Image Courtesy of Des Pearson
St Mary’s Saggart secured their place in the last eight of the Go-Ahead Ireland Dublin Senior 2 Football Championship when overcoming Parnell’s by 1-14 to 0-14 in St David’s on Saturday evening.
The hosts could well have netted from the throw-in but St Mary’s goalkeeper George Kenny made a brilliant save as both sides traded early points.
The decisive moment came in the 20th minute as Conor Jameson netted past Stephen Cluxton and points from influential wing-forward Shane Buckley, Jameson and Eoin Murray pushed the visitors into a 1-6 to 0-3 interval lead.
Parnell’s resumed impressively as they whittled their deficit down to a solitary point but St Mary’s regrouped to finish strongly as Jameson (1-3), Murray (0-4) and Buckley (0-3) added vital contributions.
Blaine Kelly also kicked a crucial point with the away scoring completed by Kyle Butler, Ed Mahon and Ciaran Howard.
They finished second in Group 3 behind a Templeogue Synge Street that preserved their unbeaten record after their thrilling 6-8 to 5-11 draw with St Maur’s in Rush.
Scott McConnell and Lorcan O’Dell netted twice for the visitors while Niall Scully kicked six points to confirm his team’s progress as group winners.
In Group 1, Whitehall Colmcille and Naomh Olaf advanced to the knockout stages despite the former suffering an 0-16 to 0-12 reverse to Round Towers Clondalkin on Sunday morning.
Scoil Uí Chonaill joined Naomh Barróg from Group 2 following their impressive 2-11 to 0-10 victory over Fingal Ravens in Rolestown.
The visitors started on the front foot thanks to early goals by Robert Kennedy and Evan Doyle and they maintained their stranglehold on proceedings for the duration.
The likes of Brendan Murray (0-4) and Karl Martin (0-3) ensured that Ravens were frustrated in their comeback hopes with some strong Scoil defending seeing the visitors home with a fair degree of comfort.
In Group 4, St Brigid’s joined their near neighbours St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh in the knockout stages following their 3-10 to 1-7 win over Erin’s Isle at Farnham Drive.
The visitors were particularly impressive in the second-half as Sean Egan, Scott Daly and Mark Donnelly worked tirelessly to seize the initiative.
Gavin Balfe netted twice for St Brigid’s, and with Conor Watt adding 1-1 and Philly Ryan 0-4, the Blanchardstown side finished strongly to confirm their last-eight berth.
Go-Ahead Ireland SFC2 Group 1: Naomh Olaf 3-20 Round Towers Lusk 1-5; Round Towers Clondalkin 0-16 Whitehall Colmcille 0-12.
Go-Ahead Ireland SFC2 Group 2: St Patrick’s Donabate 1-10 Naomh Barróg 1-8; Fingal Ravens 0-10 Scoil Uí Chonaill 2-11.
Go-Ahead Ireland SFC2 Group 3: St Maur’s 6-8 Templeogue Synge Street 5-11; Parnell’s 0-14 St Mary’s Saggart 1-14.
Go-Ahead Ireland SFC2 Group 4: Ballyboughal 0-9 St Oliver Plunkett’s/ER 3-16; Erin’s Isle 1-7 St Brigid’s 3-10.
