By Mike Fitzpatrick
Astoria 1-14, Rockland 0-5
Junior B football made an appearance at Gaelic Park this weekend as the senior divisions are taking something of a short break due to so many of New York’s top players taking part in the All-Ireland competition this week.
It was a dreadful pity, though, that the rotten weather kept the crowds away from Gaelic Park, because Astoria put up a fine display of football in defeating one of the stronger sides in the division by a healthy margin of 12 points. Astoria performed extremely well in the difficult conditions, and must surely be at least one of the favorites for championship glory this season. Rockland have gotten their campaign off to a bad start having been defeated by Monaghan last week, and now to Astoria.
The lads from Queens began this encounter by attacking from the start with Mike Dolan grabbing a brace of early points, followed shortly afterward by efforts from Paul Bruin and substitute Mike Keane. Paul Rowley, arguably Rockland’s best player on the day, replied for his side, but it soon became apparent that Astoria were not prepared to take any prisoners, and continued to gather the points and building up a healthy lead going into the break.
Astoria proved today that they obviously have the players to inflict some serious damage upon their opponents in this division, and those of the caliber of Paul Bruin in midfield, Derek McKenna up front, Mike Dolan the attacking defender and backs such as Dan Harrington and Brendan Doyle, will surely propel this exciting side toward the latter stages of the competition. Rockland, though, did provide some scoring of their own, but too much emphasis was placed upon the shoulders of Paul Rowley.
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Rowley proved that his free taking is of the required standard, and when moving forward, he was always likely to get on the scoresheet. His fellow forwards, Mike Leech, Kevin Wrath and Sean Sorohan, though all proven point scorers, could not find an adequate way of penetrating the resilient Astoria defense. The Queens side will be glad to have gotten this one out of the way, and in particular, to have taken two points from such a previously fancied side as Rockland.
Astoria: Eugene Kyne, Dan Harrington, Brendan Doyle, Mike Dolan (1-5), Conor Corbett, Pat Mulrey, John Byrne, Paul Bruin (0-3), Sam Yore (0-2), David Cauldwell, Derek McKenna (0-1), Mark Burke, Joe Butler, Enda O’Flaherty, James Dolan. Subs: Mike Keane (0-3), Gerry O’Brien, Alan Daly, Jimmy Curley.
Rockland: Tom Buhler, Martin O’Flynn, Finnian Owens, Mike Madden, Pat Yorke, Dermot Yorke, Tom Connolly, Paul Rowley (0-5), Ray Conway, Dan McNulty, Kevin Wrath, Mike Leech, Jim Cullenon, Sean Sorohan, Richie Gavin. Subs: Kevin Kaine, John Dunne.
May 26-June 1, 1999