Dublin Minor Hurling League Division 2
Round Tower 0-3
St Jude’s 1-12
There was no surprise in this Minor Division Two hurling clash as St Jude’s took all three points against a resilient Tower side.
The home side only managed to register three points against the Templeogue side that is topping the Division Two table with eight wins from eight and Towers had failed to win any of its seven league outings coming into this clash.
Towers were missing influential midfielder Gary Quinlivan, who will be on duty for the Dublin minors this coming Sunday, July 8th, in the Leinster Minor Final v Wexford.
Despite the disparity in the scoreline at the end, Towers were well in contention for most of the game but struggled to create a goal chance that might have seen them pull off a surprise victory. It was midfielder Stephen Chapman who opened the scoring for Towers and this levelled the match against the visitors. Judes went 0-3 v 0-1 ahead but an excellent solo effort by Graham Bolger, who picked the sliotar from 40 metres and drove at the visitors defence before flicking over under pressure to point from 21 metres, left just one point between the sides. But this was as close as the home side came towards causing an upset. Micheál Walsh flashed a shot across goal when it was 0-4 v 0-2 but Judes went in at half-time 0-6 v 0-2 ahead.
St Judes forwards shot wides early in the second half and the Towers full back line in particular, of Max McDonald, Wayne Brennan and Cillian Nolan were proving resilient and resisted pressure from the visitors. Brennan had to be alert when the sliotar came back off Dave McCarthy’s crossbar and two Jude’s forwards were waiting to pounce but he managed to clear under pressure. Aidan Smith was unlucky with a goal chance for Towers when his low drive from 21 yards was deflected into the keepers arms but Towers struggled to create the point and goal scoring chances that would allow edge within a score or two of St Jude’s.
The first ten minutes of the second half saw no score but Jude’s tagged on two points before Cian Ryan fed Shane Boland in the corner and the midfielder, who was now operating in the forwards, showed great strength to evade his marker and point from a tight angle. With five in it a goal could have provoked an upset but Towers were unable to muster the scoring chances while Jude’s could tick on another four points and a goal, courtesy of a half-back, to run out 1-12 v 0-3 victors.
Round Tower: Dave McCarthy, Max McDonald, Wayne Brennan, Cillian Nolan, Eric Murphy, Kevin O’Neill, Adam Clarke, Shane Boland, Stephen Chapman, Micheál Walsh, Aidan Smith, Cian Ryan, Ciaran Brennan, Graham Bolger, Stephen O’Brien: Use Subs: Rory Keogh, Conor Fleming
