NACB Roundup Wolfe Tones footballers too strong for Parnells

By Eamonn Kelly

North American League Champions Wolfe Tones booked their passage to the final of the Central Division after serving up a determined display of football which their Parnells counterparts fought to contain. Overall, this senior game game lacked the sparkle of the previous meeting between the teams, in which Parnells were victorious. The final score was Wolfe Tones 0-17, Parnells 0-7.

Such was the Wolfe Tone’s dominance in this game that they held Parnells scoreless from play for 43 minutes, with Parnells five points up to this stage coming from frees by their sharpshooter David Shields.

Rory Mone opened the scoring for Wolfe Tones shortly after the throw-in. A point by Shields from a free within two minutes tied the game for the first and only time. Wolfe Tones then took control scoring seven consecutive points registered by Garry Mason (2), Rory Mone (2), Graham Geraghty (2) and Garry Mason.

Trailing by eight points, Parnells generated a successful rally in the final moments of the first half which resulted in two points from frees by Shields, leaving the interval score Wolfe Tones 0-9, Parnells 0-3.

The Tones maintained control on the turnover, keeping Parnells scoreless from play until the 44th minute when Jason Reilly scored a fine point from a 35-yard range. Substitute James Gill followed with a similar score but later points by Bernard Keaney, Peter O’Dwyer and Mason assured the champions of a well-deserved victory and a place in the divisional final.

All is not lost for Parnells as they play St. Brendan’s next Sunday with the winners going on to play Wolfe Tones in the divisional final on Aug. 20.

Senior Hurling

Bolands 3-18, Erins Own 0-13

A two-goal burst in as many minutes midway through the fourth quarter from substitute Brian Greene sealed victory for Harry Bolands over Erins Own in this mediocre senior hurling game at Gaelic Park last Sunday.

With only one series of games left in the four-team league to establish the semifinal pairing, very little was at stake in this encounter. Consequently the game never went into top gear.

The closeness of the scoring for close to 50 minutes helped maintain the interest of the hurling fans that remained at the park for the final game of the day. After trailing in the opening minutes, Harry Bolands soon took control and the lead, which they never relinquished for the rest of the hour.

After Liam Walsh got the opening score for Erins Own, Harry Bolands countered with five consecutive points from Alan Geoghegan (2), Kevin Horan, Kieran Killine and Martin Comerford.

They maintained a 5- to 6-point lead for most of the first half until a late Erins Own rally reduced the gap to three points to make the interval score 0-8 to 0-5.

Erins Owns late scores came from Aidan Flanagan (2) and Cathal Murray. Murray opened the scoring in the second half to put just two points between the sides. However, Bolands took charge again and soon regained their 6-point lead following a minor score from their free taker Geoghegan and a goal by Killine in the 40th minute. Both teams exchanged points until Greene broke through for his two goals and finish the game as a contest.

Senior Hurling

Cúchulainn 4-17, Limerick 1-7

A powerful second-half display underlined Cúchulainn’s determination to atone for the previous Sunday’s substandard performance against Harry Bolands as they swept a weak Limerick side aside in a tame hurling game last Sunday. In that second period they out-shot Limerick, 2-8 to 0-1.

The rain that fell through much of the opening half led to conditions that were not conducive to good hurling and certainly contributed to a low scoring opening quarter.

Cúchulainn led by just five points at the interval, 2-8 to 1-6. Fran Forde and Sean Ryan accounted for 2-5 of Cúchulainn’s score in first half while Declan Rooney, Ollie Blanchfield and Carl Grant were the other point scorers.

For Limerick, Jim Ryan registered 1-2 with the other points coming from Brian O’Shea (3) and Pádraig Cronin. In a one-sided second half, Ford scored his second goal of the game in the 40th minute with Ryan adding his second ten minutes later.

Philadelphia

Intermediate Football

Kevin Barry’s 1-13, Tyrone 0-9

Despite the scoreline, this was a keenly contested game. Tyrone started this game at a blistering pace and were on top in all areas of the field. Leading by 3 points to 2 after 15 minutes, tragedy struck them when Garry Mullins their center forward was stretchered off with a serious leg injury.

Shortly after this, Kevin Barry’s got through for a fortuitous goal by Brian McGuckian to take a lead they never relinquished. Points followed from McGuckian and Malachy McVeigh and despite a couple of good Tyrone points by Barry Kelly, the half-time scored read Barry’s 1-7, Tyrone 0-4.

The second half started with Tyrone on top, with Barry Kelly adding to the score. But despite their best efforts they couldn’t get close enough to Barry’s, and with points from Brian McGuigan, Seamus Wylie, John Mullarkey, Kevin Barry’s soon pulled away to record to record 7 point victory. Tyrone will see the loss of Gary Mullins as having a significant bearing on the outcome of this game.

Junior Football

Donegal 3-16, Derry 1-4

The scoreline tells the story. A hungrier Donegal team easily accounted for Derry in this junior game. With Noel Doherty and Michael Campbell in defense and Tommy Higgins and Shane McClafferty at midfield and the experienced Dermot O’Donnell, Aidan Corr and Seamus Sweeney in attack on fire, this result was never in doubt.