Sport

St Declan's weather early storm

Leinster Colleges SF A Championship/St Declan's Cabra 0-12 Dundalk Schools 0-9: Some terrific defending from the home side kept…

Sat Jan 26 2008 - 00:00

Leinster Colleges SF A Championship/St Declan's Cabra 0-12 Dundalk Schools 0-9:Some terrific defending from the home side kept Dundalk Schools to just one score after the break in yesterday's Leinster Colleges SFA round two affair at Tom Russell Park.

It did not look good for Declan's early on with Dundalk midfielder Jim McEneaney kicking over four unanswered points to open up a 0-5 to 0-0 lead with under 10 minutes gone.

But Declan's, having opened up their account through Aodhan McEnerney midway through the half, came back well. Frees from Eoghan McMahon and Paul Houlihan came each side of a Micheal Rogers score from Dundalk with an injury-time score from Declan's corner forward, Daire Plunkett then leaving it 0-8 to 0-4 at the interval.

Declan's, playing with a strong breeze in the second half, went on a four-point run, including back-to-back points from left-half forward Paul Dingle to leave it all square on 41 minutes.

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Dundalk really put it up to their opponents after that with a fisted effort from Tiernan Hand cleared off the line.

Shortly after that, Declan's full back Finn Dunleavy charged down an effort from John McGuinness and having weathered the storm, they pulled away with three points from Paul Houlihan and another from Cian Harrison to seal the game.

ST DECLAN'S: R Callaghan, S Bonfil, F Dunleavy, G Dodril, E O'Sullivan, S Clifford, J Caffrey, C Walsh, C Harrison (0-1), E McMahon (0-2, 2 frees), C Breathnach, P Dingle (0-2), D Plunkett (0-2), A McInerney (0-1), P Houlihan (0-4, 1 free, 1 sideline ball). Sub: C Corcoran for McInerney (55 mins).

DUNDALK: K Keelan, T Hand, B Connolly (0-1), B O'Brien, S Devin, C Bellew, J Craven, D Maloney, J McEneaney (0-5, 3 frees), M Rogers (0-1), E O'Neill, B O'Hare (0-1), S Hand, J McGuinness (0-1), B Hamilton. Subs: S Laverty for Devin (26 mins), D Connolly for O'Brien (50 mins), S Cairns for O'Hare (55 mins).

Referee: A Lagrue (Naas).Saturday, February 2nd

St Patrick's, Navan v Good Counsel College (Athy 2pm).

Athlone CC v St Peter's, Wexford (Stradbally 2pm).

Colaiste Eoin v Franciscan College, Gormanston, (Silverpark (2pm)

On/before February 2nd

St Joseph's, Rochfortbridge/St Mary's, Edenderry v St Declan's, Cabra, TBA (2.00pm).