Round Tower Under 16 ladies rounded off their season in supreme style when the claimed the Division 2 League title with a supreme display against Ballyboden St Endas in Moyle Park on Sunday, writes Mick McGlynn.
The first-half display was devastating, as Towers were clinical in goal taking and afforded the visitors little opportunity. The intent was evident from throw-in, with Amy Conroy kicking a wide within 40 seconds. A minute later Towers were a goal ahead. Siobhan Ennis drew the defenders and her handpass set up Sarah Jane Hecker, whose drove across the keeper to the corner of the net. Emer Coleman won a high ball and flashed a strike across goal. After five minutes Conroy found Riona McTavish and her strike on the run was palmed over by the ‘Boden keeper. The visitors keeper was again called into action when McTavish latched onto a high ball by O’Keefe but was denied. Ennis netted a minute later when the keeper failed to hold another strike at goal and a minute later she raised the green flag again. It followed a crossfield pass by McTavish that Coleman did well to retrieve on the byline She turned inside and played across goal for Ennis to finish. Towers were dominant and proving clinical in front of goal. McTavish was next to goal with a close-range finish, after Hecker carried from half-backs. Two points were then registered, the first from Sinead O’Keefe on the turn and Conroy then pointed on the turn. Probably the pick of the goals arrived on the 19 minute mark when O’Keefe carried possession from the half backs and found McTavish with a long bass. She showed great hands to bring it under possession and played an excellent pass inside the channel to Conroy. The Dublin forward weaved beyond three defenders before finishing. Ennis pointed a free to leave it 5-4 v 0-0. Two points in quick succession from Conroy and O’Keefe – a superb score from a right angle – meant the points margin was 21. Boden’s first score was from a free on 21 minutes and when a free was palmed to the net they’d registered 1-1. But the Towers ladies were determined to put on a show and Hecker chipped the visitor’s keeper from 30 metres with a perfect lob, punishing a poor clearance superbly. Conroy was superb and her Dublin counterpart Sinead Collins was excelling in midfield. The two combined when the midfielder angled a pass to our number 12 and she embarked on a pacey run from the left and cut inside before driving low to the corner of the net to register her second goal. Boden pointed before was Hecker’s long ball deceived the keeper and ended to the net. Two minutes were remaining before half-time and this provided sufficient time for another Towers goal. Ennis did well to stop a ball going wide and her ball across the box was finished to the net by McTavish for her second to leave it 9-7 v 1-2.
The second-half was understandably a more muted affair, following the goal glut of the first-half. Heckler kicked the opening score when a Conroy 45 was broken and an Ennis goal from 21 metres brought Towers tally to 10-8. Collins had picked possession up in her half-back lined and worked it up field with McTavish before the powerful strike from distance went above the keeper. Credit to Ballyboden, as they worked the Towers backs in the second-half but our defenders tackling was disciplined and excellent, as they won possession back consistently and denied good shooting opportunities. When McTavish strike at goal was palmed out by the keeper, the centre-half forward was first to the rebound and she set up Hecker to finish to the net. A Boden point preceded two points from Conroy, the second an excellent kick from 20 metres after she paced past the defender. Another excellent move from defence, on this occasion started by Coleman, culminated in Hecker netting her fifth goal. Collins wraped up the Towers scoring in style, playing a one-two with her midfield partner Sinead O’Keefe, before kicking from distance. While the forwards names were on the end of the scores, this was a superb team performance, with the full-back and half-back lines excelling and the full Towers complement playing their part in an emphatic victory.
This was the culmination of an excellent season for our Under 16 ladies footballers. They finished the league with just one league defeat, and now move into the top tier. Congratulations to the players and team.
Round Tower: Roisin Keating, Dawn Keegan, Alex Butler, Aisling Collins, Nicole Johnson, Muireann Ni Dhonnagain, Yazmin O Neill, Sinead Collins, Sinead O Keefe, Sara Jane Hecker, Riona McTavish, Amy Conroy, Fiona Reid, Siobhan Ennis, Emer Coleman. Subs (all used): Chantelle Geraghty, Niamh Joyce, Niamh Watts, Eve McDonagh, Eve Coogan, Kate Morrow, Ciara Byrne, Aisling Seery
