A comprehensive second-half display by the home side St Brigid’s saw Round Tower Intermediate Footballers eliminated from the Junior A Football Championship, writes Mick McGlynn. Although trailing by just a point at the break, the odds were stacked against the visitors for the second period because of a very strong breeze that would favour the hosts on their all-weather surface.
Frustratingly, Towers failed to get a measure of the wind in the first half, kicking a number of balls for the inside forwards beyond them. Yet they trailed by the minimum score at the interval. We enjoyed the brighter start in the game. Straight from throw-in Mark Taylor released the advancing Dan Gregg on the right wing and when he was hauled to the ground Davey McCarthy pointed the free. Brigid’s responded with two points to edge ahead. An Eoghan Young interception in the half-backs brought Adam Clarke into play in the full-forward line and Mark Taylor received his handpass to level matters. On 18 minutes the home side were 0-5 v 0-3 clear when McCarthy struck a goal. Gregg shipped a heavy tackle and Shane Boland was released in the half-forwards. He flicked to Taylor and with defenders advancing he slipped McCarthy clear to calmly sidefoot across advancing keeper. Brigids kicked the next two points before Fergus Callaly and Taylor created the opportunity for Clarke to kick successfully from long-range. A deflected strike crossed Towers keeper Eoghan Heffernan’s crossbar to leave the difference at the break a one point advantage for visitors.
Towers went on the ascendancy straight from the restart but Gregg’s effort tailed wide. The strength of the wind supporting Brigid’s was evident four minutes into the second period when a strike 40 metres out from right sideline was successful. Towers again responded. Young carried from midfield into half-forwards and with three chasing him he was pushed to ground. McCarthy pointed the free. Brigids had a goal disallowed for a tug on Heffernan when he had possession and it was a busy second half for the Towers keeper. He smothered two strikes from close range and palmed another excellent strike on goal away. His busyness was reflective of the home side being in the ascendancy. They’d edged three clear – 11 v 1-5 – when Byrne won a high ball in full forward line and the foul on him led to McCarthy tap over. With them struggling to create scoring opportunities, Towers required a goal but struggled to make create and it was Heffernan who was the keeper kept busy. Brigids tagged on another five points in final quarter to win 16 v 1-6.
Round Tower: Eoghan Heffernan, Barry Finn, Dave Chapman, David Clarke, Pádraic McGeever, Eoghan Young, Daniel Gregg, Fergus Callaly, Shane Byrne, Paddy Stynes, Mark Taylor, Shane Boland, Davey McCarthy, Adam Clarke, Brian Gregg. Used sub: Dean O’Rourke.
