Intermediate Championship Group 3.

O’Connell’s 1-15, St. Josephs 1-11.

O’Connell’s are in the knockout stages as group 3 winners with this win over neighbours St. Josephs. The joes got the first point of the game from Alan Lynch but then the next six scores came from o’connell’s, one a goal from Robert Quigley who also got a point and the other points from Andrew Sharkey(2) one a free, Paul McKeever and Mark Stanfield. Alan McKenna put over a free for joes, only for the Bellingham men to get two more points from Keith Ryan and Stanfield. The Dromiskin men replied with the next three scores the first a well worked goal finished to the net by McKenna who also got another point along with Conall Smyth to leave three between the sides. However just before the break O’Connell’s added two more points from Salem Rifaie and a McKeever free. Half time score O’Connell’s 1-9, Joes 1-4. The second half was a much tighter affair, a McKenna free got the Joes on their way but the Bellingham men got the next three points two from Quigley and the other from Stanfield. In between those points O’Connell’s were awarded a penalty when Stanfield was pulled down in the box but Jackie Agnew’s kick was poorly struck and was well saved by Joe’s keeper Robert Sanson. The sides swapped the next four scores all points Anthony Keenan and Mark Neary for Joes and  two frees from McKeever for O’Connell’s. Stanfield got another point for O’Connell’s with time running down their last of the game to put them seven points in front. The Joes pilled forward and added three more points before the final whistle two more McKenna frees and another for Keenan. O’Connell’s top their group and now play the runners up in group 1 in the knockout stages.

O’Connell’s: Sean Connolly; PJ Tuite, Conor Byrne, Keith Woods; Killian Shields, Jackie Agnew, Niall Conlon; Colm Kearney, Paul McKeever 0-4(3f); Salem Rifaie 0-1, Andrew Sharkey 0-2(1f), Stuart Reynolds; Robert Quigley 1-3, Keith Ryan 0-1, Mark Stanfield 0-4. Subs Jason Carroll for Tuite, Dean Stanfield for Rifaie and Jonathon Conlon for Mckeever.
St. Josephs: Robert Sanson; Philip Kinahan, Kevin Woods, Anthony Keenan 0-2; Liam Mernagh, Conor Murtagh, Alan Lynch 0-1; Peter Mulligan 0-1, Mark Neary 0-1; Thomas Smyth, Peter Brennan, Alan McKenna 1-5(4f); Conall Smyth 0-1, Conal O’Hanlon, Derek Mulligan. Subs Daire McKiernan for Brennan, Conor Lynch for Mernagh, Alan Quigley for O’Hanlon, Lorcan Doyle for C. Smyth and Mark Dromgoole for Kinahan.

[Report: Aidan Murtagh]