Dundalk Gaels' AIB Leinster Club Intermediate Championship campaign came to an end as they were defeated by Naomh Mearnóg by the narrowest of margins at McGeough Park, Haggardstown on Saturday afternoon. The Gaels led for much of the match but couldn't hold off a second-half comeback from the Dublin visitors who secured victory in the dying moments through a Gavin Nangle point.
The Ramparts men got off to a strong start as captain Dylan McKeown opened the scoring in the fourth minute from a free. David McComish added another well-taken point soon after and the Gaels settled into a confident rhythm.
Kevin McKernan's team kept Mearnóg scoreless for the first 25 minutes as they played with a disciplined defence and sharp focus going forward. McKeown’s accuracy from frees was key as he converted twice more to keep the Gaels in front as Mearnóg struggled to find their footing early on and missed a few scoring opportunities. However, they eventually broke through with a free from Shane Kavanagh in the 25th minute which was followed by a fine point from Fintan O’Connor.
Dundalk Gaels were hanging onto a slim 0-4 to 0-3 lead by halftime thanks partly to a crucial save by Aaron Culligan just before the break to deny Michael Gibbs a goal-scoring chance.
The Second Half
The Gaels came out firing in the second half when McKeown quickly added another point for the Gaels to stretch their lead to 0-5. However, the Portmarnock side responded strongly with Karl Lynch-Bissett and Seán Hawkshaw finding the target to level the game at 0-5 apiece. Substitute Gary Shevlin and Tom O’Connell briefly put Dundalk Gaels back in the lead in a late push but Mearnóg kept fighting. Lynch-Bissett brought the sides level again before Gavin Nangle struck a point in injury time to put Mearnóg ahead for the first and final time to seal a 0-8 to 0-7 win.
It was a hard-fought and heartbreaking end for Dundalk Gaels who had controlled much of the match but couldn’t close it out in the face of Mearnóg’s persistent challenge. The Louth Intermediate Football champions exit the Leinster campaign as Naomh Mearnóg marches on with a one-point victory.
The Final Whistle
Full Time: Dundalk Gaels 0-7 Naomh Mearnóg 0-8
Team Lineups
Dundalk Gaels: Aaron Culligan; Padraic Tinnelly, James O’Connell, Shaun Duffy; David McComish (0-1), James Stewart, Oisin Murray; Seán McCann, Jordan Keating; Seán Murray, Liam O’Connor, Luke Murray; Thomas O’Connell (0-1, 1mark), Tony McDonnell, Dylan McKeown (0-4, 3f) (c).
Subs: Gary Shevlin (0-1) on for Liam O'Connor (33'), Jack Mullen on for David McComish (40’), James Lynch on for Tony McDonnell (59’).
Naomh Mearnóg: Mark O’Connor; Rory O’Loughlin, Gavin Nangle (0-1), Darren Byrne (c); Fintan O’Connor (0-1), Conor Archer, Tommy Cosgrove; Seán Hawkshaw (0-1), Cian Madden; Shane Kavanagh (0-3, 3f), Karl Lynch-Bissett (0-2, 1f), Oisin Taylor; Jamie Walsh, Michael Gibbs, Harry Collier.
Subs: Bobby Smith on for Harry Collier (47’), Bernard Deay on for Shane Kavanagh (53’).
Referee: Enda Kenny (Westmeath).
A Tough Loss
The defeat for Dundalk Gaels was a tough one to take. The Gaels had been hoping to make a deep run in the Leinster Intermediate Championship, but their hopes were dashed by a late point from Naomh Mearnóg. Despite the loss, the Gaels can take pride in their performance. They fought hard throughout the match and were unlucky to lose by such a narrow margin. They can look forward to next season with confidence, knowing that they have the talent and the desire to compete at the highest level.
Looking Forward
Dundalk Gaels will be looking to bounce back from this defeat and focus on their league campaign. They have a lot of talent in their ranks and will be looking to make a strong push for promotion to Division 1. The Gaels have a bright future ahead of them and will be looking to build on their recent success. They are a team with a strong sense of community and a passion for the game, and they are sure to be a force to be reckoned with in the years to come.
