A promising early start unfortunately failed to fulfil its potential as our Senior Footballers could not cause an upset by beating St Oliver Plunkett’s Eoghan Ruadh to advance in the Dublin Senior B Football Championship, writes Mick McGlynn.
The travelling Towers supporters had plenty reason for optimism after the opening 20 minutes as both sides were level at 1-4 apiece. Towers were operating very successfully around the middle third in stifling Plunkett’s from gaining possession and capitalised on the scoring opportunities that presented. Within a minute we were a point ahead as Tom Lyons kicked a long-range free. The second point arrived when Stephen McGibney won possession tight to the sideline and from his incisive pass into the forwards Jason Phillips quickly turned to point an excellent score. Plunkett’s had registered a point but Towers moved four points clear courtesy of an outstanding Derek Murray goal. Murray carried from the half-forwards and following a quick interchange of passing between Barry Gallagher, Phillips and McGibney, the Towers midfielder went thru on goal and despatched with his left foot to the corner. Murray and his midfield counterpart Eoghan Moore were winning ball in midfield and the home side kicked two wides under pressure before the pacey Eric Finn broke beyond the 40 and was pulled back. Lyons despatched the free.
A Plunkett’s free moved forward 10 metres to the 21 left four between the sides after 15 minutes -1-3 v 0-2 – and it was a scoreline that was reflecting an excellent performance from the visitors. But Plunkett’s displayed their ruthlessness with the next move when they won possession from a Towers kick-out and moved with speed before former Dublin footballer Garret Smith turned to finish to the net. Towers will be disappointed the goal manifested from possession conceded from their kick-out. Two minutes later the sides were level when Smith kicked an excellent score under pressure from the right but Towers edged ahead when Murray kicked a long range point after a good lay off by Phillips on the half-forward line.
A soft free enabled Smith to level with ten minutes of the half remaining and Plunkett’s then took firm control of this championship encounter. A superb 30 metre crossfield ball by Alan Brogan found Smith in space and he again converted. A Towers free given away on their own 40 was punished when it was worked inside and Leigh Herron finished beyond keeper Gary Cleary with a strike that went in off the post. Another quick point followed for the home side and two minutes before half-time Herron finished his second to the net when Brogan attacked with pace and his pass across goal was palmed to the net by the full forward.
The 3-6 v 1-5 scoreline did not reflect the opening 30 minutes. Towers almost made a significant indent early in second half when James Kelly’s excellent ball beyond the Plunkett’s defence was gathered by Finn who cut inside from the left but found his low strike saved by the keepers feet. From the resulting 45 Eoin Moran won in the air and fed McGibney to point sharply.
A goal would have brought the prospect of an upset back into visiting supporters thoughts but Plunkett’s kicked three unanswered points and Alan Brogan started proving increasingly effective around the half-forward line. Smith pointed twice and Brogan turned sharp to point with his right. But Towers lads were resolute and responded. Kelly, whose attacking from half-back caused problems for Plunkett’s, won a free when he broke forward that Lyons pointed. Substitute Jason Joyce won a Plunkett’s kick-out that led Cathal Carty to kick an excellence score from distance. Finn again attacked from the byline and the resulting free was kicked by Lyons again.
But Plunkett’s were moving the ball quickly to their inside forwards who were a constant threat. Cleary saved a low drive from Herron and Eoghan Young cleared the deflected shot off the line. But another Towers mistake from their own kick-out was punished by Smith when he finished low to the corner to leave it 4-10 v 1-8. Plunketts kicked another three points and netted again from a Towers error, when possession was conceded in the half-backs and the quick moving attack of the home side raised the green flag. Phillips responded with a long-range point before full-back Mark Gahan was shown what looked a harsh red card. Micheál Walsh was introduced and again showed his excellent promise. He won a high cross-field ball and a high tackle resulted in a converted free by Ciaran Corrigan. Another three points, including a long-range kick by former Dublin footballer Ross McConnell, gave the scoreline further gloss and Lyons kicked the last score of the game with a free.
Having been in the ascendancy for much of the first-half and competing evenly with the strong pre-match favourites, Towers will rue the errors that afforded the home side goals to bring them into the game. Individual errors cost us in the second-half also distorted the reality of 60 minutes of competitive championship football.
FINAL SCORE: St Oliver Plunkett Eoghan Ruadh 5-16 V Round Tower 1-11
Round Tower: Gary Cleary, James Kelly, Mark Gahan, Eoghan Young, Conor L’Estrange, Liam Connolly, Ian Ward, Eoghan Moore, Derek Murray, Barry Gallagher, Stephen McGibney, Eric Finn, Tom Lyons, Jason Phillips, Cathal Carty. Used subs: Jason Joyce, Ciaran Corrigan, Micheál Walsh, Brian Costello
