The Intermediate Championship sparked into life for the Joes on Saturday evening in Dunleer, against the Oliver Plunketts. A win or draw would put the team through to quarter finals, whereas defeat would put them into the relegation play offs. On a fine summer evening the Joes played with the benefit of the breeze that was blowing into the road end in the first half.

It was the Plunketts however who started the brightest as Emmet Kelleher won a kickout in the middle of the field and fed Rory Taafe, who scored the opening point. Kelleher followed that with a point of his own. There was a good Joes response, as John Mc Guinness won the ball back, Alan Mc Kenna linked the play to Derek Mulligan, who opened the Joes account. However, Rory Taaffe showed the danger that he could pose, as he hit three unanswered points within the space of two minutes to push the Drogheda sides lead out to four points in a flash. Each of the three points came from play, showing his adaptability from all angles he scored from left corner, in front of goals and finally the right corner! It was another Derek Mulligan point that got the Joes really going, this one coming from a relieving Mc Guinness ball out of defence. This was followed up by a fine long range point from Conor Murtagh, before Alan Mc Kenna sent over a 21 yard free, after he and Mc Guinness had worked hard to create the scoring chance.

The second quarter started off with a Gavin Sullivan point from play, despite good pressure from the Joes rearguard. This was cancelled out by another Mc Kenna 21 yard free, after he was fouled himself. When Derek Mulligan was fouled in the 23rd minute Mc Kennas third free pulled the Joes level for the first time since the opening seconds of the match. The graft that Joes had showed to get themselves back into to the game could all have been undone within a minute however, if it were not for a fine save from Robert Sansom in the Joes goal. Gavin Sullivan hit a long ball deep into the Joes defence, which Rory Taafee got a deft flick to, Sansom however was alert and dived low to his right to pull off a fine save. However, the Joes were not as lucky a few minutes later, when John Moroneys shot bounced rather fortuitously over Samsons crossbar to restore the Plunkets lead.

Nearly immediately after, the game was turned on its head as Peter Brennan played a clever one two with Alan McKenna and rifled a shot into the back of the net to give the Joes the lead for the first time in the match. Rory Taaffe reduced this lead to the minimum from a free a minute later, but the biggest drama of the half came with one and half of normal time remaining. A Derek Mulligan shot at goal lobbed high into the square, with the Plunketts goalie Conaire Quigley unable to deal with the ball it bobbled about in the danger area, before Brennan grabbed it, turned and fired home from a tight angle. However, Quigley was knocked unconscious in the lead up to that second goal through an accidental collision and the game was delayed for 20 mins as he received attention and ultimately was taken to hospital. (Thankfully, we are glad to report that he was released the next morning and we wish him well in his recovery). The game was restarted and the final minutes of the half were played, yielding a point from play for Cian Matthews, as he fired over from close range. A full 53 minutes after the first whistle was blown the teams took their half time break.
Half Time Score: St Josephs 2-6, Oliver Plunketts 0-9

Alan Mc Kenna got the Joes off to great start in the second half, with a great drive and despite the close attentions of his marker shot over from a narrow angle. But it would be the Drogheda men who would come out the better side of this third quarter, as that would be the Joes only score in the period, while the Punketts kicked four unanswered points to level the game up. A Cian Matthews free was followed by long range points from Emmet Kelleher and Dean Carolan, before Taafe hit the leveling free. The Joes fighting spirit didnt diminish though and a resurgent Tomas Smyth won the ball from a Plunketts free out, before feeding Derek Mulligan for another fine point from play. When Peter Brennan was fouled outside the exclusion zone in the 25th minute Mc Kenna stepped up to calmly slot the pressure free. A minute later it was Mc Kenna again who slotted another pressure free, this one from deep in the right corner. The Joes pushed on from here and with less than a minute of normal time remaining Peter Brennan played a crossfield ball to Smyth, who laid off to Daire Mc Kiernan coming through on the overlap, who in turn kicked a superb and rare point. Cian Matthews responded for Plunketts from the kickout. But Smyth again laid off the next score, this time it was Alan Lynch coming through to take the point on the stroke of full time. A great piece of Derek Mulligan skill created a goal opportunity for the rampant Mc Kenna in injury time, but for once he was off the mark. Nonetheless, despite the six minutes of additional time played at the end of the half, the Plunketts could not find another score and Joes finished up clear winners.
Full Time Score: St Josephs 2-12, Oliver Plunketts 0-14

What was most impressive about this display from the Joes was the fight and spirit that was shown throughout the team, something that was sadly lacking a week previous when they played the O Connells at the same venue. Players like Peter Brennan and Daire Mc Kiernan showed their best form of the year at the critical time. While other such as Philip Kinahan, Mark Neary and Tomas Smyth finished strong. With Alan Mc Kenna and Derek Mulligan leading the attack throughout in what was a very solid overall team performance. If they can show this graft and spirit again on Sunday night they are sure to give the O Raghaillaghs a good game of it in the Quarter Finals in Ardee and have every chance of creating an upset.

Joes Team- Robert Sansom, Philip Kinahan, Kevin Woods, Anthony Keenan, Bernard Mulligan, Conor Murtagh (0-1), Alan Lynch (0-1), Peter Mulligan (0-3), John McGuinness, Tomás Smith, Peter Brennan (2-0), Alan McKenna (0-6), Derek Mulligan (0-3), Daire McKiernan (0-1), Mark Neary. Substitution- John Murtagh for John McGuinness

Oliver Plunkets- Conaire Quigley, Karl Tuite, Dave McEntaggart, Cillian Matthews, Darragh Matthews, Brian Fitzpatrick, Stephen Kealy, John Kermath, Emmet Kelleher (0-2), Gavin Sullivan (0-1), Rory Taafe (0-6), Dean Carolan (0-1), Cian Matthews (0-3), Frank Taafe, John Moroney (0-1). Substitutions: Seamus Quigley for Conaire Quigley, Trevor Walsh for Cillian Matthews, Frank Daly for Karl Tuite.

Referee: David Fedigan

[Report: Michael Kinahan]