Late An Tochar blitz proves too much
5-7 1-7
A trio of clinically executed majors in the closing eight minutes guided An Tochar into the semi-final of the Arklow Bay Hotel Junior ‘C’ football championship last Thursday evening, under the lights in Hollywood.
David Kavanagh was the man of the hour for the Roundwood side as he plundered 3-1 over the 60-odd minutes. It was a well-balanced game up until the 48th minute in a tight cagey encounter.
Philip Penrose opened the scoring with a point in the second minute before Niall Gaffney levelled matters moments later. Darren Hobson pointed before Des Foley goaled from close range to edge Kiltegan ahead.
Mark Keenan bombed over a long-range point just before the water break with the score reading 1-2 to 0-3.
Dale Brady was fouled in the large square and Niall Gaffney dispatched the resultant penalty beyond Emmett Murphy to take the lead for the first time.
A brace of points on the bounce for Kiltegan restored the lead. Kiltegan went down to 14 just before half-time, losing Ciaran Doyle on a black card, as Kiltegan led by a solitary point at the interval.
An Tochar should have added another major on the restart, however Niall Gaffney fired over the crossbar after a great pass in from Martin Gaffney.
John Keogh angled over a mighty score before Jeffrey Bermingham bombed over a trademark point to put Kiltegan in front just before the second water break.
Kiltegan were finding it hard to contain the Roundwood centre forward line. David Kavanagh turned on a sixpence and landed his first major with a sublime finish.
John O’Toole replied with a nice point for Kiltegan after great work by Darren Hobson. Again, David Kavanagh found himself in space deep inside the Kiltegan rearguard from a Graham Sutton pass and Kavanagh rifled home in the 53rd minute as An Tochar now led 3-5 to 1-7.
Another brace of majors quickly followed: Niall Gaffney added his second of the evening before the elegant wing forward, David Kavanagh, harvested his hat-trick with another sublime finish before the landed another brace of white flags to put somewhat of a gloss on the full-time score. ROUNDWOOD: Peter O’Toole; Luke Kenny, Eoghan Marah, Noel Power; Niall Byrne, John Kavanagh, Gavin Staunton (01); Martin Gaffney, Niall Gaffney (2-3, 1p); David Kavanagh (3-1), Johnny Tobin, Tom Kenna (0-1); Dale Brady, Mark Keenan (0-1), Graham Sutton. Subs: Hugh Kenna, Enda Kavanagh, Michael Kinsella, Colm O’Brien.
KILTEGAN: Emmett Murphy; Colm O’Connor (0-1), Gavin Keogh, Jamie Daly; Mark Ryan, Niall Foley, Ciaran Doyle; Joey Maher (0-1), Christy O’Toole; John Whelan, Liam Kennedey, Des Foley (1-0); Laurence Murphy, Darren Hobson (0-1, 1f), Philip Penrose (0-1). Subs: Stephen Corrigan, Paul Boland, John Keogh (0-1), Jeffrey Bermingham (0-1), John O’Toole (0-1). REFEREE: Jason Smyth