Meath players feature for Dundalk IT

A number of Meath players featured on the winning team as Dundalk IT captured the Freshers All-Ireland Div 2 football title with a 2-6 to 1-8 victory against IT Tralee on Wednesday night last at Puckaun in Tipperary.

IT Tralee side were unbeaten all season and were always going to be a formidable force as they included a number of Kerry and Cork inter-county players.

IT Tralee started well, scoring the first two points. However, Dundalk got a grip of the game and goalkeeper Shane Davis found the net from a free about 40 metres out.

This was followed by a dominant period of play by DkI, which started in the backline and ended up with David Kirk delivering a precision pass to Cian Doyle, who beat his man comfortably and slotted it into the back of the net.

With Davis adding another point Dundalk were ahead by 2-1 to 1-3 at the interval.

The Kerry outfit got off to a good start in the second-half and pulled level within minutes of the restart. However, points from Ryan Clerkin and two frees from Doyle gave Dundalk at lift, but IT Tralee rallied once again and picked off two fine scores in quick succession.

Substitutes Kevin Dunne from Slane and Craig Doherty added energy to the Dundalk team as the game was being played at a ferocious pace.

Dunne scored a well-worked point followed closely by another from Robbie Quigley and Dundalk survived some late Tralee pressure for victory.

Dundalk - Shane Davis(Skerries Harps 1-1); James Loughran (Cooley), John Smith (Seneschalstown), Fergal Mulligan (Cremartin); Padraig Macken (St Bride’s), Fergal Malone (Castleblayney Faughs), David Kirk (Mageracloone); Aidan Reilly (Baileborough), Gareth Rooney (Ratoath); Jonathan Connolly (Sean O’Mahonys), Robbie Quigley (O’Connells 0-1), Ryan Clerkin (Shercock 0-1); Cian Doyle (O’Connells 1-2), Donnacha Dolan (Scotstown), Gideon Lugoye (Wolfe Tones). Subs - Kevin Dunne (Slane 0-1), Craig Doherty (St Joseph’s), Ryan Cooney(Duleek), Micheál Gargan (Kilmainhamwood), Sean Ryan (Summerhill).

SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Dunshaughlin CC recorded a hard-earned 5-12 to 4-7 victory over Ratoath College in the first round of the North Leinster PP Schools’ senior football C.
Franciscan College, Gormanston proved too strong for Athboy CS in the opening round of North Leinster PP Schools’ senior football D when they won by 8-12 to 1-2 in a one-sided contest.

FIXTURES
The students from St Peter’s Dunboyne will be in action on Monday when they tackle St Mel’s, Longford in Dunboyne in the North Leinster PP Schools’ senior hurling C1 semi-final with the throw-in scheduled for 12.30.
St Patrick’s CS Navan will travel to Kinnegad on Wednesday next to play Marist Athlone in the North Leinster PP junior football A semi-final at 1.0.
St Ciaran’s CS, Kells will also be on the road when they travel to Abbeylara to play Cnoc Mhuire, Granard in the North Leinster PP juvenile football C semi-final, throw-in at Abbeylars is at 12 midday.

Conall Collier