Adult Football Round Up and Recent Match Reports

Adult Football Match Reports

Last week was again a good week for adult football with 5 wins out of 7.

Seniors AFI 1. 

The Seniors faced the long trip to Skerries on Monday night to play their sixth out of six mid week matches.

The first 10 mins was a cagey affair with both defences on top. Skerries hit the first score on the seventh minute while in the first ten minutes we kicked 4 wides. Skerries went onto kick the next 2 points before we kicked our first score ,a point by Mark Mc Nally from long range. Skerries went 5 to 1 up  and we then  got the next 3 points , one a very well worked score by Donnacha Carey. and  one from Eoin Fitzpatrick from 45 metres. Then came the turning point in the game when on the 25h minute Ronan Cullen intercepted a short kick out, laid it off to Dave Deveraux who gave it to Luke Breathnach coming off the shoulder to bury it to the net .The second goal came a few minutes latter when Ben Millist received the ball 35 metres out, laid it off , took the return pass  and planted it in the back of the net. While Skerries replied with a point we went in at HT 2-4to 0-4 up.

The second half started brightly when a strong run through the middle by Mark Mc Nally brought a foul and a point. Skerries kicked the next point before Donnacha Carey got inside two backs to kick an excellent point. On the 15th minute Skerries were reduced to 14 players. We went on to kick some great points from Joe Sweeney , Mark Mc Nally and Dan O Leary . Skerries were then reduced to 13 players while we were reduced to14 for a black card . We dominated the last 8 mins and the third gaol came following a great movement , with Fearghal Duffy lay off to Matt Gardiner who laid off to the inrushing Ben Millist to blast to the net. We restricted Skerries to 5 points in the second half ,4 of which came from frees. Final score BSJ 3-12 Skerries 09. MOTM award goes to Ben Millist in what was an impressive display by us apart from the first 12 mins

 Due to our county players on inter county duty our top of the table clash with Na Fianna which was due to be played last Saturday is deferred

 

Inters AFL 4

Our mid week match V Skerries turned out to be a very one sided affair. We were 8 points up after 15 minutes and Skerries  did not get their first score until the 20th minute. We went in 2-10 to 0-2 in front at HT. The second half was a complete mismatch . With the score 7-14 to 0-3 the referee decided to call it a day with a few minutes left.

Our weekend match saw us away to Good Counsel Liffey Gaels. Good Counsel went into an early lead and lead all the way with goals been vital. Our case was not helped by been reduced to 14 players in only the 15th minutes. However we kept battling away and had it down to the minimum at the end . Full time score BSJ 1-16 to 4-8.

So we play  our final league  game against O Tooles next Wednesday night in Marlay at 7-30 . We are guaranteed a fourth spot on the table . This unfortunately  means we lose out on promotion which is a disappointment to players and management . However considering this was nearly a complete rebuild of a team from 2023 and is very young , the future is bright. We look forward  now to the battle for that elusive Junior 1 championship

 

Junior A AFL 8.

AS mentioned in my last report we needed to win our mid week match V St Pats Donabte  in Marlay to keep our chances of promotion chances alive. However a more experienced and well structured Pats team laid down a marker from the start and their scores came easier while we struggled to break down their defence. While we kept on battling Pats ran out easy winners on a scoreline of 2-10 to 0-6.

Our weekend match was against Naomh Barróg. With our promotion chances  gone this was an opportunity  for many of our minors to get their chance playing adult football, so 8 made the trip out to Killbarrack. Their pace and movement along with the older lad’s experience & game management opened the game up and created a lot of chances. Young Tommy Dillon got the goal. Everyone’s work rate in very warm conditions was impressive. Nathan Lhuillier in goal, Conor Roche, Adam Bates, Shane Sheridan, Eoin Bradley, Seán Dunne impressed. 

Our last league match is away to Raheny next Tuesday in St Annes pk at 7-30.

So with one game left we are likely to finish a credible 4th. Like the Inters this team is also very much of a rebuild . They can look forward to the championship and I would expect to see them promoted next year . This year will bring many of them on and will build up the confidence that will improve their chances of seeing out games. On a few occasions  this year we lost games where we were well in control and  a winning position.

 

Junior B AFL 11.

The Junior B’s made it 11 out of 11 after a tough game against a strong Clanna Gael side on Thursday last.

Throw in was delayed in Ringsend Park and Clanna Gael capitalised on a sluggish start to hit a quickfire 1-1 to take an early lead. After a few bad wides it looked like it might have been one of those days but inspired by  the words of Pink playing in the nearby Aviva the lads settled down after points from Cian Duffy and debutant Danny Harrington. Clanna Gael tacked on another couple of points but a goal from Cian Duffy following good work by Billy Davoren put us in the lead for the first time. The towering performances of Eoin Byrne and Sheamus McCaffrey in the middle of the park ensured momentum stayed with us and we led at the break after Cian Hallinan finally  found his shooting boots and Conor Murphy scored a belter of a goal!

The second half was another sluggish start and it wasn’t until defenders realised they were defenders for a reason that the scoreboard starting ticking again as all 6 forwards added to their tallies. There was a welcome return to action from Mitchell Moody who produced a typically “spiky” performance after his introduction. Late goals from Billy Davoren and Conor Murphy put a gloss on the scoreline which finished 4-15 to 1-6.

The Junior Bs maintained their 100% record with a hard fought win against Na Gaeil Oige in glorious conditions in Loreto Park on Monday night. It was a low scoring first half and despite another towering performance from Eoin Byrne and a lovey performance from Oisin Daffy, both defences were well on top. Joey Gormley and Seán Gunnigan were rock solid in the full back line and with Mitchell Moody driving forward from wing back St John’s slowly began to get control of the game and led at the break by 0-6 to 0-2 having played with the wind in the first half.
 The introduction of the 2 Cian’s, Duffy and Hallinan at half time proved crucial and 3 quick points by Cian Duffy followed by 2 from Cian Hallinan stretched the lead. A late penalty from Na Gaeil Oige meant a shaky enough end to the game but the lads saw it on a score line of 0-14 to 1-4.
 The final league game is against second place  Stars of Erin in a winner takes all game in Glencullen on Thursday the 4th of July.