The first team travelled to Roche on Sunday afternoon, in the fifth round of the division 2 league. Despite having to travel, the varying form of the two teams in the early stages of the league, would have meant that the Joes were favourites to win this one. It was the Joes who played with the aid of the wind that was blowing down field from the castle end in the first half.

Roche got off to a bright start with a Dan O Connell point from play. However it didnt take long for the Joes to level it up, with an excellent individual point for Alan Mc Kenna, from the right wing. It was at this stage that Conal O Hanlon went on what can only be described as a scoring spree, as everything he touched turned to a score. John Murtagh set him up for his first point, which was soon followed by his first goal. The kick out from this came straight back and again he hit this one high and over. Peter Brennan, who had set him up for the goal, now set him up for another point. At this stage Roche did get two points, to reduce the deficit to five. A close in free from Kevin O Callaghan and point from play for Patrick Quigley. However, this was as close as they would get to the Joes for the remainder of the game. Peter Mulligan won the resultant kickout and O Hanlon turned provider, as he put through Tomas Smyth on goal who was unlucky to have his effort bundled out by the Roche defence. A lovely ball from Alan Mc Kenna would set O Hanlon up for his next point, with another possible goal beckoning he was content to pop it over on this occasion. Mc Kenna was also involved in the next score, when he showed well for the ball, won his free and converted the dead ball himself from outside of 40 yards. From this kickout the ball was again worked in to Conal O Hanlon, who set up Tomas Smyth for a good score from out on the right. Smyth returned the compliment soon after, for what would be O Hanlons second goal of the game. The last kick of the half was another Joes goal! This one for Alan Mc Kenna from a tight angle close in, after O Hanlon had been the link man, with the move set up by Derek Mulligans strong running that simply turned his marker inside out.

Half Time Score: St Josephs 3-8, Roche Emmets 0-3

Roche would be more competitive at the start of the second half, but every single time they pointed, the Joes would follow up with a point of their own. With the teams sharing the first eight points of the half. Straight from the throw in, Roche played the ball into, a half time substitute, who pointed immediately. The Joes immediate reply came from, that man, Conal O Hanlon. The Emmets immediate response was another Kevin O Callaghan free, this one being cancelled out when Derek Mulligan set up Peter Mulligan for his opening point. Again Roche were quick to reply, this point from play coming from their right wing forward, Darren Mc Connon. This one was cancelled out with a good Alan Mc Kenna point from the right corner. A quickly taken free gave Ciaran Sloane the chance to get on the score sheet for Roche, before Tomas Smyth played through to O Hanlon, who played an unconventional interchange with Derek Mulligan before pointing again.

With Roche unable to make any inroads into the already large deficit it was at this stage the Joes stretched the lead even further, with back to back goals to bring the lead out to 20 points. Alan Quigley set up John Murtagh for this first of these, another rocket to the net, just as he had done in the previous league game earlier in the week. When Aidan Mc Coy saved point blank from Derek Mulligan, it was only brief respite, as the ball came straight back in and Conal O Hanlon played through Mulligan again, who made no mistake this time, sending Mc Coy the wrong way to get his first score of the game with his last kick of the ball, as he was substituted a minute later. The hard working Roche midfielder David Quigley got a pointed free next, before O Hanlon set up another score, this one for the recently introduced Conall Smyth. This was followed up down the far end, by a good score from play from the right corner for Kevin O Callaghan. Full forward Dan O Connell then drove a shot over the bar, before David Quigley got another, this one from play, in a quick fire scoring burst for the Emmets. The Joes scoring was rounded off by Alan Quigley with a point from the out the field. Another O Connell shot on goal was blocked by Conor Murtagh, before David Quigley finished off the Roche scoring with a good point.

Full Time Score: St Josephs 5-14, Roche Emmets 0-12

Again, the Joes experienced full back line was solid, only conceding four points from play throughout the match, Sean Mc Quillan was back on form again and the midfield put in another fine display with Alan Mc Kenna showing well also. But there was a very clear man of the match in this game! Roche for their part seemed to be missing a few of their more senior players and fielded an inexperienced side. The next Joes game should prove to be a much tougher one, when they travel to Drogheda for a top of the table clash with the O Raghallaighs.

Joes Team: Robert Sansom, Philip Kinahan, Kevin Woods, Anthony Keenan, Sean Mc Quillan, Conor Murtagh, Andrew Cluskey, Peter Mulligan (0-1), John Murtagh (1-0), Tomas Smyth (0-1), Peter Brennan, Daire Mc Kiernan, Alan Mc Kenna (1-3), Conal O Hanlon (2-7), Derek Mulligan (1-0)

Substitutions: Alan Quigley (0-1) for Andrew Cluskey, Niall Henry for Kevin Woods (inj), John Mc Guinness for Tomas Smyth (inj), Conall Smyth (0-1) for Derek Mulligan, Lorcan Doyle for Sean Mc Quillan.

Roche Emmets: Aidan McCoy; Andrew Carroll, Harry O Connell, Joe Bishop; Conor Traynor, Liam Carthy, Duane Callan; Martin Carroll, David Quigley 0-3; Darren McConnon 0-1, Ciaran Sloan 0-1, Patrick Quigley 0-1; Kevin O Callaghan 0-3, Dan O Connell 0-2, Bernard McConnon.

Referee: Paddy Matthews

[Report: Michael Kinahan]