Goals crucial as Thomas Davis edge out Castleknock in SFC1 quarter-final

Sun, 13th October 2019

DUBLIN SFC1 QUARTER-FINAL

THOMAS DAVIS 3-12 CASTLEKNOCK 1-17

Two goals inside a minute during the first half put Thomas Davis on the road to victory in this Dublin SFC1 quarter-final at Parnell Park on Sunday.

Davis will face holders Kilmacud Crokes in the SFC1 semi-final while Ballyboden St Enda's will play St Jude's.

Castleknock led 0-5 to 0-4 by the 20^th minute before they were rocked by goals from Ryan Deegan and Ciarán Farrelly in immediate succession to suddenly lead 2-4 to 0-5.

Deegan’s goal was a superb team goal following clever, accurate interplay between Eoin Lambert and Eoin Kirby before Deegan rifled low to the far corner of Morven Connolly’s net.

From the resulting kickout Thomas Davis won possession and Dublin U20 selector of this year Farrelly held his nerve close to goal to fire to the net.

However, Castleknock replied with a goal of their own from the next attack of significance, culminating in Tommy McDaniel beating keeper Rob Crilly..

The tempo was high and Davis’ defence were tigerish and compact with Adam Fallon and Cian Murphy doing well.

Ger McDermottroe slotted three points for Castleknock before the break (including one free) but scores from Murphy, following good work by the energetic Davy Keogh, Deegan and Farrelly had the Kiltipper Road men 2-7 to 1-8 ahead at the break.

Keogh almost had a goal of his own in the 16^th minute but his drive cannoned off the crossbar and eventually led to a free that Eoin Kirby converted.

Davis’ made the dream restart with a Brendan Kirby goal inside the opening minute.

Points from McDermottroe and Rob Shaw cut the gap but the three goals still had Davis’ ahead throughout despite late points from Ciarán Kilkenny and Tom Shields for Castleknock.

SCORERS – Thomas Davis: E Kirby 0-5 (0-2f), R Deegan, C Farrelly 1-1 each, S McGrath 0-3, Brandan Kirby 1-0, C Murphy, R Crilly (0-1f) 0-1 each. Castleknock: T McDaniel 1-3 (0-1f), G McDermottroe 0-6 (0-2f), C Kilkenny 0-3, S Boland 0-2, T Shields, S O’Carroll (0-1 ‘45’), R Shaw 0-1 each.

THOMAS DAVIS: R Crilly; Brian Kirby, A Fallon, A Shorten; S Kennedy, C Murphy, P Quinn; R Deegan, Brendan Kirby; E Lambert, E Kirby, D Keogh; E O’Toole, C Farrelly, S McGrath. Subs: M Nolan for O’Toole (44), O Kelly for Lambert (44), S O’Byrne-Braiden for Shorten (54), J Lambert for Kelly (bc, 61).

CASTLEKNOCK: M Connolly; R Shaw, P Bourke, E O’Brien; G Hannigan, T Quinn, C Murphy; J Sherry, S Gibbons; B Galvin, C Kilkenny, S Boland; G McDermottroe, M Walsh, T McDaniel. Subs: F Sweeney for Bourke (ht), D Warnock for Gibbons (ht), S O’Carroll for Galvin (41), T Shields for McDaniel (49), K Stephenson for Warnock (58).

REF: G McCormack (Nh Barróg).

Pic credit: Niall O'Connell