O’CONNELLS 0-11

SEAN O’MAHONHYS 0-10

Just two years after lifting the Joe Ward Cup, Sean O’Mahonys find themselves back in Intermediate football after losing the relegation play-off to O’Connells at Haggardstown on Saturday evening.

In a tense encounter at McGeough Park, the O’Connells had the better of proceedings for much of the hour but they had to hold off a late revival from the Dundalk side before securing another year in the Senior Championship.

The O’Connells were on the front foot from the outset and saw Paul McKeever open the scoring before a brace from Niall Conlon had them in a good position.

The O’Mahonys did get off the mark through Stephen Kilcoyne but Conlon weighed in with another brace to put his side 0-5 to 0-1 up after 20 minutes.

Kilcoyne and Stephen Fisher cut the gap to two points but a late score from Ciaran O’Brien had the O’Connells 0-6 to 0-3 ahead at the break.

After an even start to the second period, the Dundalk side cut the gap to 0-8 to 0-6 and missed the chance to take the lead when a Kilcoyne penalty was saved by Stuart Reynolds.

The O’Mahonys lost Keith McLaughlin to a red card as a point from Jackie Agnew put the O’Connells 0-11 to 0-8 in front. In injury-time two Kilcoyne points cut the gap to one but his side, who lost Johnny Connolly to a red card, were unable to save the game.

O’CONNELLS: Stuart Reynolds; Jason Carroll, Conor Byrne, Emmet Byrne; Stuart Osbourne, Jackie Agnew 0-1, Keith Ryan; Ciaran O’Brien 0-2, Sean Cairns; Dean Stanfield, Niall Conlon 0-7(5f), Gary Connolly; Conor Culligan, Salem Rifaie, Paul McKeever 0-1(f). Subs Sean Meehan for P. McKeever, Conor McGill for D. Stanfield.

SEAN O’MAHONYS: Kevin Brennan; Chris O’Neill, Ronan Byrne, Robbie Galligan; Liam Dullaghan, Colin Finan, Kian McEvoy; Shane Kerrigan, Conor Martin; Terry Kelly, Ben McLaughlin 0-3, Keith McLaughlin; Stephen Kilcoyne 0-6, Shane Brennan, Stephen Fisher 0-1. Subs: Kyle Carroll for R Byrne, Johnny Connolly for T Kelly, Niall McLaughlin for C Martin.

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