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Kilmacud Crokes moved into joint top spot in Division 1 of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Adult Football League following their 1-19 to 2-11 victory over previously unbeaten St Patrick’s Donabate in Robbie Farrell Park on Saturday evening.
There was little to separate the teams throughout with five Paul Mannion points leaving the visitors trailing by 1-5 to 0-7 by half-time.
The hosts extended their lead in the third quarter as Ben Shovlin was dismissed but Crokes regrouped well despite their numerical disadvantage with goalkeeper Devon Burns converting a brace of two-pointed frees.
Mannion and Dara Mullin shared seven points in the second-half with Hugh Kenny’s goal proving sufficient as Kilmacud completed their fourth successive win.
They share the lead at the summit of the table on eight points with St Pat’s, alongside Clontarf and Na Fianna, who recorded narrow wins over Lucan Sarsfields and St Jude’s respectively.
In Marley Park, Liam Fenton kicked a dramatic levelling score as Ballinteer St John’s drew with near neighbours Ballyboden St Enda’s by 2-12 to 0-18.
The visitors enjoyed a narrow 0-7 to 0-6 interval lead, thanks largely to four points from Daire Sweeney and a Ryan Basquel brace.
Both Sweeney and Basquel continued to impress after the break as they extended their team’s advantage only for St John’s to strike back courtesy of a Joe Sweeney goal and a two-pointed score from Eoghan Fitzpatrick.
While Ryan O’Dwyer replied for Ballyboden with a two-pointed score of his own, Ballinteer edged in front through a Jack Long goal.
Back came St Enda’s through scores from Michael O’Gara and Basquel to regain their narrow lead but Fenton ensured an equitable share of the spoils in the closing stages.
In Broomfield, Fingal Ravens picked up their first league win of the season as they defeated fellow strugglers St Sylvester’s by 2-16 to 0-11.
The foundation for their win lay at the back through goalkeeper Aaron Lee, corner-back Barry Caulfield and wing-back Simon Maguire while Brian Gleeson controlled the game at midfield.
The Ravens goals arrived in the first-half through Dylan Kettle and Niall Daly and they kept their scoreboard ticking over after the break thanks largely to points by Dan Cibotar and Dylan Kettle.
Go-Ahead Ireland AFL1: Lucan Sarsfields 0-11 Clontarf 0-13; St Sylvester’s 0-11 Fingal Ravens 2-16; St Patrick’s Donabate 2-11 Kilmacud Crokes 1-19; Ballinteer St John’s 2-12 Ballyboden St Enda’s 0-18; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 3-12 Castleknock 1-17; Ballymun Kickhams 1-16 Cuala3-15; St Mary’s Saggart 0-8 Thomas Davis 2-15; Na Fianna 1-15 St Jude’s 0-17.
In Go-Ahead Ireland AFL2, only two teams retained their prefect starts to date with Raheny and St Vincent’s picking up their fifth wins on the bounce with home victories over Naomh Mearnóg and Kilmacud Crokes respectively.
At the opposite end of the table, Pobal Parnell secured their first win of the campaign with an impressive 0-17 to 1-7 away win over previously undefeated Skerries Harps.
The bulk of the damage was done in the first-half with scores from Harry Gardiner (0-4), Alex Hutton (0-2) and TJ Tighe (0-4) helping build a 0-12 to 1-3 interval lead.
The visitors dug deep after the break with Adam Doyle and Alex Carolan to the fore and they pushed for victory through further scores by influential substitute Reece Moloney, Tighe, Adam Myler and Stephen Duffy.
Fingallians were another team that tasted victory for the first time this year with 1-1 from Brian Walzer helping them to a 1-16 to 1-13 win against Naomh Barróg.
Oisín Lynch and Dillon Staunton kicked four points apiece for the visitors and with Mick Keogh a solid presence at the back, they held on courtesy of strong showings by Sean O’Neill and Stephen Hickey while substitutes Paul Flynn and Killian Murphy were hugely influential when introduced.
Go-Ahead AFL2: Scoil Uí Chonaill 1-18 Whitehall Colmcille 3-12; Naomh Barróg 1-13 Fingallians 1-16; St Vincent’s 4-12 Kilmacud Crokes 0-13; Naomh Olaf 2-13 Naomh Fionnbarra 1-5; St Brigid’s 2-11 Templeogue Synge Street 0-16; Skerries Harps 1-7 Pobal Parnell 0-17; Raheny3-10 Naomh Mearnóg 0-11.