AFL DIV. 2 ROUND-UP: MARCH 31

ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION TWO ROUND-UP: MARCH 31

By Daire Walsh

Following another action-packed weekend of club action, St Sylvester’s, Castleknock and Na Fianna ‘B’ lead the way in Division Two of the Adult Football League.

Having dropped out of the top-flight at the end of 2018, Syls’ quest for an automatic return is currently gathering pace. They produced a goal-laden display to edge past Kilmacud Crokes ‘B’ on the opening weekend, before recording an emphatic 3-17 to 0-3 win over Whitehall Colmcille at Collins Avenue.

This placed them in fine spirits for a trip to the Clontarf Road on Sunday. Scoil Ui Chonaill had suffered consecutive defeats to Clontarf and the aforementioned Crokes in advance of this contest and struggled to maintain the formidable challenge of their Malahide counterparts.

With Alex Wright registering three points from play, Syls largely dominated the opening half proceedings. Scoil grabbed a ninth-minute goal through Neil O’Flynn, but breathed a sigh of relief when Dublin senior panelist Andy Bunyan twice denied Wright at the opposite end.

The visitors were 0-11 to 1-4 ahead during the interval and immediately extended their lead when the action resumed. The towering Jack Hazley diverted Seán Daly’s delivery beyond the reach of Bunyan as Syls continued to make hay inside the Scoil ’45’.

Wright, Ross Hazley and Paudie White impressed throughout, though it was Micheál McCarthy who proved to be their stand-out performer on the day. He ended the game with an exceptional of tally of 1-6 (0-2f) – his goal helping Syls to create an insurmountable cushion of 2-15 to 1-4 on the third-quarter mark.

To Scoil’s credit, they persevered in the closing stages of the tie. Conor Dixon and Ruairi Coady found the target in clinical fashion, while they also claimed a second goal deep into stoppage-time.

Having already split the posts off a long-distance free, Bunyan (Dublin’s substitute goalkeeper in last year’s Leinster SFC decider against Laois) converted a penalty to leave their final deficit at six points (2-17 to 2-11).

Sylvester’s were relegated to the second-tier along with Castleknock – who enjoyed a 1-12 to 1-8 victory at the expense of Crokes. This extends their unbeaten run for 2019, with Naomh Mearnog and Clontarf coming off second best to the Somerton Park outfit in the previous rounds.

Just behind Syls and ‘Knock on score difference are Na Fianna ‘B’, after they preserved their 100% success rate in a 2-18 to 1-9 triumph over St Patrick’s, Palmerstown at Glenaulin Park. Just behind the front trio on five points are Round Tower Lusk – 1-10 to 1-9 conquerors of St Mary’s, Saggart on their home turf.

Newly-promoted from Division Three, Lusk have so far defied expectations. They overcame Whitehall Colmcille in mid-February and a hard-earned draw with Naomh Olaf then followed at Pairc Ui Bhriain.

They faced a Mary’s side that had endured a mixed start to their campaign, but they broke the deadlock courtesy of a point by former Sky Blues player Blaine Kelly. Lusk fired back with the opening goal of the contest and despite Kelly and James Timmins holding their own for Mary’s, it was the hosts who brought a four-point cushion into the dressing rooms.

However, Carl Finn grabbed a goal for Mary’s straight from the throw-in to give themselves a realistic chance of success. While Lusk initially responded positively to this set-back, the twin threat of Kelly and Timmins propelled Mary’s back into the ascendancy.

They struggled to push on in the closing stages, though, and Lusk rallied to eventually take maximum points. Elsewhere, Ballyboughal and Naomh Olaf maintained their own unbeaten starts to this year’s league.

Ballyboughal – who still have a game in hand on those above them in the table – were 3-12 to 0-5 victors against Naomh Fionnbarra at Pope John Paul II Park. For the second time in succession, Naomh Olaf had to settle for a share of the spoils at Sandyford – themselves and Whitehall Colmcille proving inseparable (2-13 each).

Following the blow of a heavy opening day reversal to Castleknock, Naomh Mearnog have bounced back in commendable style. A gritty 0-11 to 0-8 win over Raheny showed what they are capable of and they had the measure of Round Tower Clondalkin at Monastery Road last weekend.

Having fallen five points adrift in the early exchanges (1-2 to 0-0), Mearnog rallied to bring a 1-6 to 1-5 buffer into the interval. They pushed forward again after the restart and ultimately ended on the right side of a 2-12 to 2-9 scoreline.

Jamie Walsh (top-scorer with 1-3) and Michael Gibbs bagged the all-important goals for the Portmarnock men, although they were ably-assisted on the day by Shane Kavanagh (0-4), Sean Hawkshaw (0-3) and Alan Doyle (0-2).

In an intriguing derby at St Anne’s Park, Raheny had seven points to spare – 1-10 to 0-6 – over Clontarf.

AFL DIV. 1 MATCH REPORT: TEMPLEOGUE SYNGE STREET V ST. BRIGIDS

ADULT FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

TEMPLEOGUE SYNGE STREET 1-8

ST BRIGID’S 0-11

By Daire Walsh

Ger Vickery struck a dramatic 65th-minute point to give Templeogue Synge Street a share of the spoils at the end of a gripping Adult Football League Division One clash with St Brigid’s at Dolphin Park.

