Round Tower Senior Footballers are on a winning run. The resounding 3-14 v 2-6 win away to Fingallians on Monday evening leaves them on the cusp of the play-off places as the league enters its final stretch, writes Mick McGlynn. View images of the action here.
This was a dominant performance by the Seniors. They led by four at half-time 0-9 v 1-2 but the margin should have been more significant. A few lapses in concentration in front of goal left the home side unexpectedly within reach of Towers. However, an early Niall Lanigan goal in the second-half effectively sealed the two points.
The pace and strong running of youthful Towers half-forward line – Micheál Walsh, Lanigan and Eric Finn – proved a particularly effective platform for attacks. The opening point arrived when Walsh broke the ball to Lanigan and bearing down on goal he slipped pass to Stephen McGibney who finished under pressure from a tight angle. Midfielder Eoin Moran and corner forward Ciaran Corrigan were involved in build-up for second point that was palmed over by Finn when he cut inside the byline. Walsh and Corrigan set up the third for Lanigan to kick from the 21 and McGibney intercepted to enable Corrigan kick the fourth. The first attack of note from the home side arrived midway through the first-half but Moran blocked the pointed effort. However they netted two minutes later when keeper Gary Cleary did well to block initial effort but it was followed into the net. Towers responded instantly, with James Kelly moving from defence into attack and inter-play between Finn and McGibney setting up Corrigan for his second point. The recently returned Mick Hallows, operating at full-forward, turned sharply and pointed from the right. Fingallian’s centre-half-forward kicked the home side’s first point after 22 minutes. Mark Gahan was excellent at full-back throughout, breaking up visitors attacks. An interception led to him carrying forward and following a one-two with Hallows he set up Corrigan to point. Walsh’s crossfield pass led to McGibney kicking a score from distance. An excellent pick up on the run by Walsh created opportunity for Corrigan to net from a tight angle but the keeper pulled off an excellent save. With half-time impending Corrigan kicked the last score from a 21 metre free.
Straight from the restart Lanigan cut inside and was thwarted by the keeper but drove the rebound over. Finn attacked at pace and offloaded to Lanigan and Walsh overlapping and kicked his first point. Again Finn ran at a retreating defence and his flick pass to Lanigan was driven low beyond the keeper to the corner of the net to effectively put the game beyond the home side. Corrigan kicked a 21 metre free before Finn netted Towers second with a top corner strike. It came from Derek Murray breaking ball and again Walsh and Lanigan operating around the 40 were influential. 2-13 v 1-2; substitutes entered the fray. McGibney kicked an excellent score off his left. Brian Costello, Kelly and Ian Ward moved ball from defence into Lanigan in the forwards and the overlapping Moran was set released to fist over a point. An excellent low strike gave Fingallian’s a consolation goal. But Langian rounded off the goal scoring with an excellent individual effort when his soccer talents came to the fore in dribbling around an his marker and poking beyond the advancing keeper. Tom Lyons rounded things off with a pointed 45.
It’s now four-from-four for the seniors; St Pat’s of Palmerstown, Kilmacud Crokes and St Peregine’s victories behind them. Three games remain and Towers now lie in fifth. Next scheduled fixture Castleknock on 23RD August.
Round Tower: Gary Cleary, Seán Ó Donnagáin, Mark Gahan, Brian Costello, Tom Lyons, Ian Ward, James Kelly, Eoin Moran, Derek Murray, Niall Lanigan, Micheál Walsh, Eric Finn, Stephen McGibney, Mick Hallows, Ciaran Corrigan. Used Eoghan Moore, Mark Taylor, Conor L’Estrange, Jason Murphy, Daniel Gregg
