AFL1 ROUNDUP – 28TH JUNE
ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: JUNE 28
Kilmacud Crokes extended their unbeaten run in Division One of the Adult Football League to five games last night, when they recorded a comprehensive 2-18 to 2-5 victory over Clontarf.
Points from Pat Burke, Aidan Jones, Cillian O’Shea and Mark Vaughan helped Crokes to create early daylight at Silver Park, and courtesy of an excellent three-pointer by Callum Pearson, Crokes entered the interval with a 1-9 to 1-3 cushion.
This placed the home team in the driving seat at the start of the second-half, and with Vaughan, Burke and Cian O’Connor contributing an impressive combined tally of 0-13, they led for the remainder of the tie. Clontarf persisted with their challenge, but thanks to a goal by substitute Karl Dias, Crokes finished in style.
It was also a memorable evening for St Brigid’s at Russell Park, as they secured a 1-19 to 0-16 win at the expense of Thomas Davis. In wet conditions at the Dublin 15 venue, Brigid’s recovered from a difficult start to trail by a single point (0-8 to 0-7) at the break.
Philly Ryan and Sean Murray were on target for the hosts in the opening period, but it was Darren Freeman’s goal just after the restart that enabled them to build momentum. Ryan claimed a personal haul of 0-7 for his side, and thanks to eye-catching second-half scores by the likes of Jack Mullins and Niall O’Dea, Brigid’s ultimately registered their fifth success of the campaign.
Lucan Sarsfields had suffered five consecutive defeats heading into their clash with Skerries Harps at 12th Lock, but with Dublin U21 star Darren Gavin in fine form, they finally returned to winning ways.
Gavin was making his presence felt in the vital midfield sector, and although Bryan Cullen was narrowly wide from a goal-scoring opportunity for Skerries, a three-pointer at the opposite end from Emmett O Conghaile propelled Lucan towards a 1-6 to 0-1 half-time advantage.
Paul Cashman (two), Sean Rocks and Steven Smith registered points for Skerries over the course of the hour, and goalkeeper Shane Davis produced a superb save from a second-half Lucan penalty. Yet, despite seeing Skerries rattling the crossbar, Lucan finished with 13 points to spare (2-11 to 0-4).
This win eases some of Lucan’s relegation fears, but along with Clontarf, Cuala are still searching for their first league points of 2017 – after they were on the receiving end of a 4-18 to 1-15 reversal at Hyde Park.
St Maur’s faced a tough test against St Sylvester’s at Rush, but with Chris Carthy, Davy McGuinness (who scored a first-half penalty) and Con McGuinness impressing, they secured a hard-earned 1-12 to 0-13 victory.
Elsewhere, St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh got the better of Ballyboden St Enda’s on a scoreline of 3-15 to 1-10 at Ballycullen.
By Daire Walsh