Our Under 14 hurlers warmed up for their Féile na nGael tournament this weekend with an impressive and hard earned victory over Erins Isle in this Division 3 league clash.
Played in Moyle Park last Friday evening, the home side got off to a slow start and were trailing by 1-2 before Matthew McLoughlin, a star performer, pointed from the halfway line for Towers opening score. McLoughlin’s accuracy was to prove pivotal in this victory.
Another McLoughlin free from a tight angle and a strike from him from midfield brought Towers within a point of Erins Isle. Towers half-forward Eoghan Murphy picked up possession out at the sideline and ran at the visitors defence before striking low to finish to the net. Isle’s equalised and then Towers midfielder Daniel Kenny gathered a high ball under pressure and turned to put the home side a point ahead, 1-4 v 0-3. By now Towers backs were on top and another high ball from Murphy was gathered by Graham Proctor whose low shot gave the home side their second goal of the game. The visitors pulled a point back before the break, which meant Towers led by a goal 2-4 v 1-4.
And it was the visitors who started the second half brightly when their corner forward pulled on the ball from 10 metres to send it beyond Towers keeper Ian Carbery and put the sides level. Matthew McLoughlin’s deadball skills allowed Towers move into the lead once again, as he pointed to separate the teams by a point. Carbery then pulled off a good save and Connor Farrell then pointed after he won a free on the half forward line and pointed himself. The Isle’s keeper’s puckout broke to McLoughlin and he pointed to move the home side two points ahead, 2-7 v 2-5.
Isles’s were determined and resilient and a free brought them within a score of Towers. It was McLoughlin who stepped up to the mark with a pointed free and after the Isle’s keeper was penalised for picking the ball off the ground, his penalty gave Towers a four point lead with minutes remaining. And full forward Eoin Brady gave the score an extra gloss when his low pull from 15 metres went beyond the visiting keeper to give Towers a 4-8 v 2-6 victory.
Round Tower: Ian Carbery, Eamon Walsh, 3 Luke Peden©, Patrick Daly, Tony McDonagh, Cormac Peden, Liam O’Connor, Daniel Kelly,Matthew McLoughlin, Connor Farrell, Eoghan Halpin, Eoghan Murphy, Graham Proctor, Eoin Brady,Jarlath Brennan. Subs: Cian Proctor, Connor Flannery, Aaron Douglas, Oisin Douglas, Paul Lyons, Niall Acton. Injured: Darren Gilligan, Shane Scappaticci, Eoghan Fitzgerald, Sean Tunney, Alex O’Neill
