Sean O’Mahony’s book place in Leinster final

Sean O’Mahony’s booked their place in the Leinster Club IFC final with a narrow 0-10 to 1-6 victory over Kildare side Eadestown at Clan na Gael Park yesterday.

The Point Road men now advance to face Meath champions Ballinlough in the final in Drogheda on Sunday week, November 30^th.

The O’Mahony’s had to recover from going five points down in the first half before turning the game around with Conor Finnegan landing what proved to be the vital score in the end as his side held out for a famous win.

Stephen Kilcoyne and Conor Crawley were on target early on for the hosts as they led by 0-2 to 0-1 but three unanswered points from the visitors was followed by a goal from Shane Dowling that had the Kildare men 1-4 to 0-2 in front.

The O’Mahony’s responded well to this setback, however, with two further points from Kilcoyne and another from Liam Dullaghan helping them to close the gap to 1-5 to 0-5 by half-time.

Points from Finnegan and Kurt Murphy then reduced the deficit on the restart before Kilcoyne leveled matters at 0-8 to 1-5.

Stephen Fisher then edged the Quay side in front before Finnegan landed a free five minutes from time in what was to prove the crucial score.

Eadestown did fight back to reduce the deficit back to one through Emmet Bolton but the same player dropped a free short in the closing stages as the O’Mahony’s held out for a huge win.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Kurt Murphy 0-1, John O’Brien, Keith McLaughlin; Shane Brennan, Peter Nixon; Liam Dullaghan 0-1, Conor Finnegan 0-1, Gary Mulligan; Stephen Fisher 0-1, Conor Crawley, Stephen Kilcoyne 0-4. Sub: Conor Martin for K Murphy.

O’Mahony’s advance to Leinster semi-finals with victory over Castleknock

The Sean O‘Mahony’s booked their place in the Leinster Club IFC semi-finals with a hard foguht 1-10 to 0-12 victory over Castleknock after extra time in Clan na Gael Park yesterday afternoon.

Points from Stephen Fisher and Conor Martin in the second period of extra-time proved decisive in the end as the Point Road outfit advanced to the last four.

Despite conceding the opening point, two Stephen Kilcoyne points either side of scores from Liam Dullaghan and Conor Finnegan had the Dundalk side ahead.

They then doubled their advantage when Conor Martin got on the end of a long delivery to flick the ball to the net to leave it 1-4 to 0-1.

Castleknock responded with for successive points at that stage but a further Kilcoyne point meant the O’Mahony’s led by 1-5 to 0-5 at the break.

Four points without reply from Dessie Carlos had the Dublin side in front soon after the restart, however, before the O’Mahony’s restored their lead with points from Fisher and Finnegan.

The visitors managed to level again though before both sides passed up good chances to steal it before extra time was required.

Castleknock briefly forged in front at the start of extra-time but a Ronan Byrne point left the sides level once more at the break.

Fisher and Martin then fired over on the restart to put the O’Mahony’s in the driving seat and despite Castleknock responding, the men from the Quay did enough to hold out for the victory.

Meanwhile in the Leinster JFC, Drogheda outfit the Oliver Plunketts advanced to the quarter-finals courtesy of a 0-8 to 0-7 victory over Craobh Chiarain from Dublin in Drogheda on Saturday afternoon.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne 0-1; Keith McLaughlin, John O’Brien, Kurt Murphy; Shane Brennan, Peter Nixon; Conor Finnegan 0-2, Liam Dullaghan 0-1, Stephen Fisher 0-2; Conor Crawley, Conor Martin 1-1, Stephen Kilcoyne 0-3. Subs: Gary Mulligan for K McLaughlin, Barry Mackin for C Martin, Keith McLaughlin for B Mackin, David Dowling for K Murphy, Conor Martin for D Dowling, Alan Watters for P O’Brien.

 

Crawley goal helps O’Mahony’s advance in Leinster

The Sean O’Mahony’s advanced to the next round of the Leinster IFC with a 1-11 to 0-10 victory away to Westmeath champions Caulry in Mount Temple on Sunday.

The Point Road outfit had led from the start but just as in their Seamus Flood Cup triumph over St Fechin’s they did things the hard way by letting their opponents back into the game as four unanswered points saw them get back on level terms at 0-8 apiece.

However, after Stephen Kilcoyne had put Brendan Nordone’s side back in front, midfielder Conor Crawley fisted to the net in the 44^th minute. Two further points from Louth minor player Kilcoyne then put the game beyond the home side.

Scorers – Sean O’Mahony’s: Stephen Kilcoyne 0-5 (1 free), Conor Finnegan 0-3 (1 free), Conor Crawley (1-0), Liam Dullaghan 0-2 and Stephen Fisher 0-1.

Caulry: David Brookes 0-4 (3 frees), Peter Smyth 0-3 (2 frees), Eoin Fox 0-2 (1 ‘45’) and Eoghan Grennan 0-1.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Michael Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Liam Dullaghan, John O’Brien, Keith McLaughlin; Conor Crawley, Shane Brennan; Peter Nixon, Conor Finnegan, Kurt Murphy; Stephen Fisher, Conor Martin, Stephen Kilcoyne. Subs: Gary Mulligan for Martin (33 min), Barry Mackin for Kilcoyne (56 min) and Niall McLaughlin for Crawley (56 min).

Championship joy for the Sean O’Mahony’s

O’Mahony’s man of the match Conor Finnegan lifts his award as captain Pat O’Brien lifts the Seamus Flood Cup in Clan na Gael Park yesterday.

