AHL 3 Sunday 12th March; Round Tower 2-10 v Naomh Mearnóg 0-13
A winning start for our Senior Hurlers in their AHL3 campaign, writes Mick McGlynn. As per the senior footballers last week, Naomh Mearnóg provided the opening day opposition and once again it proved a tight affair with Towers ability to find the net yet again proving the difference between both sides.
There were early wides from both sides before Alex Darbey struck the opener on the five minute mark from a free. When Adam Doyle in the half forwards won possession from a puck-out he was pushed to the ground and Darbey was again accurate from the ensuing free and the lead was doubled. Mearnóg responded with their first point before the best score of the half arrived on 13 minutes. Shane Cross made an excellent interception in corner back and struck a pass under pressure to Gary Quinlivan in the half backs. He picked out Darbey in space on the right and from long range he pointed. The visitors responded instantly and it was followed with an Eoin Walsh point from the middle. Brian McLaughlin flicked to Luke Currivan and he drew the foul but Darbey was narrowly wide from range. But he fired over two minutes later to leave the gap at three points, 0-5 v 0-2. But Mearnóg enjoyed their best period of the game and it drew them level before another two Darbey strikes left the margin at half time two points, 0-7 v 0-5.
Towers enjoyed an positive start to the second period when Eoin Ryan in full forward fed the supporting Currivan and he pointed off his left side. Mearnóg edged back into the game and the deficit was a point before Currivan this time turned provider for Ryan and he was pushed to the ground and Darbey converted. The first net for the home side arrived 12 minutes into the second period. Pádraic McKeever in the half backs batted down to Darbey and he struck crossfield to Eoin Walsh. He cut inside his marker from the right and from a narrow angle struck past the keeper. Mearnóg narrowed the gap to two points before Ryan hit the net again for the home side with ten minutes remaining. Darbey did brilliant to carry under pressure and handpassed inside to Ryan who controlled well and carried before beating the advancing keeper. Despite a late rally, the deficit was too much for Mearnóg to narrow. Another Darbey free in injury time was the final act of a 2-10 v 0-13 opening day win.
The second fixture for our Senior Hurlers is St Sylvesters away on Sunday 26th March.
Round Tower: Fergal Power, Shane Cross, Kevin Scott, Dan Kelly, Shane Byrne, Gary Quinlivan, Pádraic McKeever, Alex Darbey, Darren Gilligan, Luke Currivan, Eoin Walsh, Adam Doyle, Brian McLaughlin, Eoin Ryan, Eoin McManus. Used subs: Paidi Stapleton, Barry Whelan.
