Ardee St Mary’s defeat Mitchels in Sheelan Cup
Ardee St. Mary’s GAA continued their strong start to the season with an impressive victory over John Mitchels GAA in Round 3 of the Paddy Sheelan Cup.
The Mid-Louth side proved too strong on the night, running out comfortable winners by 1-15 to 1-5 at Ballybailie, securing another valuable result in the early stages of the competition.
Strong first half sets the tone
The match marked the first home game of the 2026 season in Ballybailie for John Mitchels, but it was Ardee St Mary’s who quickly settled into their rhythm.
Mitchels opened their account through Ruairí McCann and John Gallagher, but St Mary’s responded with a series of well-taken points and an important goal that gave them a strong advantage.
By half-time the visitors had established a commanding lead, with the scoreboard reading Ardee St Mary’s 1-7, John Mitchels 0-2.
St Mary’s ability to convert their chances proved decisive, while their defensive organisation limited scoring opportunities for the home side.
Mitchels respond but Ardee St Mary’s stay in control
The second half followed a similar pattern as Ardee St Mary’s continued to control the tempo of the game.
Mitchels showed determination and managed to narrow the gap with points from John Gallagher and Arthur Sands, while substitute Stephen Bingham made an impact with a goal and a point to give the home supporters something to cheer.
However, St Mary’s maintained their composure and finished the game strongly, adding several well-taken scores to seal a convincing ten-point victory.
John Mitchels team and scorers
Despite the defeat, John Mitchels showed plenty of effort throughout the contest.
Team:
David Anderson, Barry Kirk, Stephen Campbell, Adam Finegan, Mikey Nulty, John Bingham, Aaron Kane, Ruairí McCann (0-1), Stefan Halpenny, Arthur Sands (0-1), John Gallagher (0-2), Niall McNeice, Eoghan McEneaney, Tristan Knowles, Sean McNeice.
Subs:
James Sands for Niall McNeice, Stephen Bingham (1-1) for Sean McNeice, Anthony Coyle for Mikey Nulty, Matthew Commins for Barry Kirk, Finn McCartney for Eoghan McEneaney.
Positive momentum for Ardee St Mary’s
For Ardee St Mary’s, the victory continues a promising run of form in the Paddy Sheelan Cup and highlights the strength and depth within their squad as the season gathers pace.
The club will be hoping to build on this performance in the coming rounds as they look to challenge strongly in the competition and maintain momentum ahead of the championship season.
For supporters in Ardee and across County Louth, the result is another encouraging sign for the club as they continue their campaign in one of the county’s key early-season competitions.
