Dublin Senior Football B Championship: Round Tower 1-18 v Templeogue Synge Street 1-8, Monastery Road, Saturday 6th June. Pics uploaded to our Facebook page here.
Round Tower Senior Footballers defied league status with a comprehensive win over Division 1 side Templeogue Synge Street in the Senior B Football Championship at Monastery Road on Saturday evening, writes Mick McGlynn. Jay Joyce was notable amongst a number of outstanding performances, notching a tally of 1-7.
Towers intent was signalled within three minutes with Joyce initially and then Stephen McGibney kicking two outstanding points from the 40. But the lead was wiped out on four minutes when Dublin midfielder Denis Bastick dispatched a penalty into keeper Gary Cleary’s right corner. Within five minutes the home side were level again. Micheál Walsh, who tormented the visitors throughout first half-half, gathered low and turned inside his marker before being tugged back; Joyce pointed the free. Ian Ward intercepted in half-backs and Joyce carried from half forwards. He fed into inside forwards to Walsh who turned sharp to point. Templeogue edged clear before Joyce tapped a 21 free over and a delivery from Tom Lyons was contested by Joyce and led to ball bouncing direct over the bar. Liam Connolly won possession well in the middle and Ward and Eric Finn in the half forwards combined to release McGibney and he kicked another excellent score on the run. From the right sideline Mick Hallows kicked an outstanding score when on the run to edge us three clear. The deficit was narrowed to two but Towers gathered momentum before the break. Lyons released Finn who attacked at pace. He was pulled back and Joyce converted free. Walsh almost registered a superb goal. He beat two men with blistering pace and from tight angle struck for goal. A tip by the keeper edged his strike wide but Lyons kicked the subsequent 45. Finn kicked an excellent point from distance before Joyce kicked another from play, after excellent work from Lyons and Connolly to dispose in the middle set-up the score. The advantage at the break was 0-12 v 1-4 but the visitors had the backing of a significant wind for second period.
Templeogue needed to capitalise but kicked two early wides and the hosts were more efficient when excellent patient build-up play on the 40 involving Derek Murray, Finn, Ward and McGibney led to a free on the latter that Joyce pointed. Towers lost four kick-outs in succession and this led to two Templeogue points. But they recovered, with Joyce kicking another from play. Walsh did superb in a tight corner to break free and release the supporting Finn. He teed up the onrushing Murray to kick an excellent point from the 40. Ward then followed with another great score from distance, striking it with the outside of the right. Two followed for Templeogue but Towers had a real grit about them. Murray released Finn on the 40 and he broke a pace before slipping inside to Joyce. He shipped a heavy challenge and dusted himself off to point the subsequent free. Leading 0-16 v 1-8 with 12 minutes remaining, a goal could have given hope to the Division One outfit. But it was Joyce who effectively finished the game. From half-backs Lyons kicked into the onrushing Hallows in right corner. He beat his marker on the outside and Joyce fielded his high ball across edge of square. Off balance he struck low to left corner to give keeper no chance. McGibney kicked a superb long-range point from a virtual standing position before substitute Brian Costello rounded off an emphatic display with another point from range.
Round Tower: Gary Cleary, Seán O’Donnagain, Mark Gahan, Niall Byrne, Tom Lyons, Ian Ward, Barry Keane, Liam Connolly, Eoghan Moore, Mick Hallows, Eric Finn, Jason Joyce, Micheál Walsh, Stephen McGibney, Derek Murray. Used subs: Eoghan Young, Brian Costello, Jason Murphy, Barry Gallagher
