Ardagh power past Northern Gaels to top group in Mayo Junior Championship

MAYO JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Ardagh 1-23

Northern Gaels 1-7

THIS neighbourly clash ended in a decisive win for Ardagh as they topped their group and sealed a home quarter-final in their quest to win the teak-tough junior championship.

Very little distance separates these sides geographically, but the scoreboard wasn’t as kind when they locked horns in Ardagh on Saturday evening.

However, the scoreboard is somewhat harsh on the guests who were hugely competitive from start to finish. A goal from Ruairi McDonnell and points from Mark Munnelly, Tommy Clarke and James Forde kept the Gaels in it in the first half, but Ardagh were six clear at half time.

All-Ireland-winner James Carr found the net after just 18 seconds while his lethal attacking colleagues Tony Carey and Lee Traynor also cut loose.

The home side were powering forward and Paddy Walsh also landed a point before the break as Brendan Carr, Adam Naughton, Dean Martyn and Stephen Rochford caught the eye.

Ardagh led 1-10 to 1-4 at the interval and the Gaels needed a good start to the second half. They didn’t get it. Carey and Traynor were on fire and had the gap out to eleven after just five minutes of the new period.

Northern Gaels refused to give up and tried to get back into it. However, try as they might, they couldn’t get past a ferocious Ardagh defensive department where teenage centre-half-back Adam Foody was outstanding. His display was a joy to behold and the Gaels rarely got into the danger-zone.

Munnelly kicked a classy two-pointer after 42 minutes, but they couldn’t match the lethal duo of Carey and Traynor who kicked 18 points between them over the course of a very good evening for Ardagh. The guests created a goal chance near the end when Kieran Loughney found an inch of room but goalkeeper Luke Langan was out like a rocket and diverted his effort wide of the post.

The final point of the evening arrived from the boot of the over-lapping Fionn Barrett and it brought the curtain down on a fine evening for Sean Carey’s side as they look forward to a home quarter-final as the championship race heats up.