NEWTOWN BLUES 0-14

DREADNOTS 0-7

County champions, Newtown Blues, are back in the senior final after producing a professional display to see off the challenge of Dreadnots at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday evening.

A quick start saw the Blues establish a eight-point advantage in the opening half and from that stage the result was never in any real doubt.

The Newfoundwell side are now just one game away from completing the league and championship double as they continued their impressive run of form in proving too strong for a Dreadnots side whose wait for a senior title will continue for at least another year.

The Clogherhead men went into the game as underdogs and were hoping for a bright start but it was the Blues who got off to a flying start when Ciaran Downey’s opening point was followed by efforts from Colm Judge and Ross Nally (2).

Paraic Smith finally got the Dreadnots off the mark but if the Clogher supporters were hoping that would signal a revival, they were to be sorely disappointed. Instead it was the Blues who strengthened their grip on the match and added points through Downey (2), Andy McDonnell and Conor Branigan to lead by 0-9 to 0-1 after 25 minutes.

James Califf sent over a second point for the Dreadnots but Downey finished the half with a brace to send his team in with a 0-11 to 0-2 advantage.

The Drogheda men didn’t really have to extend themselves after the break as they defended solidly to ensure the Dreadnots were denied the goals they required if they were to have any hope of a comeback.

The black-and-reds did improve in the second half and matched their opponents in the third quarter as the first six points were shared. Although the Dreadnots kicked the final two points through Richard Kirwan and Anthony Williams the match was already beyond them and the Blues had safely booked a meeting with Nh Mairtin in the decider.

NEWTOWN BLUES: Dean Martin; Fergal Donohoe 0-1, Cormac Reynolds, Paul Moore; Kevin Carr, Emmet Carolan, John Connolly; Andy McDonnell 0-3, John Kermode; Conor Branigan 0-1, Colm Judge 0-2, Stephen Moonan; Ciaran Downey 0-4, Ross Nally 0-2, Conor Moore. Subs: Alan Connor for S Moonan, Hugh McGinn for C Downey, Jamie Kelly for R Nally, Robert Carr 0-1 for C Moore.

DREADNOTS: Chris Mulroy; Aaron Scullion, Dermot Campbell, Derek Shevlin; Anthony Williams 0-1, Padraig Rath, David O’Brien; Cian McEvoy, James Califf 0-2; Pat Lynch 0-1, Paraic Smith 0-2, Cathal Lynch; Peter Kirwan, Liam Shevlin, Carl Monaghan. Sub: Richard Kirwan 0-1, Daragh Shevlin, Barry Faulkner, Nathan Sutherland.

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