Having already claimed a draw against Na Fianna at the beginning of the month, Brigid’s looked set to prevail when netminder Eoin Lysaght edged them in front during the opening moments of stoppage-time. There was a late sting in the tale, however, as Vickery dissected the posts at a right-hand angle to secure Templeogue’s first point of the season.

Whereas Brigid’s had followed up their opening round defeat to Kilmacud Crokes with an encouraging result at home to Na Fianna, their southside counterparts had suffered back-to-back reversals at the hands of Fingallians and St Jude’s.

Ahead of their forthcoming Senior 2 Championship bow against Naomh Mearnog – at Balgriffin on April 13 – Templeogue were able to welcome county star Niall Scully back into the fold. They were minus the services of six-time All-Ireland winner Eoghan O’Gara – who was suspended for this encounter – but the injured Paddy Andrews was a notable absentee in the Brigid’s side.

The hosts had prepared for this game with a challenge victory over Crosserlough of Cavan in Kilnaleck last Sunday week and enjoyed an ideal start on their return to competitive fare. Following excellent build-up play by Luke O’Brien, full-forward Aidan Crean fired over inside the opening 60 seconds.

Scully converted a free at a left-hand angle to supplement this score, before also finding the range on the far side. At the opposite end of the field, the roving Conor McKiernan was providing additional cover to the Templeogue defence.

They pressurised the Brigid’s attack at every available opportunity, but the visitors finally opened their account through a Philly Ryan free on 13 minutes. Ryan is a long-time stalwart of the Russell Park club and swiftly added his second point off a quick counter.

After Collie Carr had restored parity, the industrious Mark Cahill subsequently edged Brigid’s in front. Although Templeogue had struggled to maintain their early dominance, they eventually responded with a third pointed free courtesy of the reliable Scully.

Sean Brew also ventured forward from full-back to lash a loose ball between the posts – offering Templeogue another slender cushion in the process. Nevertheless, Brigid’s discovered another gear in the closing stages of the half.

Mal Tighe levelled matters with a superb effort, while Ryan – via a precise Mark Donnelly pass – grabbed his third score of the half to move Brigid’s 0-6 to 0-5 ahead in time for the interval. The tie remained firmly in the balance on the resumption, though, and Scully cancelled out Templeogue’s deficit with a superb curled strike off his left-foot.

Even though Ryan’s close-range free kept Brigid’s in the ascendancy, they received a hammer blow in the 38th-minute. When corner-back Jack Kelly was adjudged to have controlled Scully’s delivery on the ground, a penalty was awarded to the Templeogue men.

Vickery stepped forward to negotiate the resulting spot-kick and fired clinically beyond the reach of Lysaght. He immediately added to his tally with a long-distance point as Mike Fitzpatrick’s charges sought to create safe distance between themselves and Brigid’s.

Colm O’Driscoll had to be alert to turn away Ryan’s goal-bound shot, but heading into the final-quarter, Templeogue remained three points to the good (1-7 to 0-7). They were marginally pegged back by the ever-dependable Ryan, which in turn halted a 12-minute barren spell in front of goal for Brigid’s.

The former Dublin panellist was once again denied by O’Driscoll, though substitute Lorcan McCarthy reduced the gap to the bare minimum in the 56th-minute. This increased the tension at the Dublin 8 venue and in his final act before making way for Michael Courtney, Carr bagged an equalising point on the hour mark.

Momentum appeared to be with Brigid’s at this juncture and when Lysaght expertly slotted a 40-metre free, they got themselves back in the driving seat. Yet, Templeogue’s persistence ultimately paid off in the dying embers of the action.

Scully picked out Vickery deep inside the Brigid’s rearguard and the latter made sure they avoided a third consecutive reversal on their return to the top-flight. The focus for both teams will now be on the championship for the next few weeks, before they resume their Division One campaigns on May 8.

Templeogue will make the short journey to Pairc Ui Murchu for a showdown wth Ballyboden St Enda’s – Brigid’s play host to Naomh Maur on the same night.

Scorers – Templeogue Synge Street: Ger Vickery 1-2 (1-0 pen), Niall Scully 0-4 (3f), Sean Brew, Aidan Crean 0-1 each. St Brigid’s: Philly Ryan 0-5 (2f), Collie Carr 0-2, Eoin Lysaght (f), Mal Tighe, Mark Cahill, Lorcan McCarthy 0-1 each.

TEMPLEOGUE SYNGE STREET: Colm O’Driscoll; Rob Power, Sean Brew, Sam McGovern; Joe Varley, Mark Swaine, Alex O’Toole; Cillian Keogh, Mark Hayes; Niall Scully, Neil Duffy, Luke O’Brien; Conor McKiernan, Aidan Crean, Ger Vickery. Sub: Eoin O’Donovan for O’Brien (25).

ST BRIGID’S: Eoin Lysaght; Jack Kelly, Alan McCarrick, Alan Daly; Cathal Doyle, Jack Mullins, Niall Davey; Sean Egan, Gerry Troy; Mal Tighe, Mark Donnelly, Mark Cahill; Philly Ryan, Collie Carr, Donal Timoney. Subs: Lorcan McCarthy for Timoney (30+4), Gavin Kane for Davey (half-time), Niall O’Dea for Cahill (47), Michael Courtney for Carr (60).

Referee: Ronnie Malone (St Mary’s Saggart).