An emphatic first-half display of superb teamwork and score-taking provided the platform to allow our Junior B Footballers claim the Adult Football League 9 in the community centre last Sunday, October 21st.
View Niall Connaughton’s pictures of the action here:http://www.flickr.com/photos/roundtowers/sets/72157631838705303/
Towers ran out comprehensive winners over St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh 2-14 v 0-9 to claim the league title and the emphatic style of the victory left the large numbers watching on the sidelines in the Community Centre applauding. The day offered ideal conditions for football and Towers made the most of them with an excellent first half display. There were six minutes on the clock when midfielder Shane Byrne, who was a driving force behind the success, pointed from long range. The visitors responded with a point and they could have moved three ahead but for an excellent penalty save low to the ground by Towers keeper Darren Core.
That was really as good as it got for St Oliver Plunketts Eoghan Ruadh in the first half. Towers forwards constantly caused problems for the visitors defence and their willingness to shoot and score from distance allowed them rally to a comfortable and ultimately unassailable half-time lead. Ciaran Dunne led the charge when he kicked a terrific point from distance at the right touchline after half forward Keith Weldon had found the full-forward with an opening of space. Weldon’s running caused considerable problems for the Navan Road men and he was unlucky not to goal two minutes later when through on goal. Plunkett’s could ill afford to foul as Ray Davis was kicking frees from distance with great accuracy and he registered the first of his scores from place balls from 35 metres out. Martin Corrigan and Dunne were causing havoc for the visitors in the inside forward line and they combined when Corrigan rounded the keeper and fed Dunne but his shot was blocked on the line. The resulting 45 dropped short but Dunne retrieved and fed Corrigan to point from 30 metres. Another long-range effort from Davis extended the lead to 0-5 v 0-1. Left-half back Chris Reid’s carrying of the ball from defence to attack left Plunkett’s defenders backtracking and on 17 minutes he drew defenders and fed Corrigan who pointed again from 30 metres. The Towers attack was rampant and Davis side-footed another Towers point as Corrigan turned provider. Two minutes later provider turned poacher. Weldon’s ball to the inside forward line found Davis, whose pass across the box was caught and finished smartly to the net by Corrigan. More problems for the visitors arose when Mick Kelly, playing at centre-half-back, carried the ball 40 metres before feeding Shane Byrne and his pass to Dunne on the outside was finished with a point. Towers were putting on a superb show of footballing skill, teamwork and support and it was crowned with a superb Byrne goal four minutes before half time. The move started with full-back Aidan Egan and Byrne was on hand to carry the ball from defence into attack. Corrigan found himself with back to goal on the 45 and turned to play a precise backs back into Byrne in the full forward line, who had continued his run, and he made no mistake with his finish to the net. Plunkett’s kicked another before the half was out but the game was now all but over, as the home supporters applauded a superb first half display from the Junior Bs.
Plunkett’s bravely fought back in the second half but were never going to catch the home side, with kicks from Weldon and Davis allowing the Towers out this crucial AFL9 clash with a comfortable victory that allowed them claim the league title.
Round Tower: Darren Core, Simon Breslin, Aidan Egan, Callum Lapsey, Micheál O’Brien, Mick Kelly, Chris Reid, Shane Byrne, Damien Murray, Anthony Davis, Keith Weldon. Barry Quinlan, Ray Davis, Ciaran Dunne, Martin Corrigan. Subs: Jason Mockler, Niall Reilly, Brian Graham, Fergal Power, Neil Gill, Noel Quinlan, Barry Maguire.
