Adamstown go through!
Spirited battle from Rovers
ADAMSTOWN DUFFRY ROVERS
ADAMSTOWN withstood a spirited Duffry Rovers performance to progress into the Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior A Football Championship semi-finals at St Patrick’s Park on Sunday morning last.
The New Ross district side topped their group after winning all five games but were given a stern test by a big, strong Coolree collection. What Adamstown did possess was difference-makers in attacking position.
A glance at the scoresheet displays as much.
The inside duo of Brendan Kehoe and Paddy Whitty were composed and accurate in front of goal and set the tone for the attacking performance.
At the other end of the field, captain John Whelan led by example at full-back.
Things looked fairly straight forward as the favourites sauntered into an early lead. The quick thinking of Peter Finn and an excellent feed by Whitty made the opening goal for Kehoe and the corner-forward applied a cool finish.
Shane Bradley played provider for the second, picking out Finn with a perfectly weighted ball. He met the pass in stride, drove in on goal and tucked away. Hampered by three Micheál Doyle overs at the other end, it left Adamstown just 2-6 to 0-6 up at the break.
Despite good scores from Whitty and Kehoe, things started to get interesting when second half targetman Ted O’Brien fed Gearoid Doyle on the run and he buried his finish past Paul Delaney.
Just a goal separated the sides when Niall Beggan added his fourth over with twelve minutes left. However, Adamstown are not unbeaten by chance and they finished the stronger with points from John French, Bradley and Jason Whitty seeing them safely into the last four.
ADAMSTOWN: Paul Delaney; Mark Cowman, John Whelan (capt.), Stephen English; Brendan Furlong, Colm Boland, John French (0-1); Michael Boland (01), Paudge Wickham; Shane Bradley (0-2, 1 free), Peter Finn (1-0), Mervyn Maloney; Eoin Furlong, Paddy Whitty (0-4), Brendan Kehoe (1-4, 0-2 frees). Subs. - Mark Dunphy for E. Furlong (37), Padraig Kavanagh for Kehoe (41), M.J. Cooper for English (48), Andrew Boland for Finn (52), Jason Whitty (0-1 for Bradley (60+2).
DUFFRY ROVERS: Cathal Clince; Eric Nolan, Joe Coleman, James Nolan (capt.); Glen Rafter, Conor Jordan, Seamus Cullen; Ted O’Brien (0-1), John McCarthy; Michael Doyle, Gearoid Doyle (1-0), Gavin Rafter; Niall Beggan (0-4, 3 frees), Jim O’Neill (0-2), Micheál Doyle (0-3 frees). Subs. - Ger Coleman for Micheál Doyle (40), James Howlin for Cullen (41), Jamie Roban for Michael Doyle (42), Mattie O’Connor for G. Rafter (54), Conor English for G. Rafter, black card, (57), Conor Coleman for Beggan (58).
REFEREE: James Flood (St Mary’s, Maudlintown)