MOURNE BOYS HOLD ON
Goals prove key as Dublin suffer setback in Gerry Reilly U16 battle
GERRY REILLY U16 FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT
DOWN……………………….3-9
DUBLIN……………………..1-13
Daire Walsh
ADAM Crimmins and Ronan Connor goals either side of half-time proved crucial on Saturday afternoon at Abbotstown, where Dublin fell to a narrow defeat against Down in the Gerry Reilly U16 Football Tournament.
Following an impressive victory over Kildare at St Conleth’s Park, Newbridge three days earlier, this result certainly comes as a set-back for the Sky Blues.
While a final Group B game against Antrim on Saturday week keeps them in contention for the knock-out rounds, the Mourne men’s ability to pick off scores at vital junctures ultimately put paid to their chances of success in the National Games Development Centre.
DEADLOCK
Down kick-started their own campaign with a narrow triumph over the Saffrons (2-9 to 3-4) and they broke the deadlock courtesy of Joe O’Boyle’s well-worked point. Indeed, at the end of an enterprising move 12 minutes in, Dermot Donaldson fired to the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
Dublin eventually found their feet with back-to-back efforts from Rogers and Luke Curran (son of the legendary Paul), before Connor converted a routine free at the opposite end.
There was a sense that Dublin were beginning to find their feet as the half developed, and unanswered scores by Rogers, Conor Tyrell, Adam Mulligan and Oliver Brooks helped them to hit the front on 25 minutes.
There was plenty of life left in the Down challenge, however, and Crimmins was on hand to palm home John McGovern’s pass from the subsequent attack. Even though Rogers cancelled out Paudraig Clancy’s first of the day, a Crimmins point ensured Down were three points ahead – 2-4 to 0-7 – at the midway stage.
Dublin were still well in the reckoning on home soil, but it was the visitors who carried momentum forward into the second period. Thanks to two scores in as many minutes by the dynamic duo of McGovern and Connor, they created further daylight between the teams.
After Ballyboden’s Ryan O’Dwyer was upended close to the posts, Rogers eased the Dublin concerns with a pointed free. Yet, on the stroke of 40 minutes, it was Down who appeared to hold all the aces.
Supplementing a Clancy single, Connor finished off a devastating counter-attack to move his side into a seemingly unassailable 3-7 to 0-8 advantage. This gap remained in place when Curran and McGovern traded points – though the St Catherine’s forward added to his personal tally on the three-quarter mark.
The Dublin bench was beginning to make an impact in humid conditions at the northside venue, as Fionn Duncan’s curled strike preceded a Rogers point in the 53rd-minute. Down remained firmly in the ascendancy when McGovern split the uprights on the run, only for Dublin to launch a final assault on their goal.
After Rogers’ sixth of the day narrowed the gap, Conroy (St Pat’s, Donabate) broke through the Down defence to secure a magnificent major. This raised the possibility of a ‘smash and grab’ for the Sky Blues, but they ran out of time in their bid to claim a second consecutive group stage win.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Down: R Connor 1-2 (0-1f), A Crimmins 1-1, D Donaldson 1-0, J McGovern 0-3, P Clancy 0-2, J O’Boyle 0-1. Dublin: A Rogers 0-6 (2f), K Conroy 1-0, L Curran 0-3 (1f), A Mulligan, O Brooks, C Tyrell, F Duncan 0-1 each.
DOWN: M Croskery; C Laird, S Donegan, E Swail; T Savage, N Sloan, R Campbell; L Mallon, D Donaldson; MD Hynes, J O’Boyle, P Clancy; R Connor, A Crimmins, J McGovern. Subs: C Biilham for Sloan (26), J McCann for Savage (30+2), C McAvoy for Donaldson (36), J Cairns for Clancy, L Ruane for Connor (both 52), Donaldson for O’Boyle (56).
DUBLIN: J Casey; D Lynch, B Millist, E Gannon; L Byrne, K Conroy, D Robertson; L Murphy, A Mulligan; R O’Dwyer, A Rogers, D O’Dowd; L Curran, O Brooks, C Tyrell. Subs: F Duncan for Byrne (5), C Monaghan for Gannon (8), A Mezynski for Mulligan, D Fagan for Robertson (both 37), L Cullen for Brooks (52).
MENTORS – Down: Joe Tunney, Mark Poland, John Morgan, Kieran Mooney, Conor Fitzpatrick. Dublin: Mark Fee, Jim Lehane, Paul Casey.
Referee: Darragh Sheppard (Round Tower Lusk).
WIDES – Down: 3 (3+0). Dublin: 7 (2+5).
CONDITIONS: Dry and sunny throughout, but a strong breeze at times.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Alex Rogers (Dublin).