Preview: Great duels ahead in SFC Round 2

Tue, 23rd April 2019

Seconds out, round two …. the Dublin SFC1 and SFC2 resume this week with Round 2 of the group phase taking place from Wednesday to Friday night at ten venues across the county.

There are some excellent duels in prospect with arguably the clash of reigning holders, Kilmacud Crokes, and Na Fianna in Group 1 at Parnell Park on Thursday night (8.15) is the tie of the round.

Both recorded encouraging victories in their opening tussles and there are some fascinating head-to-heads in the sub-plot to the overall game.

Crokes defeated Ballymun Kickhams 2-13 to 0-14 in Round 1 at the Donnycarney venue with Andrew McGowan providing great leadership and energy for the Stillorgan outfit.

But Crokes had to summon all their resources to fend of a battling Kickhams in this well-contested duel.

After trailing by four points, 1-6 to 0-5, at half-time, having played into the wind the Mun threatened on a few occasions in the second period to reel in their opponents but on every occasion Crokes responded to protect their advantage.

No player was more influential in this aspect than Dublin senior Andrew McGowan, who apart from kicking three fine points, drove his side forward when required.

The match-winning goal came in the 59th minute when sub Stephen Williams fired to the net, his shot taking a deflection off of Alan George en route to the net, following another penetrating run from McGowan.

Rory O'Carroll made a solid return to Dublin SFC action at full-back but this liberated McGowan to the half-back line where he prospered.

The prospect of the battle between O'Carroll and the in-form Conor McHugh could go a long way to deciding the outcome on Thursday night at the Donnycarney venue.

Na Fianna impressed, particularly in the opening half, in their 3-14 to 0-9 victory over St Sylvester's at Parnell Park.

Though playing into a stiff breeze in the opening half the St Mobhi Road men laid the foundation for their 14-point win with some enterprising football.

Dessie Farrell's side moved the ball with pace and precision and by the break had built up a 2-8 for 0-5 cushion.

With a young forward line they got the ideal start when Conor McHugh collected his own point effort rebound off the post to fire to the net.

David Lacey following up with two brilliantly struck deadballs (one free, one '45') to quickly move into a 1-2 to 0-0 lead.

The accuracy of Micheál McCarthy hauled Syls back into the game but unfortunately for them the former Dublin footballer was their only forward who really troubled the Na Fianna defence over the hour.

Meanwhile at the other end James Doran, Aaron Byrne, Lacey and McHugh had the Malahide outfit on the back foot while the work-rate was epitomised by one brilliant block by Glenn O'Reilly deep in his own defence during the opening period.

Na Fianna's second goal arrived in the 11th minute when Doran ran at the heart of the Syls defence and was brave to flick the ball inside to Byrne who rifled to the net despite the best efforts of keeper Michael Shiel.

In SFC1 Group 2 Lucan Sarsfields and Ballyboden St Enda's collide in Monastery Road, Clondalkin on Thursday night (7.30).

Ryan Basquel was the late, late hero for Ballyboden St Enda's as his injury-time free from 35 metres saw them edge out Clontarf 0-11 to 0-10 in their Dublin SFC1 Group 2 opener at O'Toole Park.

Clontarf, with Kevin Lillis in particular to the fore, made much of the running and led by four points early in the second half before being reeled in and edged out over the closing minutes.

Lillis finished with six points in total as Clontarf, for whom Jack McCaffrey returned to action, led 0-7 to 0-4 at the break before Lillis pointed to extend the gap to four early in the second half against a Boden team minus the injured Collie Basquel.

Through the accuracy of Ross McGarry, who tallied 0-4, and Ryan Basquel Boden got back into contention before Basquel converted his fourth free of the contest in added time to break Tarf hearts.

Lucan maintained their winning start to the season when overcoming Skerries Harps 3-14 to 1-10 in Round 1 in Garristown.

Brendan Gallagher amassed a superb personal tally of 2-9 (0-7f), both goals coming in the last ten minutes, while corner-back Alan Murphy had an impressive game, given the difficult man-marking assignment of curtailing Skerries' dangerous inside forward Stephen Smith, he emerged with much credit.

However, it was Harps who made the better start and hit two early points inside the opening three minutes before Brian Collopy's 11th minute goal ignited the Lucan challenge.

Sarsfields hit the next six points without reply with Gallagher, from frees and play, contributed four as they opened up a 1-6 to 0-2 lead by the 17th minute.

Skerries battled back with scores from Collie Daly, Kevin Gilmore and Mark Boylan and by the break Lucan held a 1-8 to 0-5 lead.

