Minor B Football Championship: Lucan Sarsfields 3-11 v Round Tower 2-7
It cut a frustrating morning for Round Tower Minor Footballers last Sunday morning. They trailed throughout and frustratingly conceded frequently when in good possession, with foot passing in particular letting them down.
Midway thru the second half they trailed 0-5 v 0-2, with Thomas Galvin and midfielder Conor Fleming providing the early scores. A Galvin free reduced the deficit to two. The visitors needed to contain but it was the home side who netted when a high ball in on goal was not adequately dealt with and was scooped with his foot to the net by Lucan forward. Towers needed to rally and they did. Fleming from midfield played a long ball into the inside forwards. Stephen Bracken won well and he played an excellent one-two with Adam Doyle and palmed to the net. There were just two points in it with half-time impending but Towers suffered a significant blow. When the Lucan midfielder broke beyond the 40 he advanced on goal and Towers keeper Eoghan Heffernan did well to save with his feet but the rebound was followed to the roof of the net.
Lucan accelerated in the five minutes of the second half. An outstanding point from the sideline was followed by a terrific catch by their corner forward who turned inside and finished to the roof of the net. Good pressure by Towers forwards led to handling on the ground that was penalised and Galvin pointed. Kevin McGibney carried into the inside forwards and when pulled back Galvin again pointed from the placed ball. Fleming then carried into inside forwards and when fouled it was Galvin who kicked the free from long range. Towers persisted. McGibney combined with Aaron Whelan and Darren Gilligan up the left and Adam Clarke’s pass to the supporting McGibney was kicked over with his right. But Lucan had a cushion and kicked three points in the final quarter to ensure there was no last gasp drama. With time almost up Whelan won a free that was quickly worked inside to McGibney. His ball beyond the Lucan full back line was gathered by Galvin and he turned sharp to finish drive beyond the keeper at his near post. But it was mere consolation.
Round Tower: Eoghan Heffernan, Kevin Ryan, Jordan Walsh, Padraig Fitzpatrick, Aaron Whelan, Aaron Soady, Darren Gilligan, Conor Fleming, Craig Shabaan, Aidan Kelly, Kevin McGibney, Thomas Galvin, Adam Doyle, Dean Graham, Stephen Bracken. Used subs: Adam Clarke, Conor O’Shea, Declan Martin, Karl Byrne
