BALTINGLASS MICHAEL DWYERS 4-22 0-6
BALTINGLASS put in a superb display in the opening round of the new Under-20 Football Championship when they took Michael Dwyers apart on Sunday morning last.
This Baltinglass side laid down a huge marker for the rest of the clubs in the county going into the next rounds. Huge performances from Adam McHugh, Sean Doody and Johnny Keogh laid the platform for this convincing win.
Sean Doody got the home side off to a good start with a point within the opening minute.
The opening stages of the game was very much a cat and mouse affair as Dwyers were matching their counterparts with some good fielding from Padraig O’Toole and Ross Coogan.
Dwyers full-back Brian Kearney was cutting out a lot of Baltinglass play in his full-back line. Adam McHugh landed his first score of the game from a placed ball in the fourth minute.
Colin Byrne got Dwyers off the mark with a mighty point in the sixth minute, in a tight start to the game. Both number nines received yellow cards for acting the clown from the Hollywood official.
Johnny Keogh doubled the Baltinglass lead with another point in the next attack.
Padraig O’Toole cursed his luck, when after a penetrating run through, his effort crashed back out off the upright and was cleared.
Alan Barrett pointed to close out the opening quarter with Baltinglass leading 0-4 to 0-1, not even at this stage could one imagine how Baltinglass would power on to such a facile victory.
However, Dwyers found it tough to engineer any space against a marauding opponent as Baltinglass rose up a gear.
Adam McHugh added two more points after some sublime passages of play from Jordan Deane and Sean Doody. Padraig O’Toole broke the stranglehold and fired over a beast of a point for Dwyers.
However, Doody dropped a long ball into Alan Barrett who fed Johnny Keogh who shot into the bottom right-hand corner for Baltinglass’ first major in the 20th minute.
Padraig O’Toole pointed after good work by Adam Wynne for what was Dwyers’ last score of