Round Up: Go Ahead Dublin Adult Football League Division 3 and 4 - 8th July

St Patrick’s Donabate dominated from the outset when defeating St Anne’s by 2-15 to 2-7 in their Go Ahead Dublin Adult Football League Division 3 encounter in Donabate on Saturday evening.

In doing so, they moved a step closer to clinching promotion and will realise that ambition on Wednesday night should they get the better of St Sylvester’s in Broomfield.

St Pat’s started off on the front foot and took advantage of the elements in their favour to lead by 2-7 to 0-2 at half-time with the goals coming through Clyde Burke and Colm Kavanagh.

They continued to add to their lead after the break thanks to scoring contributions from Jamie Mullins, Stephen Dempsey, Ruairí Whelan, Dylan Knight and Fionan Turner with St Anne’s netting twice in added time to put a more favourable gloss on the final scoreline.

Donabate lie in second place in the table, a point behind a Naomh Barróg team that confirmed their promotion to AFL2 when easing past Cuala by 1-17 to 0-7 at Páirc Barróg.

Martin Rooney and Noel Hatton kept matters tight at the back for the hosts while Paul Tolan excelled at the opposite end, accruing a massive 1-9 over the hour.

Events were far tighter in Drumnigh as Trinity Gaels secured at least a play-off spot when coming from behind to defeat Clanna Gael Fontenoy by 1-11 to 1-10.

The influential Jack Rowe kicked four crucial points for the hosts, and with Sean Boylan adding a goal, Gaels did just enough to prevail thanks to further scores by Evan Whelan, his midfield partner Jamie Bishop, Joey McCann, Josh McCann, Colin Dempsey and Daniel Gurien.

At Farnham Drive, Naomh Fionnbarra kept up the pressure on the promotion play-off candidates when edging Erin’s Isle by 4-12 to 1-17.

Lee Cooney proved their hero on the night, finishing the game with 3-5 to his name, and with Wayne Losty chipping in with 1-1, the Cabra outfit held on thanks to two points from corner-back Dylan Owens and a superb defensive display by Clayton Farrell.

The race for promotion play-off spots in the Go Ahead Dublin Adult Football League Division 4 table intensified even further with Thomas Davis and Castleknock securing contrasting home wins over Clontarf and Kilmacud Crokes respectively.

With the automatic sports already confirmed by Clann Mhuire and St Patrick’s Palmerstown, there are still four teams vying for the opportunity to join them ahead of the final round of games on Wednesday night.

At Kiltipper Road, Thomas Davis did just enough to see off promotion challengers Clontarf by 1-16 to 3-9 while Castleknock were far more comfortable in their 3-12 to 1-8 success over Crokes at Somerton Park.

The foundation for their victory lay at the back with goalkeeper Barry Hillary and defenders Conor Prunty and Gavin Murphy O’Kane proving particularly resolute.

Eoin Walsh enjoyed a solid showing at centrefield while further up the field, Sam Ryan was in sparkling form, amassing 3-3 in total.

Shane Carolan kicked three points to enhance his team’s position with the lively Rueben Cahill, Ciaran Millmore, Mark Connellan, Walsh and Eoin Devlin adding to Castleknock’s margin by the final whistle.

At Glenauline Park, St Finian’s Swords kept alive their ambitions as they overcame hosts St Pat’s by 2-14 to 3-7.

The concession of two early goals was not the ideal start for St Finian’s but they bounced back well from these setbacks with scores by Conor Cooley, Conor Halpin, Davey Butler, the impressive Senan Crosbie and Brandon Caffrey reducing their deficit to 2-2 to 0-7 by half-time.

Substitute Ciaran Doyle made a strong impact off the bench, scoring three points early in the second-half and although St Pat’s netted for the third time, the visitors regrouped through goals from Halpin and Caffrey before Cooley confirmed their win with two late points.

At the opposite end of the table, St Mark’s enhanced their prospects of avoiding the drop when they finished on the front foot to beat Ballinteer St John’s by 2-11 to 1-11 at Marley Park.

An early home goal left St Mark’s in a spot of bother but points from Ross Byrne and Joey Cannon saw them reduce their deficit to 1-5 to 0-7 by half-time.

However, St John’s regained control after the break to lead by five points but a missed penalty ten minutes from time proved the turning point as the visitors plundered goals from Cannon and Eoin Doyle to clinch a precious victory.

Go Ahead Dublin AFL3: Erin’s Isle 1-17 Naomh Fionnbarra 4-12; Na Fianna 0-20 St Jude’s 0-9; Trinity Gaels 1-11 Clanna Gael Fontenoy 1-10; Naomh Barróg 1-17 Cuala 0-7; St Peregrine’s 2-7 Good Counsel/Liffey Gaels 1-16; Ballymun Kickhams 8-15 St Sylvester’s 3-10; St Patrick’s Donabate 2-15 St Anne’s 2-7; O’Toole’s 0-13 Ballyboden St Enda’s 1-18.

Go Ahead Dublin AFL4: St Patrick’s Palmerstown 3-7 St Finian’s Swords 2-14; Thomas Davis 1-16 Clontarf 3-9; Castleknock 3-12 Kilmacud Crokes 1-8; St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 1-11 Skerries Harps 0-10; Lucan Sarsfields 2-20 Templeogue Synge Street 0-6; Ballinteer St John’s 1-11 St Mark’s 2-11; St Vincent’s 2-15 St Brigid’s 1-12.