Thomas O’Connell fires Dundalk Gaels to win over St Patricks
Anchor Tours SFC Group 4 Round 2
At Haggardstown
Dundalk Gaels 2-16 St Patricks 0-13
Dundalk Gaels advanced as Group 4 winners after making it two wins from two with a comfortable nine point win over St Patricks in Haggardstown on Sunday evening.
In the absence of Dylan McKeown due to suspension, Thomas O’Connell produced a mammoth display as the Gaels frontman, finishing with 2-8.
The game opened with Micheal O’Shaughnessy point which Luke Murray replied to with two points in quick succession. Leonard Gray squared the game at 0-2 each with 10 minutes on the clock.
Thomas O’Connell hit his opening score shortly after with Aidan McCann cancelling it out. Though, O’Connell landed his first major of the afternoon with a brilliant finish beyond Martin McEneaney. O’Connell landed another score to send the Gaels 1-4 to 0-3 clear after 20 minutes.
By this time, Sean McCann’s side had really kicked into gear. O’Connell knocked over a free before Jack Mullen ping an impressive two-pointer. O’Connell would add two more frees and Jordan Keating got in on the act with two Jack Murphy frees wedged in between.
Half Time – Dundalk Gaels 1-11 St Patricks 0-5
The sides traded early second half scores with an O’Connell 45’ and Aidan McCann pointing for the Lordship outfit. Murphy added a free to leave 8 between the sides.
O’Connell and Joe Connor then traded scores before Martin McEneaney landed a booming two-point free to give some hope to a Pats’ revival. Though, this was short lived as Tony McDonnell done good work to lay Tom O’Connell up to bury his second goal of the day. 2-13 to 0-10 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Shaun Duffy (0-2) and Gary Shevlin got further scores for the Gaels with Jack Murphy knocking over three frees before the final whistle sounded. Dundalk Gaels finished out an excellent day’s work and kept any St Patricks comeback at bay.
Full Time – Dundalk Gaels 2-16 St Patricks 0-13
Man of the Match – Thomas O’Connell (Dundalk Gaels)
O’Connell was in supreme form for Dundalk Gaels scoring 2-8 in a towering display for the full forward.
Dundalk Gaels team: Aaron Culligan; Shaun Duffy (0-2), James Lynch, Kyle Rafferty; Luke Murray (0-2), Padraic Tinnelly, Cain Bromley; James Stewart, James O’Connell; Jordan Keating (0-1), Sean Murray, Jack Mullen (0-2, 1tp); Gerard McSorley, Thomas O’Connell (2-8, 1tpf, 2f & 2’45’), Chris Sweeney
Subs: Tony McDonnell for Gerard McSorley (19 Mins), Michael Quinlivan for Cain Bromley (40 Mins), Conor McDonnell for Jordan Keating (54 Mins), Gary Shevlin (0-1) for Chris Sweeney (56 Mins), Paddy O’Connell for James Lynch (57 Mins)
St Patricks team: Martin McEneaney (0-2, 1tpf); Sean Holland, Barry Dunne, Conor Grogan; Darren O’Hanlon, Ciaran Murphy, Darren Connor; Rory Duffy, Leonard Gray (0-1); Aidan McCann (0-2), Eoin O’Connor, Michael O’Shaughnessy (0-1); Sean Fearon, Jack Murphy (0-6, 6f), Joe Connor (0-1)
Subs: Tadhg O’Connor for Rory Duffy (36 Mins), Kevin Toner for Darren O’Hanlon (38 Mins), Tom McCann for Aidan McCann (51 Mins), Joseph Holland for Sean Holland (57 Mins).
Referee: Stephen Murphy (Naomh Mairtin)
Photos: Ciaran Culligan
