Simonstown 1—5 Wolfe tones 2—11
Our 2023 Senior championship ambitions were halted in Pairc Tailteann on Saturday evening by neighbours Wolfe Tones on the score line 2—11 to 1—5, their second goal was the last action of the match. Simonstown started brightly with points from play by Sean Tobin and Padraig McKeever to Simons 0—2 to 0—0 in front after five minutes. Tones started to have the better of the exchanges and two frees from Thomas O Reilly had levelled the game by the end of first quarter. Another O Reilly free and a Ben Hoey free for the Navan men left it level pegging at 0—3 each after 20 minutes. The next was decisive Alan Callaghan with long ball into the Simons square was won by Fiachra Ward and he finished to the net to put Tones 1--3 to 0—3 in on twenty-three minutes. The Kilberry lads added two more points (1F) and Ben Hoey replied with a free for Simons. As both teams headed for the dressing room the scoreboard read Tones 1—5 Simons 0—4.
Tones Sean Penny was stretchered off after accidental clash of heads on ten minutes and was later transferred to Beaumont Hospital by ambulance but thankfully was released and sent home later that night.
Simonstown suffered a massive loss when Padraig McKeever had to leave the action after 20 minutes with a knee injury
For the third quarter, defending became paramount for Tones and a young Simonstown team despite plenty of possession just couldn't break them down. Cian Ward converted a 45 to put Tones 1—6 to 0—4 at three quarter stage. Another O Reilly free followed by a good passage of play from Simonstown lads ended with Luke Caffrey evading his marker and rattling the Tones net to make 1—7 to 1—4 after twenty second half minutes. As Simonstown pushed on for scores, play opened up a bit and greatly experienced Tones on breaks added two more points from play. A flowing Simonstown move ended with Brian Conlon's rasping shot just going over the bar for the Navan men. In injury time a slick Tones team move resulted with Oisin Martin palming to the Simons net to leave final score Tones 2—11 Simons 1—5. It took 8 Wolfe Tones players to reach their scoring tally
Overall, a very satisfying year for Manager Gordon Ward, his selectors Eanna Donoghue, Joe Lyons and Terry Shiels. We finished fourth in Division 1 league and got to the quarter final of the Senior Championship after just avoiding relegation in both competitions last year.
Simons***Robbie Burlingham, Mark Devlin, Stephen Moran(Capt), Mark Gardiner....Brian McGrath, Josh Carolan, Michael Gavin...Shane Barry, Briain Conlan (0—1),....Jimmy Heaney, Padraig McKeever (0—1), Aaron Chinchilla....Aaron Farrelly, Sean Tobin (0—1)...Ben Hoey (0—2)2f.....
Subs***
Eoghan Gough /McKeever ..inj..(20ms).....Luke Caffrey (1—0)/A.Chinchilla (37)...Sean Conlon / A.Farrelly(45)....Andrew Kearney/ J.Heaney.(49).. Shane McEnery / B.Hoey (55).
Extended Panel***Peter Duffy..Tadgh Hanrahan..Shane Kavanagh..David McKeever.. Cody Chinchilla..Fionn O Hanluain..Robert Smith..Conor Staunton..Sean O Connell..Eddie Nash..Kyle McEvoy..Ruairi Brady..David Kavanagh..Jack Melia..Darragh Dooner..Nathan O Brien.. Sean O Connell..
W.Tones***Ciaran O Gallachoir..., Conor Shepherd(0—1), Shane Glynn, Gearoid O Brien,...Tom Gavigan, Daniel O Neill, Sean Penny, ...Alan Callaghan, Adam O Neill(0—1),...Niall O Reilly, Thomas O Reilly(0—4)4f, Stephen Shepherd(0—1),....Oisin Martin(1—0), Fiachra Ward(1—1), Cian Ward(0—2)1f,45.
Subs**Brughach O Fionnagain/ S.Penny (Inj..10ms).....Caolan Ward/Cian Ward (44), Alan Lynam(0—1)/ T.Gavigan(49)
