Round Tower 4-14 v St Jude’s 2-11
In tough conditions at the Community Centre Round Tower Intermediate hurlers got their AHL4 campaign of to an impressive winning start, writes Mick McGlynn. View match pictures here.
Corner forwards Brian McLaughlin and Aaron Wynne were to the fore in causing problems for the visitors, with the latter netting twice and the incoming Minor also raising a green flag.
Heavy rain and a strong wind indicated scores may be at a premium so the Towers return of 4-14 was particularly impressive. In the opening quarter McLaughlin had pointed twice from play from the right corner and Wynne delivered an excellent score when he picked by the left sideline and cut inside before shortening the grip to point. The first significant breakthrough arrived on 20 minutes and it was the home side that netted. Again our corner forwards were to the fore with McLaughlin cutting inside before kicking for goal. The Jude’s keeper saved but from the rebound Wynne pulled it to the net with back to goal. Fergal McDonagh and an Alex Darbey long-range free extended Towers advantage but neat interchange amongst Jude’s forwards led to them striking a goal. Darbey again pointed, this time from a sideline cut into a strong cross wind. And the two point advantage became five two minutes before half-time when McLaughlin’s outstretched hurl brought a long ball under control and he allowed it bounce before striking on the ground and finishing beyond the visitors keeper. Towers lead was slender at the break, 2-7 v 1-5.
McLaughlin started the scoring again in second half when he ran onto Jack Whelan’s pass up the sideline and turned to point from an angle. Jude’s responded with a point before their number 15 netted after the Tower’s full back line failed to deal with a breaking ball. Towers almost netted again when McLaughlin and Wynne both latched onto a Darbey high ball to the edge of the and from the resulting play McDonagh pointed on the turn. Another long ball inside caused problems for the Jude’s full back line and Jack Whelan pointed from a McLaughlin assist. McDonagh was next to gain possession in the inside forwards and it led to Darbey pointing impressively from the left wing. McDonagh finished an impressive Towers move that started with a short puck out from keeper Stephen Chapman and involved half-back Eoin Walsh and Whelan. When Towers won a free on the 30 the visitors anticipated a tap over score but Gary Quinlivan tapped to the free McLaughlin and he drove the ball to the net. With six minutes remaining it effectively ensured an opening league victory and substitutes Barry Finn and Luke Currivan then combined to add another point. The scoreline was further embellished with the games last score when a Darbey strike across goal was deflected by the keeper amd substitute Micheál Walsh followed in to finish to the net.
The impressive win offers expectation for our Intermediate hurlers for the forthcoming campaign. Experienced performers such as Eoin Moran at centre-half back, Darbey, McDonagh and McLaughlin, who all impressed, are now being complemented by an influx of talented minors, with Wynne, Quinlivan, Walsh and Shane Boland impressing in today’s win. Eoghan Young, Eric Finn and Barry Kehoe are also to return to the panel.
Round Tower: Stephen Chapman, Shane Cross, Craig Curtis, Peter Nyhan, Pádraic ‘Podge’ McKeever, Eoin Moran, Eoin Walsh, Alex Darbey, Jack Whelan, Kevin O’Neill, Mark Gahan, Gary Quinlivan, Aaron Wynne, Fergal McDonagh, Brian McLaughlin. Used subs: Shane Byrne, Micheál Walsh, Barry Finn, Luke Currivan, Shane Boland.
