SFC quarter-final: Dreadnots too hot for Gaels
August 31, 2015
Dreadnots Fergal McGuigan with James Stewart (Gaels)
DREADNOTS 1-12
DUNDALK GAELS 0-9
Dreadnots remain on course for a return to the Senior Championship Final after scoring a six-point win over Dundalk Gaels in the quarter-final at Dowdallshill on Saturday evening.
The Clogherhead men just had that little bit too much for a determined Gaels outfit, with a first half goal from Pepe Smith proving to be the decisive score.
The score helped the Dreadnots establish a three-point lead and they maintained that advantage for much of the remainder of the game before three late points finally settled the issue.
These sides have a history of closely contested games and the early indications suggested that this encounter was going to be no different.
With just a minute on the clock, Peter Kirwan kicked the first point of the game only for it to be cancelled out by a Sean McCann free soon after. After four minutes the Gaels were in front for the first time thanks to a Kevin McArdle strike but Liam Shevlin levelled with his first of the game.
It was looking good for the Dundalk side when Sean Fee edged them ahead but the crucial score came on 15 minutes when Smith fired home the only goal of the game to put his side 1-2 to 0-3 in front.
Soon after James Califf stretched the lead to three points and the Dreadnots were able to keep their opponents at arm's length for the remainder of the game. The last six points of the half were shared to leave the Clogherhead men leading by 1-6 to 1-3.
The Gaels needed a bright start to the second half to give themselves hope but it was the Clogher side who increased their grip on proceedings with two points from Peter Kirwan.
The Gaels battled back with two points of their own from Derek Crilly and Sean Fee but crucially they couldn't get the gap under two points. With the scoreboard reading 1-9 to 0-9 entering the closing stages the Gaels needed a goal to rescue the game but it never looked likely and late scores from Anthony Lynch, Shevlin and Dermot Campbell to seal the win.
DREADNOTS: Ciaran Cunningham; Brian Gargan, Padraig Rath, Barry Faulkner; Anthony Williams, Cian McEvoy, Derek Shevlin; James Califf 0-2, Fergal McGuigan; Pat Lynch, Pepe Smith 1-2, Peter Kirwan 0-3; Dermot Campbell 0-1, Richard Kirwan, Liam Shevlin 0-3. Subs: Luke Judge for D Shevlin, Anthony Lynch 0-1 for P Lynch, Conor Campbell for P Smith.
DUNDALK GAELS: Stephen McLaughin; Darragh O'Callaghan, Errol Boyle, Eamonn Kenny; Gary Shevlin, Gerard Fee, Niall Hearty; David Maloney, James Stewart; David McComish 0-1, Sean McCann 0-1, Kevin McArdle 0-2; Gerard McSorley, Derek Crilly 0-1, Sean Fee 0-4. Subs: Christopher Sweeney for G McSorley, Anthony McSorley for K McArdle, Conor Morgan for N Hearty.
