Towers squeeze past Rathangan by a point

IFC Group B

Round Towers 2-5

Rathangan 0-10

Round Towers gave themselves a chance of progressing in The Auld Shebeen Athy IFC (Round 2) with this one point win over Rathangan side that were chasing the game througout but were right there in it at the death. Towers, who lost their opener to Caragh by a single point, this time came off best by the same margin.

The opening half was a real slow burner as we had to wait until the 12 minute before Ross Teahan opened for Rathangan.

A clash minutes into the game saw Muiris Curtin (Rathangan) and Liam McDonald (Round Towers) both requiring treatment; the former was forced off for a blood injury, bur returned, and while the latter played on he did so for just a few miutes before being forced to retire with what looked lika shoulder injury.

Towers replied to that opening point a few minutes later, that after hitting five wides before raising their first white flag, corner back, Sean Glennon showing his forwards where the posts were.

Mark Waters made it 0-2 to 0-1 before Towers took a decisive lead when Mark Waters sent in a high ball; up went Rathngan keeper Josh Smullen along with Max Cosgrove from Towers and when the ball broke between the two it was Cosgrove who got the touch to force it over the line to leave it Round Towers 1-2 Rathangan 0-1 after 18 minutes.

David Kelly stretched the lead with a point before Ben Murphy hit an excellent left footed effort to make it 1-3 to 0-2.

Ross Teahan and Sam Savage, a free, reduced the lead and just on the break Savage fired over a second free to leave the half-time score reading: Round Towers 1-3 Rathangan 0-5.

All to play for on a lovely evening for a championsip game although it get somewhat chilly as the night wrore on.

David Kelly increased the lead after 37 minutes and when DJ Flynn came through the middle at pace, he was fouled and Jay O'Brien fired over the resultlant free to make it 1-5 to 0-5 on six minutes.

Towers were doing well around the middle where Jamie Flynn made some fine fetches throughout.Sam Savage, who was very accurate from placed balls, got one from open play to reduce the game but Rathangan were hit with a big blow on 42 minutes when Michael Murphy gained possession from a kick-out, carried before finding the bottom corner of the Rathangan net to make it 2-5 to 0-6.

The accurate Sam Savage reduced the lead as Rathangan went about cutting back that lead and between that point in the 47 minute and the end they managed to raise three more white flag from Rian Teahan, and two frees from Savage to reduce the lead to a single point and while Towers failed to score in the final 18 minutes plus, they had enough in the bank, just enough, as they held on to record this vital by the slimmest of margin — 2-5 to 0-19.

Probably the best team won but no doubt Towers will have to improve their scoring performances with a wide count that went into double figures.

Rathangan play Caragh in the final round and their hopes of advancing don't look very good at this stage.

Scorers: Round Towers, Max Cosgrave 1-0, Michael Murphy 1-0, David Kelly 0-2, Mark Waters 0-1, David Kelly 0-1, Jay O'Brien 0-1 (free).

Rathangan, Sam Savage 0-6 (5 frees), Ross Teahan 0-2, Ben Murphy 0-1, Rian Teahan 0-1.

ROUND TOWERS: Brian Robinson; Sean Glennon, Michael Joyce, Mikey Kelly; David O'Neill, Jack O'Neill, DJ Flynn; Liam McDonald, Jamie Flynn; David Kelly, Jay O'Brien, Jason O'Brien; Michael Murphy, Mark Waters, Max Cosgrave. Subs: Cathal Daffy for Liam McDonald (8 minutes); Neil Scanlon for Jason O'Brien (25 minutes); Aaron McConville for Jay O'Brien (52 minutes); Shane McQuillan for David O'Neill (63 minutes).

RATHANGAN: Josh Smullen; Alex O'Kelly, Dan Mulpeter, Dan Mulpeter, Shane O'Loughlin; Mark Fitzsimons, Michael Fitzsimons, Felim Doyle; Rian Teahan, Ben Murphy; Sean Behan, Ross Teahan, Stefan Lawlor; Sam Savage, Muiris Curtin, Aaron Mullins. Subs: Tadgh Fluskey for Muiris Curtin (b.s. 6-12 minute); Oisin O'Loughlin for Alex O'Reilly (24 minutes); Tadhg Fluskey for Felim Doyle (45 minutes); Alex Conlan for Sean Behan (45 minutes).

REFEREE: Alan Archbold.