“Emmets Hold Their Nerve as Young Irelands Comeback Falls Short”

CTI Business Solutions Intermediate Football Championship – Group 1, Round 3

Glen Emmets 2-14 Dundalk Young Irelands 1-16

Venue: Stabannon Parnells

Referee: Declan Dunne (John Mitchels)

Glen Emmets showed all their resilience, class and championship nous as they held off a storming fightback from Dundalk Young Irelands to secure top spot in Group 1 after a breathless encounter in Stabannon on Saturday evening.

The Tullyallen men, driven on by talisman Conor Grimes, had looked to be cruising when they stormed into an eleven-point lead early in the second half. But a spirited and determined Young Irelands refused to bow down, clawing their way back level with just three minutes of normal time remaining. With the wind at their backs, and the Emmets visibly rattled, it looked like the men from the Marshes might pull off the comeback of the championship.

Instead, it was the experience and composure of the Emmets that told in the end, with James Butler’s late free — awarded after referee Declan Dunne advanced the ball for dissent from a Young Irelands player — proving the match-winning score in injury time.

First Half – Grimes Lights Up Stabannon

The opening quarter was evenly contested as Butler’s frees edged Emmets ahead before James Prendergast and Jordan O’Donoghue replied for Young Irelands.

But the game ignited on 13 minutes when Grimes struck a booming kick for two points, before conjuring a moment of pure brilliance just before the break. With his side already on top, Grimes surged forward from deep in his own half after a Shane Curtis goal-line clearance and, spotting Fergal Sheekey off his line, unleashed a thunderous strike from distance that ripped into the net.

It was a goal that drew gasps from the crowd and will surely go down as one of the scores of the championship.

With Butler deadly accurate from placed balls and Cullen and Mooney covering acres of ground, Emmets pressed their advantage and went into the break leading 1-10 to 0-6.

Second Half – Cullen Strikes but Irelands Rally

The second half began perfectly for Emmets as Diarmuid Cullen cut through the heart of the defence and rifled a brilliant finish to the top corner within three minutes after the restart. That goal, added to an earlier Grimes point, pushed the gap out to eleven, and at that stage it looked like the contest was over.

However, Young Irelands showed immense character. McStravick clipped over a stunning two-pointer, Prendergast and O’Donoghue punished Emmets’ indiscipline, and substitute Cian O’Nairaigh made a lively impact. Then, on 47 minutes, Dean Maguire smashed home a superb team goal, lifting the entire side and the vocal travelling support.

By now, Emmets were struggling to get out of their own half as the pressure mounted even with Young Irelands down to 14 with Aidan Sheekey off the field after receiving a black card. McStravick’s frees and Cian O’Donoghue’s leadership around the middle-pushed Irelands forward relentlessly. When O’Donoghue slotted a free on 57 minutes to tie the game, the comeback was complete and momentum firmly with the Dundalk side.

Final Drama – Butler the Hero

But in championship football, composure is everything. While Irelands looked primed to push on, they crucially failed to score again despite six minutes of additional time.

Emmets steadied themselves, with Danny Grimes working tirelessly in midfield and Cullen carrying ball out of danger. The decisive moment came in the 61st minute when Butler held his nerve to nail a free under huge pressure, restoring the slender lead.

With Irelands reduced to 14 men after McStravick’s late black card, Emmets closed ranks and saw out the frantic closing stages to seal victory.

What It Means

For Glen Emmets, this result confirms their status as serious contenders for championship honours. Their blend of youthful energy, experienced campaigners, and the brilliance of Grimes makes them a formidable outfit.

For Dundalk Young Irelands, there was heartbreak but also pride. Their second-half rally showed their fighting spirit and talent, though their inability to manage the final minutes ultimately cost them progression.

Scorers

Glen Emmets: Conor Grimes (1-2, 2pt), James Butler (0-9, 2x2ptf, 4f), Diarmuid Cullen (1-0), Ian O’Reilly (0-1, 45), Daniel Grimes (0-1), Keelan O’Neill (0-1).

Dundalk Young Irelands: James Prendergast (0-5, 4f), Liam McStravick (0-5, 2x2pf, 1f), Jordan O’Donoghue (0-3, 2f), Dean Maguire (1-0), Cian O’Nairaigh (0-1), Cian O’Donoghue (0-1), Jack Waters (0-1).

Teams

Dundalk Young Irelands: Fergal Sheekey; Conn O’Donoghue, Ciaran Murray, Caolan McCabe; Sean Murphy, Joe Mee, Cian O’Donoghue; James Prendergast, Michael O’Shea; Liam McStravick, Ruairi Kelly, Jack Watters; Dermot Mone, Jordan O’Donoghue, Dean Maguire.

Subs: Cian O’Nairaigh for Michael O’Shea (35), Aidan Sheekey for Jack Waters (42), Mark Lee for Jordan O’Donoghue (53) , Evan McArdle for Sean Murphy (60).

Glen Emmets: Ian O’Reilly; Emmet Delaney, Keith Boylan, Shane Curtis; Callum Wogan, Cian Talbot, Evan English; Diarmuid Cullen, Conor Grimes; Keelan O’Neill, Andrew Mooney, Paddy McHugh; Danny Grimes, James Butler, Jacob Morgan.

Man of the Match

There were fine displays from James Prendergast and Liam McStravick for Irelands, while Diarmuid Cullen and James Butler were superb for Emmets. But there was only one outstanding star — Conor Grimes. His leadership, work rate and outrageous scoring, capped by an unforgettable wonder goal, once again proved the difference

Photo: Ciaran Culligan Photography