The reward for a good win over a Drogheda side last week was meeting another this week in the quarter finals. This time it was the O Raghallaighs in Pairc Mhuire, Ardee in a late evening game.

The Joes played with the aid of the breeze in the first half, but it was their opponents who got off to the brighter start. When Ciaran Brassil was fouled within the opening minute, it gave Ruairi Moore the chance to open his account from a dead ball. This was followed up by a Bernard Rogan free from the right corner, after he had been fouled. With six minutes played Alan Mc Kenna opened the Joes scoring with a free from 45 yards and with ten minutes played the sides were level when Mc Kenna pointed another free, after he was fouled himself. A minute later Craig Mc Enteggart put the town side back in front after capitalising on what appeared to be a clear Joes free out. The next Joes attack was started by quick thinking from Alan Lynch, who played a good ball into Derek Mulligan, as Mulligan entered the box and bore down on goal, he appeared to be dragged to the ground, however no penalty was forthcoming. Mulligan was clearly out of luck, as he again appeared to be fouled in the next Joes attack, but no free was awarded! The Joes didnt let this set them back, as they kept their opposition scoreless in the second quarter, while adding three points of their own. The first of these was another Alan Mc Kenna free from 21 yards, after he was fouled. Peter Mulligan fielded the resultant kickout and Anthony Keenan found Mc Kenna, who again was fouled and pointed from the free. The final score of the half came after a Kevin Woods interception started a good move, which was finished well by Derek Mulligan from the left wing.
Half Time Score: St Josephs 0-5, O Raghallaighs 0-3

The Joes started brightest in the second half when Derek Mulligan set up John Murtagh to push the lead out to three points. The Drogheda men responded well though with a Ruairi Moore free, from just inside the 50 yard line and fine point from play for Bernard Rogan from play, cutting in from the left corner. However an inspirational point from Alan Mc Kenna kept the Joes in front, as he struck a sideline ball over the bar with the outside of his left boot. Moore hit back with a fine free of his own from the left wing. But this was cancelled out when Alan Lynch won the resultant kickout and played the ball directly to Mc Kenna in full forward line, who was fouled. Mc Kenna stepped up to kick his sixth point of the game so far. But, it would prove to be the Joes last score for 16 minutes, while the O Raghallaighs kicked six unanswered points in this period.

However, the Joes did have goal chances during this period, the first of which pulled up short when Peter Mulligan appeared to be very harshly blown up for overholding. Bernard Rogan hit a free for the O Raghallaighs from the right corner in between this and the next goal opportunity. The Joes full forward line tried to engineer this goal chance, but when it broke down, their opposition moved the ball quickly downfield for Rogan to hit the leveling score from play in the 19th minute. The crucial period came shortly after, as the Drogheda side hit three points from play in the space of three minutes, to build up the decisive lead. The first a close in point from Barry Flanagan, followed by one from Ruairi Moore. When they won the resultant kickout the ball was played forward to Craig Mc Entaggart for his point. The Joes had another blow in the 26th minute, when Mark Neary was red carded after retaliating to Joseph Rogans strike. The Joes man saw the line, while his aggressor finished out the game! The next score came the way of the O Raghallaighs, as Rogan finished off a well worked move. A free from Mc Kenna pulled the difference back to three points, before Rogan was again on target with an immediate response. The recently introduced Conall Smyth was set up by Brendan O Donoghue, to leave a goal in it again, as the game entered injury time. However, despite the bombardment of the Drogheda goal in the two minutes of injury time, the goal chance was not forthcoming.
Full Time Score: St Josephs 0-10, O Raghallaighs 0-13

This is very much the first year of a young Joes team, who were facing a seasoned team in the O Raghallaighs, who have shown their worth in taking the division two league with a win in every one of their games. The Joes were very competitive, but to win would have needed the crucial breaks to go for them, rather than against them. They will have time now to regroup, before they take on the league promotion play offs. Best on the night for the Joes were Kevin Woods, Mark Neary, Alan Mc Kenna and Derek Mulligan

Joes Team: Robert Samson; Philip Kinahan, Kevin Woods, Anthony Keenan; Conor Lynch, Conor Murtagh, Alan Lynch; Peter Mulligan, John Murtagh 0-1; Tomas Smyth, Peter Brennan, Alan McKenna 0-7 (7 fr); Derek Mulligan 0-1, Daire McKiernan, Mark Neary. Subs: Brendan O Donoghue for Peter Brennan, Bernard Mulligan for Conor Lynch, John McGuinness for Daire McKiernan, Alan Quigley for Alan Lynch, Conall Smyth 0-1 for Tomas Smyth.

O Raghallaighs: Joe Flanagan; Stephen Murphy, James Moonan, Graham Murray; Graham Leech, Cathal McGinty, Alan Doyle; Robert Mulroy, Ciaran Brassil; Ruairi Moore 0-4 (3 fr), Craig McEnteggart 0-1, Tony Grifferty; Ben Rogan 0-6 (2 fr), Chris Smith 0-1, Barry Flanagan 0-1. Subs: Dean Byrne for Graham Leech, Joseph Rogan for Tony Grifferty.

Referee: Stephen Johnston

[Report: Michael Kinahan]