A strong finish to either half proved decisive as Sean O’Mahony’s held out for a 1-11 to 1-8 victory over St Fechin’s to land the Louth IFC title at Clan na Gael Park in Dundalk yesterday.

The Point Road outfit had been trailing their opponents by a point approaching half-time before a three point surge gave them a 0-7 to 0-4 lead at the break.

They then tagged on a goal and a point on the restart to race into a 1-8 to 0-4 lead with Conor Crawley boxing to the net in the 33rd minute.

The Termonfeckin men fought their way back into it, however, with a late penalty bringing the sides level at 1-8 apiece as Ronan Holcroft began to create all sorts of problems for Brendan Nordon’s side.

However, the O’Mahony’s hit the three closing scores of the game through three Conor Finnegan frees to seal a famous win and a first championship title since 1998. Afterwards captain Pat O’Brien lifted the Seamus Flood Cup and Finnegan picked up the man of the match award.

Afterwards there was celebrations galore in the Quay, with the cup being presented by Fr Michael Cusack at the 6pm Mass at St Gerard’s Novena in the Redemptorist Church that evening.

Sean O’Mahony’s: Kevin Brennan; Pat O’Brien, Mickey Clarke, Ronan Byrne; Keith McLaughlin, John O’Brien, Kurt Murphy; Conor Crawley 1-0, Shane Brennan; Peter Nixon, Liam Dullaghan 0-1, Conor Finnegan 0-6; Stephen Fisher 0-2, Conor Martin, Stephen Kilcoyne 0-2. Subs: David Dowling for C Martin, Brendan Traynor for K Brennan (BC), Conor Martin for C Crawley, Gary Mulligan for D Dowling.

St Fechins: Keith McCarthy; Richie McDonnell, Niall McCabe, Billy Fanning; Sean McConnell, David Collier, Jamie King; Bevan Duffy 0-1, Ryan Sheridan 0-1; Conor Haughney, Colm O’neill, Brian Devlin; Ronan Holcroft 1-5, Harry McCarthy, Niall Devlin 0-1. Subs: Marc Hynes for C Haughney, Paul Matthews for R Sheridan, Danny Burnell for H McCarthy, Eoghan Duffy for J King.

Referee: Stephen Johnston

History made as councillors tie the knot

Jennifer and Alan on their wedding day

History was made last week as the first ever councillors in Louth tied the knot.

Sinn Féin pair Jennifer Green and Alan Cassidy walked down the aisle together last Friday followed by a reception in the Ballymascanlon House Hotel.

Jennifer, who is originally from the Point Road but now hails from Mulholland Avenue, was first co-opted onto Dundalk Town Council in April 2010 following Ian Dooley’s decision to step down. She retained her seat in the local elections earlier this year, with Alan joining her on the newly-formed Louth County Council after being elected in the Drogheda area.

May they have a lifetime of happiness together.

Clan na Gael Park to host Louth Intermediate final

Clan na Gael Park in Dundalk

Clan na Gael Park in Dundalk will host this year’s Louth Intermediate Championship final on Sunday October 5^th.

St Fechins are already in the final and will meet either St Joseph’s or the Sean O’Mahony’s for the chance to return to the senior ranks next year.

The Dromiskin and Point Road sides will meet tonight at 8pm, also in Clan na Gael Park, to see who advances to the final.

Meanwhile, Sean McDermotts clubman Kevin Carroll will referee the Louth SFC final between St Patrick’s GFC and the Dreadnots. It will be his first time taking charge of a Joe Ward decider.

Gerard Corrigan of Mattock Rangers will referee the minor decider.

One person hospitalised following collision in Dundalk

The scene of the crash at the Point Road/Red Barns Road junction

One person has been hospitalised following a crash at the Point Road/Red Barns Road junction this evening.

The incident happened shortly after 7pm when two vehicles collided at the turn.

Dundalk Fire Service were called to the scene in order to help free one of the occupants of the car.

They have since been removed to hospital but the nature of their injuries are unknown at present. It is not believed they are life threatening.

The road is expected to remain closed for the next hour or so.

Four new houses given the go ahead at The Towers

Black & White Construction Ltd have been granted conditional planning permission to build new homes at The Towers estate on the Point Road.

The unfinished estate was granted planning permission in September 2012 but was never fully completed – a fact which meant that it was exempt from the household charge in recent years.

Now though Black & White Construction have been given the approval to build four news homes at The Towers, which will consist of four semi-detached three bedroom homes.

Go ahead given to convert St Brigid’s Hall into a house

St Brigid’s Hall on the Point Road

An Bord Pleanála have decided to uphold Dundalk Town Council’s decision from February of this year to grant planning permission to turn the former community hall at St Brigid’s Hall on the Point Road into a house.

As part of the application by Gerard and Alice Hoey of 13 Belfry Avenue, St Alphonsus Road, there is permission for alterations and an extension to the property.

Patrick and Monica Cheshire had appealed the decision of the council to give the development the go-ahead on the basis that they owned “a significant area of ground” that the development was due to be built on.

However, despite their appeal An Bord Pleanála decided to uphold the council’s decision of February 24^th last to give the Hoey’s the go-ahead for their plans.

Plans remain in place for Point Road medical centre

Plans remain in place to build a medical centre at Cherry Grove on the Point Road.

Mr Brendan Watters has applied to Louth County Council for an extension of the duration of the planning permission previously granted to demolish an existing house on the Point Road.

In its place he plans to construction a medical centre with consulting rooms and ancillary accommodation.

Louth County Council are due to decide on the matter on September 2^nd.