Round Tower 1-5 Na Fianna 3-8
Winter Hurling can be an unpredictable affair and this was proven true on Sunday morning in the Community Centre. On a pitch more suited to a Junior Rugby game than Hurling, Na Fianna ran into a three point to no score lead with the visitors number 12 scoring two from the left wing and making another.
Towers had a gilt edged chance to level matters with an open goal at their mercy but Stephen Bracken knocked the sliothar over the bar. Both sides traded points until Adam Doyle scored a lovely goal after thirteen minutes. Towers keeper, Adam Carberry made a fine save from a 21 yard Na Fianna free before the visitors had a goal disallowed for an infringement. This was followed by another disallowed Na Fianna free for an infringement too. Na Fianna then converted an easy free from in front of the posts. On the stroke of half time, Towers lost a player to a red card for retaliation yet still went in at the break 1-4 to 0-5 points ahead.
Towers started the second half with a fine run yet by Adam Doyle yet the shot was pulled wide, Na Fianna went straight down the far end and a handling error by the Towers keeper was converted to the back of the net by the Na Fianna full forward and this was followed by two frees for the visitors.
Jordan O’Neill had the chance to level matters but his low penalty was turned around the post and this was followed by a miss from play by the home side and a point from Jordan O’Neill. Two successive Towers frees were fouled and you felt it wasn’t going to be the home side’s day.
Cianan Ryan was pulled down on the edge of the square and while Jordan O’Neill converted the free it was disallowed by the referee for an infringement and to make matters worse, the visitors went down the pitch and scored their second goal. Darren Gilligan shot wide from a free yet Na Fianna continued to take their chances. Towers then fouled their third free of the game and lost a second player to a red card for questioning the referee’s decision. With the game over and deep in injury time, Na Fianna scored their third goal.
Disappointment for Towers and this is one that definitely got away
