“Brides Hit the Ground Running with Dominant Group 2 Victory”
CTI Business Solutions Louth Intermediate Football Championship – Group 2, Round 1
St Brides 3-16 O’Raghallaighs 0-13
Venue: Páirc Séamus Mhic Eochaidh, Haggardstown
St Brides opened their 2025 Intermediate Championship campaign in devastating fashion, dispatching O’Raghallaighs with a clinical blend of power, accuracy, and ruthlessness in Haggardstown. Central to the victory was the brilliant attacking play of the McArdle’s, Donal and Kieran and Sean Marry, who racked up a combined tally of 3-12 between them.
The Drogheda men fought bravely and showed flashes of quality through Kyle McElroy, John Horan, and Daniel Reilly, but they simply had no answer to the Brides’ sharp forward unit and efficient use of possession.
Lightning Start Sets the Tone
The game could hardly have begun better for the Knockbridge outfit. Within two minutes, Donal McArdle found himself in space and drilled a low finish into the corner for the opening goal. It was a statement of intent, and the Brides never let go of that early dominance.
Points from Kieran McArdle and Sean Marry quickly followed, stretching the lead to 1-2 to 0-0 before O’Raghallaighs settled. The Drogheda side eventually got off the mark through Ewan Sweeney on nine minutes, but the Brides’ response was immediate, with Kieran McArdle kicking his second of the night.
By the quarter-hour mark, Marry, Donal McArdle, and Kieran McArdle had all raised further white flags, leaving the Brides 1-5 to 0-1 ahead and looking comfortable.
O’Raghallaighs Rally Briefly
To their credit, the O’Raghallaighs refused to fold. John Horan landed back-to-back points from play, followed by a fine effort from Ben Rogan and another from Kyle McElroy, cutting the gap to four points and sparking life into their challenge.
However, every time the Drogheda men threatened, the Brides had an answer. Kieran McArdle and Sean Marry restored daylight before McElroy again replied for O’Raghallaighs.
Then came the killer blow just before half-time. With the game finely poised at 1-8 to 0-7, Kieran McArdle slipped inside his marker and buried his side’s second goal on 29 minutes. He added a quick point seconds later to cap off a devastating spell.
At half-time, St Brides held a commanding 2-9 to 0-7 advantage.
Brides Turn the Screw
The Knockbridge side began the second half with the same intensity. Points from Marry, Kieran McArdle, and Padraic Mackin pushed the margin out to double scores by the 35th minute. Their movement, support play, and unselfish passing repeatedly carved open O’Raghallaighs’ defence.
The Drogheda side responded with changes, bringing on Chris Smith and James Morgan, and they were rewarded when Daniel Reilly struck a superb two-pointer from the left wing on 45 minutes, one of the scores of the evening. That was followed by another neat effort from Sweeney, which momentarily reduced the gap.
But just when O’Raghallaighs needed a sustained spell of pressure, the Brides reasserted control. The hard-working Kevin Hearty got on the scoresheet, while Bernard Laverty and Donal McArdle kept the scoreboard ticking.
Donal Seals It with Style
As the game entered its closing stages, O’Raghallaighs’ discipline slipped, with Alan Doyle receiving a black card on 50 minutes. This left even more space for the Brides’ forwards to exploit.
In the 59th minute, Donal McArdle struck for his second goal of the evening, applying another composed finish after a sweeping team move. It was a fitting end to a superb performance from the Brides’ spearhead, who tormented the defence throughout.
Although McElroy and Eoin Moore registered late scores for O’Raghallaighs, they were purely consolation as St Brides eased to a convincing 3-16 to 0-13 victory.
Man of the Match
While there were standout displays across the field, Donal McArdle gets the nod. With 2-2 from play and a constant threat inside, he set the tone from the first minute. Kieran McArdle was also exceptional, finishing with 1-5, while Sean Marry with five points, his work rate and scoring contribution made him another key figure for the 35 minutes he was on the field.
Scorers
St Brides: Donal McArdle (2-2), Kieran McArdle (1-5), Sean Marry (0-5), Padraic Mackin (0-1), Kevin Hearty (0-1), Bernard Laverty (0-1), James Costello (0-1).
O’Raghallaighs: Kyle McElroy (0-4), John Horan (0-2), Ewan Sweeney (0-2), Daniel Reilly (0-2, incl. 1×two-pointer), Ben Rogan (0-1), Eoin Moore (0-1), Danny Morgan (0-1).
Teams
St Brides:
Emmet Kirk; Stephen Hoey, Cillian Kirk, Padraic Makin; Andrew Smyth, Bernard Laverty, Ross Murnaghan; James Costello, Oisín McBride; Sean Marry, Kieran McArdle, Morgan Tobin; Robert McCaughey, Kevin Hearty, Donal McArdle.
Subs: Patrick Reilly for Sean Marry (35), Evan Wynne for Bernard Laverty (59).
O’Raghallaighs:
Joe Finegan; Joe Meehan, Omoregbe Eseosa, Alan Doyle; Emmett King, Daniel Reilly, Conor McGinty; Olan Walshe, Kyle McElroy; Eoin Moore, John Horan, Ben Rogan; Ewan Sweeney, Danny Morgan, Lucas Carton.
Subs: Chris Smith for Emmett King (36), James Morgan for Joe Meehan (43), Cameron Griffin for Lucas Carton (56).
