Avonmore Intermediate Football Championship Group 4 
Date:  Friday 20th August, 2010
Venue: Dundalk Gaels
Time:  7.15 P.M.
Referee: Stephen Johnson 

Dundalk Young Irelands 2-16
St. Joseph's 1-12 

Dundalk Young Irelands landed a big 7-point victory over St. Joseph's to claim top spot in Group 4 of the Intermediate Championship. In an entertaining and open match, it was the Joe's who made the early running and opened up a 4 point lead after just 5 minutes, with their midfield winning primary possession and delivering quick ball into a lively full forward line. But the Irelands gradually got a grip of the midfield battle and were able to send quick balls into the full forward line, while at the same time starving the Joes of any good possession. This enabled the Irelands to score 1-7 between the 7th and 25th minute of the match, with the Joes only scoring through a Conal O'Hanlon free in between. The 8 Irelanders scores during this period went to 6 different players, showing that they have a potent attack when the right ball is given into them. The pick of the scores went to Derek Maguire who latched onto the ball about 30 metres from goal before racing past the defence to blast the ball past the keeper from close range to give the Irelanders a commanding lead. 

However, the Joe's responded at the end of the half and narrowed the gap to the minimum thanks to a point from Derek Mulligan and a softly awarded penalty converted by O'Hanlon. However, the Irelands had young goalkeeper, Aaron Conway, to thank as he pulled off a fine save to ensure that the Irelands maintained their lead at half time. 

Half Time: Dundalk Young Irelands 1-07 St. Josephs 1-06 

The second half started in a scrappy fashion with neither team getting into their stride. Both sides scored 2 points a-piece inside the first 10 minutes of the half. The Irelanders then went on another run that saw them score 1-3 to further extend their lead. It was the turn of the Joes to respond and hit 4 points in a row to just leave a goal between them. However, the Irelands controlled the game to the end and looked the fitter and more composed of the sides and scored 4 points without reply to seal a deserved victory.  

Both sides were already through to the quarter finals going into the match but it was the Irelands who topped the group and now look forward to their first Intermediate quarter final since they won the competition in 1996. 

While the Young Irelands midfield excelled as a unit, Derek Maguire and Mark Savage in the full forward line and Aaron Rogers at Centre back also stood out. Derek Mulligan and David Reilly tried hard for the Joes.

Dundalk Young Irelands: Aaron Conway; Michael Mone, Graham Carr, Ciaran Murray; Peter Flynn, Aaron Rogers, Robbie Farrell; Gerard Nixon, Kevin Keelan (0-01); Nicholas O'Connor, Johnny Lynch (0-02), Joseph Flynn (0-01); Dermot Mone (0-02, 1f), Derek Maguire (2-07,3f), Mark Savage (0-02).
Subs: Cian O'Naraigh for Graham Carr; Ryan Moran for Michael Mone; Peter Nixon (0-01) for Gerard Nixon; Sean Bailey for Dermot Mone. 

St. Josephs: Robert Samson; Philip Kinahan, Anthony Keenan, Christopher Brennan; Liam Mernagh, David O'Donoghue 0-1, Andrew Cluskey; Peter Brennan, Bernard Mulligan; David Reilly 0-4, Conal O'Hanlon 1-1, Peter Mulligan; Derek Mulligan 0-3, Alan McKenna 0-2, Alan Quigley. Subs: Conor Murtagh 0-1 for B Mulligan, Ollie McDonnell for C Brennan, Alan Lynch for C O'Hanlon. Tweet

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