Midway through the second period sub Ciarán Murphy grabbed the Skerries goal to make it 1-12 to 1-7.

But Lucan fended off any chance of a late Skerries resurgence with goals from Gallagher in the 52nd and 60th minutes to run out 10-point victors.

In Group 3 St Jude's face Raheny in St Margaret's while St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh meet Thomas Davis at 12th Lock - both on Wednesday night.

A Bernard Brogan free in the first minute of injury-time salvaged a draw (1-9 to 2-6) for St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh.

The Dublin senior won the free himself and angled over from 30 metres - Brogan finished with a tally of 1-5, including five frees, some from long distance or tricky angles.

Thomas Davis and Raheny drew 0-10 to 1-7 in their opening Dublin SFC1 Group 3 meeting.

Two Eoin Kirby points late in the first half had the Kiltipper Road men 0-5 to 0-4 ahead at the break.

However, an Eoin Keogh goal within two minutes of the restart was crucial for Raheny as they shared the points.

On Wednesday night in Group 4 Castleknock face St Vincent’s in Broomfield (6.45) while Ballinteer St John’s and St Brigid’s meet in O’Toole Park (6.45).

Tomás Quinn was the shooting star for St Vincent's as they overcame St Brigid's by eight points (1-14 to 1-6) in their opener at Lawless Park, Swords.

Quinn finished with a tally of 1-8 - the goal a second half penalty and four converted frees, including one late on when he judged the tricky diagonal breeze to perfection from 45 metres.

Brigid's improved as the half wore on with pointed frees from Mark Donnelly and Philly Ryan while Collie Carr kicked their only point from play in the opening half for Vins to lead 0-6 to 0-3 at the interval.

The Russell Park men though had plenty of possession and Philly Ryan twice had his sights on goal, when he might have pointed, but was denied by the impressive Michael Savage.

Apart from his alertness between the posts Savage's accuracy from his kickouts was one of the cornerstones of the Vincent's game-plan as they secured an abundance of primary ball.

On the restart points from sub Lorcan Smyth and Seán Lowry extended the Marino men's lead before Quinn dispatched a penalty after ref Barry Tiernan adjudged that keeper Eoin Lysaght had foot blocked Enda Varley in the act of shooting for goal.

So with just seven minutes played in the second half Brigid's were facing a steep uphill task as they trailed 1-8 to 0-3.

Their battling spirit was rewarded with a penalty of their own in the 47th minute that Philly Ryan tucked away neatly and with five minutes left the gap was down to four, 1-10 to 1-6, after Brigid's points from the energetic Mal Tighe and Mark Donnelly.

But it was Vincent's who concluded the game on top with three Quinn points, including that superbly judged free, and another point from Adam Baxter.

Castleknock opened their with an impressive seven-point victory over Ballinteer St John's (1-18 to 1-11) at Monastery Road, Clondalkin.

A scoring surge just at the three-quarter marker put the Dublin 15 side on the road to victory when they kicked six points without reply.

Westmeath's Tommy McDaniel, who tallied 0-7 overall, was to the fore during this purple patch as he slotted four points with Seamus O'Carroll and sub Darragh Warnock adding the others as Castleknock moved 1-16 to 1-9 clear.

Late points from Warnock and an O'Carroll free put further distance between the sides.

O'Carroll was Castleknock's goal-scorer as his penalty, following a foul on Gerard McDermott-Roe, four minutes into the second half gave his side the ideal restart after they had trailed 0-8 to 1-6 at the interval.

An early 1-1 from Aaron Bradshaw gave St John's the dream start, with his goal coming in the third minute.

The Marlay Park men also finished the half well with Aodhán Clabby, Ferghal Duffy and Eoghan Fitzpatrick getting scores but in between Castleknock secured a firm foothold in the contest with points from Ben Galvin, Ciarán Kilkenny, Shane Boland, Gerard McDerrmott-Roe (free), McDaniel and Kevin Kindlon.

DUBLIN SFC1 - GROUP PHASE ROUND 2

WEDNESDAY

Group 3

St Margaret's: St Jude's v Raheny, 7.30

12th Lock: St Oliver Plunkett's/ER v Thomas Davis, 7.30

Group 4

O'Toole Park: Ballinteer St John's v St Brigid's, 6.45

Broomfield: Castleknock v St Vincent's, 6.45

THURSDAY

Group 1

Balgriffin: St Sylvester's v Ballymun Kickhams, 7.30

Parnell Park: Na Fianna v Kilmacud Crokes, 8.15