Impressive Hollywood put Avondale to the sword

HOLLYWOOD AVONDALE 3-20 0-8

HOLLYWOOD assured themselves of qualification for the knock-out stages of the Renault Senior Football Championship with a thumping victory over Avondale on Saturday evening last in front of a good crowd.

Mick Murray’s side delivered a solid team performance with some tenacious tackling, powerful attacking football, with buckets of scoring chances created throughout the evening.

In the opening quarter, the final score line didn’t look on the cards at all, as Avondale matched the west outfit with some fine football themselves.

Ross Ward slotted over a point in the first minute to get Avondale on the board.

Lively corner-forward Thomas Burke replied with a sweet point moments later, to get the west side up and running.

Avondale got a number of chances to add to their tally but were rushed into shooting aimlessly at times due to the tenacious tackling by the Hollywood rearguard.

Stephen Kearney put the westerners into the lead with a point in the fifth minute, a lead they would never relinquish.

Mikey Healy was the dynamo in this impressive Hollywood outfit, who worked in spades for each other.

Healy broke down plenty of work by the Dales, and cruised through the Avondale’s defence time after time, over the sixty odd minutes, building attack after attack for his forwards.

Tony Hannon registered his first point of the evening in the eighth minute, Stephen Kearney followed up with a beast of a point from 48 metres out.

Avondale’s Ryan Cahill fed the inrushing Eugene Dunne who dummied a defender to go through on goal, but his shot just cleared the crossbar in the next attack.

Barry Sheehan was winning a number of marks around the centre and he laid off to Conor Byrne who dispatched the size 5 over the crossbar in the 11th minute for what, surprisingly, would be their last score of the opening half.

Harry Wilson was in fine fettle, clearing any danger that came his way.

Tony Hannon sent over a peach of a point after great work by PJ O’Keeffe and Matthew Kelly to close out the first quarter with Mick Murray’s men leading 0-5 to 0-3, in a tight enough affair.

Avondale had plenty of possession and were working hard, with Barry Sheehan and Eamon Kearns, but could not penetrate a well marshalled Hollywood rearguard who were like demons with their tackling.

Tony Hannon played young Matthew Kelly through for his first point of the game, from an acute angle. Again, Mikey Healy was causing havoc, supplying powerful ball into his forwards, with target man Tony Hannon to the fore.

Thomas Burke fired over two quick fire points before Tony Hannon pointed from the deck as Hollywood upped another gear.

Simon Cullen and Adam Ben- son Cullen were under immense pressure going into the closing stages, Tony Hannon pointed again.

Shane Kelly gathered in the Hollywood backline, found Mikey Healy with a sweet pass, Healy swept up the field, laid off to mighty Matthew Kelly, who put Thomas Burke, to shake the net, for the first major of the game to complete a great passage of play.

Dean Gahan played a high ball into the danger zone, but Harry Wilson cleared. Jack Manley had the chance of a point but dropped his effort short into Ian Burke’s hands and the danger was cleared.

Thomas Burke pointed with the last kick of the opening half, as the scoreboard read 1-11 to 0-03 at the interval.

PJ O’Keeffe, who was showing well, making darting runs all evening, fisted over the bar on the restart.

Both sides introduced some fresh legs. However, Kearney and O’Keeffe both pointed. Matthew Kelly fisted over another point. Substitute Conor McGraynor pointed a free to close out a scrappy third quarter with the score now 1-15 to 0-04.

Avondale showed a brief sign of resistance when Conor Byrne was fouled and Conor McGraynor knocked over the free.

Emmet O’Sullivan’s men found a bit of momentum and Ross Ward and Eugene Dunne both had massive one on one goal chances, however, Ian Burke brilliantly saved on both occasions.

Oisin McGraynor added another point. Maor foirne Eoin Roddy lambasted his team with a few choice words from the sideline. Tony Hannon pointed again as Hollywood tore Avondale asunder in the closing five minutes, with some breathtaking football.

PJ O’Keeffe, who was having a fine game, delivered a second goal for the west side.

The industrious Matt Kelly knocked over another fine point beforeTony Hannon and Conor Burke further increased the lead. Conor McGraynor pointed after good work by Eamon Kearns.

However, Cian Tyrell landed Hollywood’s 20th point of the night, before Matt Kelly coolly finished past Brian Burke for a third green flag. Conor McGraynor closed out the scoring with a point.

Next up for Hollywood is a meeting with Kiltegan to realistically decide second and third spot, as Hollywood are level on points with Rathnew, who have a score difference of +8 over Hollywood as things stand.

Scorers - Hollywood: Thomas Burke 1-4 (1f), Matthew Kelly 1-3, Tony Hannon 0-6 (2f), PJ O’Keeffe 1-2, Stephen Kearney 0-3, Conor Burke 0-1, Ciaran Tyrell 0-1.

Avondale: Conor McGraynor 0-4 (2f), Ross Ward 0-1, Conor Byrne 0-1, Oisin McGraynor 0-1, Eugene Dunne 0-1.