s Isle in Go-Ahead AFL3 in 2025. 

Go-Ahead AFL2 Results: Erin’s Isle scr. Naomh Barróg w/o; St Vincent’s scr. St Oliver Plunkett/ER w/o; Naomh Olaf scr. Scoil Uí Chonaill w/o; Naomh Mearnóg v Ballyboughal OFF; Fingal Ravens 0-13 Fingallians 0-7; St Brigid’s 4-14 St Patrick’s Donabate 2-5; Kilmacud Crokes 3-12 Round Towers Clondalkin 2-10; Raheny 1-14 Parnell’s 1-11.