AFL1 ROUNDUP – 23RD AUGUST
ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE ROUND-UP: AUGUST 23
It was a good evening for both Na Fianna and St Vincent’s on Wednesday, following their respective victories over Cuala and Skerries Harps in Division One of the Adult Football League.
With just two games in the top-tier, it was an ideal opportunity for the four teams involved to make their way up the league table. Cuala were five points of adrift 14th-place Lucan Sarsfields, but thanks to their narrow away win against St Maur’s on July 29th, they were in high spirits as they welcomed Na Fianna to Hyde Park.
Yet, they had to field without a number of first-choice players for this encounter, and found themselves on the back-foot for large spells of the opening half. Niall O’Callaghan, James Power and Ronan Sweeney did their best to stem the tide, but a brace of goals from Eoghan Neville propelled Na Fianna towards a 2-12 to 0-6 interval lead.
It has been a mixed season to date for the Glasnevin men, but courtesy of another three-pointer by Mark Sheehan after the restart, they effectively placed the outcome beyond doubt. Alistair Fitzgerald, John Kelly and JJ Martin also led by example for the northsiders, and with ace marksman Michael Deegan making a sizeable contribution, they eventually recorded a 4-20 to 0-8 success over the Dalkey men.
This was Na Fianna’s fifth league win of 2017, and it was also an eventful night for their second team – who comprehensively defeated Templeogue Synge Street on a scoreline of 3-16 to 2-6 in Division Two of the Adult Football League.
Back in AFL1, goals from Tomas Quinn, Joe Feeney and Albert Martin were crucial, as St Vincent’s moved up to sixth place with a 3-15 to 0-15 triumph against Skerries. An early penalty from Quinn helped Vinnies to create some daylight between the teams, and even though Skerries attacker Harry Dawson helped himself to four points in the first-half, impressive displays from Quinn, Tiernan Diamond and Martin ensured that the Marino men were six points to the good (1-8 to 0-5).
A Feeney goal on the resumption placed Vinnies in pole position for a victory, but with Smith and substitute Graham Cullen leading their charge, Skerries kept in contention for much of the second period.
The inspirational duo kicked the majority of the home team’s scores after the break, but Vinnies never allowed the game to slip away from them. Quinn finished with a personal tally of 1-7, and a late goal from Martin meant that they had nine points to spare over Ciaran Roche’s side in the end.
By Daire Walsh