GAA round-up: Victories for Cortown, Meath Hill and Moynalty

PREMIER 8 FC

Cortown 6-17

St Paul's 3-05

Davy Rispin

Cortown guaranteed themselves a home semi-final with a facile victory over St Paul's in this Premier 8 FC encounter on a chilly Tuesday evening in Cortown.

The form of the reserve team has been a welcome distraction from the first teams' struggles in recent weeks with three wins from four on the board following this latest win.

Credit to Paul's who travelled down the M3 with 13 soldiers and they opened the scoring inside the opening minute following a fine run from their wing back. Oisin Smith replied with the equalising score, a superb effort from out on the right after some patient build-up play from Luck Carberry.

The Clonee men retook the lead prior to Oisin Smith rattling off two in quick succession, one from play, the other from a '45.

The Faithful's Finest Kevin McGuinness cushioned over another, this time off the back of an enterprising run from Carberry. Cortown notched their opening goal of the night with Tommy Smith finishing emphatically after some brilliant work in the build-up from his younger brother Oisin and Jack Henry.

The precession continued with Elliot Reilly adding another off his right with Tommy Smith pouncing for his second green flag after a colossal defence lapse in the Pauls backline making it to 2-5 to 0-2.

Credit the visitors who registered an excellent goal of their own from their pacy wing forward. They quickly added a second goal from a knock-down and improvised finish to reduce the arrears to three in the blink of an eye.

Thats as good as it got for the away side with Tommy Smith ending the madness with a score to stop the Cortown rot along with the shot-hungry Conor Mulroe curling over another immediately after.

Henry was next on the goalscoring act, cooly slotting in the rebound off a ferocious Oisin Smith drive. It proved just the tonic for Henry as he fisted and kicked over a quickfire brace of points. Pauls closed out the first half scoring with a free to leave things 2-9 to 1-3 to the hosts.

Oisin Smith popped over prior to McGuinness shamelessly putting through his own net. Luckily there was only about 8 people at the game or else he could have been investigated for match-fixing, such was the bizarre nature of the own goal. Thankfully he was whipped off shortly after the incident.

Smith received from Reilly after a typically penetrative run and was the next to knock over. Reilly himself got a second, playing a neat one-two with Decky Coyne before firing over. Josh Keating also added his name to the scoresheet which was just rewards for his endeavours.

Another couple of goals arrived like two buses in succession for Martin McGovern's men with Henry getting his second and Tommy Smith completing his hatrick.

Henry continued his scoring-spree with another tasty left footed effort. Daragh O'Halloran swapped full back for full forward late in the day and he applied a delicate, deft finish to Stephen Fitzmaurice's dangerous ball to find the net to close out the scoring for the rampant team in yellow.

Cortown - Brian Casserly; Luke Carberry, Daragh O'Halloran (1-0); Josh Keating (0-1), John McGearty, Elliot Reilly (0-2); Kevin McGuinness (0-1), Decky Coyne; Ivor O'Halloran, Oisin Smith (0-5 one '45), Conor Mulroe (0-2); Tommy Smith (3-1), Jack Henry (2-5). Subs - Jack Finnegan for Casserly, Stephen Fitzmaurice for Coyne, Skipper Coyne for O Smith, Micheal Reilly for T Smith.

Referee - Paul Mooney (Syddan)

PREMIER FC

Meath Hill 0-8

Walterstown 0-7

Meath Hill travelled to Walterstown knowing that a win would guarantee them a home semi-final in the Premier Championship.

Walterstown definitely had the greater of theopening exchanges as they monopolised possession and used a strong cross-field wind to their advantage.

This would be the story for the first half as Walterstown would go inat half time three points up .

This would be a fair reflection of the first half asWalterstown could consider themselves unlucky not to be farther ahead.

Meath Hill having two frees converted by Mark Tully left the half-time score: Walterstown 0-5, Meath Hill 0-2

The second-half would commence with Meath Hill having the wind at their backs.

This would be utilised to great effect by Meath Hill’s attackers in the second half . MarkTully would land four second-half points using the wind to great effect.

Dean Martin also got in on the act as intercepted a kick and slid over from a tight angle.

Jake Gillen shipped a heavy tackle , shuffled inside on his right and curled over a great effort to leave Meath Hill in the lead for the first time.

Meath Hill would then shore up their defence as they faced wave after wave of attack from Walterstown.

The Hill’s defence should be commended for their great work , inparticular Ryan Shekleton in goals who made three top notch , point blank saves , to keep Meath Hill in the game when the really needed it.

Meath Hill – R Shekleton; E.Kieran , G. Boylan , R.Carry; C.Owens , C.Marron, Martin Tully; Gillen (0-1) , C Farrelly; I Malone , Mark Tully (0-6), K Martin; D Martin (0-1), A Matthews , D McDaniel. Subs - T Smith, R McGrath.

Moynalty 1-16

St Ultan's/Cortown Gaels 1-10

Moynalty faced St Ultan's / Cortown Gaels in the last round of the LMFM Minor Football Championship Division 3 Group B on Monday night, knowing that a victory was a must to progress to the next round.

Moynalty were aided with a first half breeze and were first to score, with Eoin Gilsenan and Sean McMahon both finding the white flag early on.

It was nip and tuck between the sides up until the 17th minute when Moynalty got their break through goal. Mikey Smyth turned over the ball deep in the Moynalty defence, and a well worked team effort up the pitch saw Eoin Gilsenan blast into the St Ultan's / Cortown Gaels net to put Moynalty 1-4 to 0-3 to the good.

Goalkeeper Éanna Bennett struck a 45 over the bar along with points from Cathal Donoghue and Shane Bennett which left the half time score Moynalty 1-07 St Ultan's / Cortown Gaels 0-04.

Moynalty played against the wind in the second half, and the hard work from the lads paid off as they kicked 9 of the opening 10 points of the second half.

Jack Kavanagh scored a fantastic point that was fitting for the overall performance he put in. To the travelling teams credit, St Ultan's / Cortown Gaels refused to give up, and finally found their confidence as they found a quick fire goal and point in the 46th minute.

This proved to be a turning point for them as the momentum begun to swing. St Ultan's/Cortown Gaels eventually scored the final five points without reply, to leave the full-time score Moynalty 1-16 St Ultan's / Cortown Gaels 1-10.

The result sees Moynalty through to a semi final, with the fixture details to be confirmed in due course

Moynalty - Éanna Bennett (0-2, 45 and free); Cian Lynch, Joe Mc Mahon, Mikey Smyth; Stephen Cassidy, Shane Bennett (0-2, one free), Seán Cassidy (0-1); Odhran Mc Mahon, David Daly; Leo Kavanagh, Seán Mac Mahon (0-1), Cathal Donoghue (0-2); Jack Kavanagh (0-1), Eoin Gilsenan (1-6, one free), Caoimhín Cussen. Subs - Aaron Lynch, Daire Conlan (0-1), Andrew Bennett.