KILKERLEY EMMETS 2-15

COOLEY KICKHAMS 0-15

Kilkerley Emmets retained their Senior Championship status after coming through the relegation play-off final with six points to spare against Cooley Kickhams.

It was a bitterly disappointing climax to the season for the one-time kingpins of Louth football who saw their long stay in senior football come to an end with this defeat.

In truth they can have no complaints about the outcome as Kilkerley were deserving winners, with first half goals from Shane Lennon and Tadhg McEneaney setting them on their way.

Despite suffering relegation from the Division 1 League, the Emmets had been enjoying a good run of form and their confidence was further boosted when Lennon found the net for the first score of the game. Daniel McKeown, Tadhg McEneaney (2) and Lennon followed up with points before Cooley got off the mark to leave the score 1-4 to 0-1.

Sean Hand increased the lead with a point before Cooley got back into contention with five unanswered points. However, they suffered another setback when McEneaney added a second goal just before the break to send his side in with a 2-6 to 0-9 lead.

Any hope of a Cooley comeback effectively disappeared in the early stages of the second half as three points from Lennon and another from McEneaney saw their side move seven points clear.

The Kickhams did get back to within four points but Kilkerley were always in charge and ran out comfortable winners in the end.

KILKERLEY EMMETS: Darren Meehan; James Bellew, Alan McGeough, Barra McCarthy; Cormac Bellew, Shaun McElroy, Rian Hand; James Fegan, Ciaran Bellew; Conal McEneaney, Sean Hand 0-1, Ciaran Clarke; Daniel McKeown 0-1, Shane Lennon 1-9, Tadhg McEneaney 1-4. Subs: Connor Kirk 0-1 for D McKeown, Pearce Hughes for R Hand BC.

COOLEY KICKHAMS: Neill Gallagher; Paddy Hanlon, Conor McGuinness, Gerry Malone; Eoin McDaid (0-1), Alan Page, Shane Marks; Keith White, Richard Brennan (0-2); Michael Rafferty (0-2), Darren Marks, Aoghan McGuinness; Peter Thornton (0-1), Brian White (0-7, 3f 1 45), Ciarán Sheelan 0-1. Subs: James O Reilly 0-1  for A McGuinness, Dean McGreehan for S Marks, Fearghal Malone for P Thornton.

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