Howley points way to IFC glory for Lusk men

ROUND TOWER LUSK 1-18 NAOMH BARROG 0-15 (After extra-time)

Round Tower Lusk are Dublin intermediate football champions for the first time in their history following their victory in Saturday's titanic decider at Parnell Park.

Only in the dying moments of extra-time could the Lusk side relax a bit after a pulsating battle between two evenly matched sides.

However, Tower's had the match-winner in Dublin U20 of this year, Cormac Howley, who gave an exhibition of marksmanship and finished with a tally of 0-12 (0-5f) which included some superb scores.

Howley converted from a variety of ranges and angles from play and deadball including three from play off his less favoured left side.

Tower's subs also made an impact with Killian Healy kicking two points as well as clinically dispatching a penalty in injury-time of the first-half of extra-time as both sides began to tire.

Barrog contributed massively to this tussle and had two fine marksman of their own in midfielder Paul Tolan and full-forward Richard Timmons. Indeed the switch of Josh Connell onto Timmons at the start of the second-half in normal time, with full-forward Stephen Harford going to midfield, was a telling factor in the course of this game.

In the opening half Timmons' kicked five points from play and with Tolan also on target Barrog led 0-10 to 0-5 after 28th minutes following a point from play by Conor Gibson.

But crucially two quickfire points before the interval from Howley and Jack Hussey to trail 0-10 to 0-7 at the break.

Sub Healy was not long in announcing his presence with a point inside the opening minute of the second-half.

Two Howley points, including a free, brought Lusk level before Tolan with a free nosed Barrog back in front.

Heading into the last two minutes of normal time a superb Howley point had Lusk on the brink of glory before Tolan forced extra-time with 61st minute free - 0-13 each.

Tolan drew first blood for Barrog in extra-time but typical of this battle Howley levelled it, a minute later he turned provider to set up wing-forward Jack Hussey to make it 0-15 to 0-14 for Towers before they struck for the only goal of the game.

Hussey was fouled inside the penalty area and Healy drove the spot-kick low to the left corner and by the break in extra-time his side were 1-15 to 0-15 to the good.

Points in the second period from Howley, and subs Healy and Kieran Kitterick saw Lusk home.

SCORERS - Round Tower Lusk: C Howley 0-12 (0-5f), K Healy 1-2 (1-0 pen), A Caul, J Hussey, L White, K Kitterick 0-1 each. Nh Barrog: P Tolan 0-9 (0-6f), R Timmons 0-5, C Gibson 0-1.

ROUND TOWER, LUSK: A Burns; G Leech, D Hurley, G Clare; R McGee, K Connell, A Caul; J Connell, D Clarke; J Hussey, S Flood, L White; L Bohan, S Harford, C Howley.Subs: K Healy for Hurley (ht), J Hanratty for Flood (ht), C Tonge for McGee (ht), D Leech for Bohan (51), A Duffy for White (72), K McKitterick for Tonge (79).

NH BARROG: C Quill; S Deering, M McCarthy, L Durran; D Higgins, C Gallagher, M Tolan; P Tolan, M Moffat; C McDonnell, P Ryan, C Gibson; A Brady, R Timmons, L Nolan. Subs: N Ring for M Tolan (ht), J Byrne for Brady (40), B Hehir for Durran (56), D O’Mahony for McDonnell (72), B Foley for Nolan (72).

REF: R Malone (St Mary’s Saggart).