“Downey drives Nicks to opening win as late surge sinks Westerns”

DKIT Sport Louth Junior Football Championship – Group 4, Round 1

St Nicholas 2-15 Westerns 0-10
Venue: Páirc Baile Fiach, Hunterstown

St Nicholas made a winning start to their Group 4 campaign in the DKIT Sport Louth Junior Football Championship with a commanding second-half performance that saw them pull clear of a spirited Westerns side in Hunterstown. The eleven-point margin was perhaps harsh on the Reaghstown men, who competed strongly for large spells but were left to rue a series of missed chances at vital stages of the contest.

First Half – Westerns compete strongly

The game began at a lively pace with Westerns striking first blood through Killian Crosbie, who curled over a fine point inside the opening minute. St Nicholas, however, settled quickly, and Padraic Downey proved their go-to man in attack. His opening point was swiftly followed by an excellent two-point effort, before Roy Kierans and Lee Kavanagh extended the Drogheda side’s lead to 0-5 to 0-1 by the 12th minute.

Westerns suffered a setback midway through the half when experienced midfielder Anthony Durnin was shown a black card for a late challenge, forcing them to reshuffle around the middle third. Yet they refused to wilt, and Crosbie kept the scoreboard ticking with a pair of frees to keep the gap manageable.

The sides traded scores through Dylan Brogan and Ryan Duffy, but just before the interval the Nicks edged four clear again thanks to efforts from Downey and Alan Dyas. Despite that advantage, the Westerns left the field at half-time still well in the contest, trailing 0-8 to 0-4.

Second Half – Nicks take control

The Westerns got the perfect start to the second period when Durnin returned from the sin-bin to clip over a superb point from the right wing. However, that was as good as it got for them as St Nicholas soon produced the game’s defining spell.

Between the 34th and 42nd minutes, the Drogheda men reeled off 1-5 without reply, a devastating burst that broke the Westerns’ resistance. Hayden Quinn struck the game’s first goal with a composed finish following a slick move, while points from Kierans, Philip Kirwan, Shane Downey, Dyas and the irrepressible Padraic Downey opened up a commanding lead.

To their credit, Westerns refused to throw in the towel. Ryan Duffy and substitute Emmet Smith clipped over scores to reduce the deficit, but the Nicks always had an answer. Substitutes made their mark late on, with Con Sheehan raising a green flag in the 53rd minute and adding a point soon after, while Fionn Meagher also got on the scoresheet.

The Reaghstown men finished strongly with further points from Duffy and Smith, but by then the result was beyond doubt as St Nicholas ran out comfortable 2-17 to 0-12 winners.

Standout Performers

For St Nicholas, Padraic Downey led by example with a tally of 0-5 and some inspirational scores, while Hayden Quinn’s goal proved crucial in swinging momentum. Roy Kierans and Alan Dyas were also prominent throughout, and Con Sheehan made a major impact off the bench.

Westerns will take positives despite the result, with Ryan Duffy and Killian Crosbie showing accuracy up front, while Anthony Durnin gave them leadership around the middle when on the field.

Man of the Match

Padraic Downey (St Nicholas): The playmaker was at the heart of everything positive for the Nicks, kicking from range, linking attacks and setting the tone during the decisive second-half surge.

Scorers

St Nicholas: Padraic Downey 0-5 (1 2P), Hayden Quinn 1-0, Con Sheehan 1-1, Roy Kierans 0-2, Alan Dyas 0-2, Lee Kavanagh 0-1, Dylan Brogan 0-1, Philip Kirwan 0-1, Shane Downey 0-1, Fionn Meagher 0-1.

Westerns: Ryan Duffy 0-3, Killian Crosbie 0-3 (2f), Emmet Smith 0-2, Anthony Durnin 0-1, Conor Kerr 0-1, Pat Kearly 0-1, Adam Duffy 0-1.

Teams

St Nicholas: Shane Finegan; Stephen Finegan, Ruairi Hanlon, Alan Dyas; Aaron Flanagan, Alex Finegan, Dylan Brogan; Philip Kirwan, Brian Carter; Shane Downey, Roy Kierans, Hayden Quinn; Fionn Meagher, Padraic Downey, Lee Kavanagh.
Subs: Cian Flynn for Brian Carter (43 mins), Cebhan Houshidari for Stephen Finegan (45 mins), Con Sheehan for Lee Kavanagh (48 mins), Sean Lynch for Paudie Downey (56 mins), Lorcan Downey for Dylan Brogan (56 mins).

Westerns: Terance Sweeney; Dylan Ogle, Andy Murray, Mick Martin; Roan Gallagher, Adam Duffy, Darragh Osborne; Matthew Kane, Cathal Kennedy; Pat Kearly, Anthony Durnin, Ryan Duffy; Killian Crosbie, Conor Kerr.
Subs: Sean McGuinness for Dylan Ogle (38 mins), Emmet Smith for Conor Kerr (38 mins), Conor Smith for Roan Gallagher (56 mins), Bradley Duffy for Andy Murray (56 mins), Killian Daly for Cathal Kennedy (58 mins).

Referee: David Fedigan (Hunterstown Rovers).

What’s Next

St Nicholas will be full of confidence heading into their next Group 4 outing, knowing another victory would put them firmly on course for a quarter-final place. Their mix of experience and youthful energy looks well balanced, with several scoring threats across the forward line.

For Westerns, the task is now about regrouping quickly. They showed enough in the first half to suggest they can still make an impact in this group, but greater efficiency in front of goal will be needed if they are to bounce back and stay in contention for qualification