Simonstown Gaels revived their hoganstand.com SFC title bid with a big win over Wolfe Tones at O'Mahonys on Friday evening.

Simonstown Gaels 1-17
Wolfe Tones 2-5

Eamon O'Brien's men came into this Group C fixture on the back of losses against Dunshaughlin and Dunboyne but finished with nearly three times as many scores as their neighbours.

The 'Gaels put down a significant deposit on the points in the run-up to half-time when they outscored Darren Fay's charges by 1-5 to 0-0.

That scoring burst, spearheaded by Shane Barry's contribution of 1-4, boosted Simonstown to a 1-10 to 1-3 interval advantage.

Wolfe Tones - who came into this fixture on the back of wins over Blackhall Gaels and Dunshaughlin - were without county man Eoghan Harrington - absent through injury.

However, they were boosted by a Fiachra Ward goal within three minutes of the restart to leave just four points between the sides.

Despite the assistance of the elements, Wolfe Tones were outscored by 0-2 to 0-7 over the remainder of the hour while the dismissal of their long-serving midfielder Stephen Corrigan near the end - on a second yellow card - had no bearing on the outcome.

While Barry made a significant contribution to Simonstown's second quarter scoring burst, it was Sean Tobin who took over that mantle in the 15 minutes following resumption adding four points and assisting in getting Mark McCabe on the scoresheet.

When minute Declan Gaffney pointed in the 44th minute the 15/8 outsiders before the off were nine points to the good, 1-16 to 2-4.

An indication of how the fixture flatlined in the final quarter is that just two further scores were produced, one for each side.

A highlight of the final quarter was a fine save by Simonstown 'keeper Robert Burlingham from sub Conor Fahy at the expense of a 45. It yielded the 'Tones final score courtesy of Cian Ward in the 56th minute.

The Tones' talisman finished with 1-4, all from placed balls while his younger brother Fiachra chipped with 1-1 from play.

With more to lose, Simontown took the game to the Tones from off and within five minute had 0-3 on the board. A foul on David O'Neill led to a penalty which Cian Ward netted to tie the scores, 1-0 to 0-3, after six minutes.

The teams were tied three times in the opening 22 minutes. The final time being when Barry responded to Wolfe Tones' sole score from play in the first half.

Fiachra Ward's 20th minute point gave Wolfe Tones the lead, 1-3 to 0-5, for the only time in the game. Shane Barry's telling contribution was highlighted a 26th minute goal that left it 1-7 to 1-3 and Simonstown never looked back.

Fiachra Ward's goal came when Simonstown 'keeper Robert Burlingham failed to collect a Cian Ward delivery and the Wolfe Tones number 10 forced the ball to the net.

Simonstown responded with five scores on the bounce to secure their first points of the campaign. An added bonus for the north Navan outfit was the return of Shane O'Rourke as a second-half sub following a long lay-off with injury.

Wolfe Tones - David Nolan; Shane Glynn, Ciaran McLoughlin, David Coleman; Stephen Sheppard, Niall McLoughlin, Mark Coleman; Stephen Corrigan, Alan Callaghan; Fiachra Ward (1-1), David O'Neill, Paddy Caffrey; Alan Callaghan; Eanna Harrington, Cian Ward (1-4, 0-3fs, 0-1 45), Niall McLoughlin. Subs - Eanna Harrington for Caffrey (40), Conor Fahy for Fiachra Ward (46).

Simonstown - Robert Burlingham; Niall McMahon, Eanna Donoghue, Shane McGivney; Ciaran Kenny, Seamus Kenny, Stephen O'Reilly; Declan Gaffney (0-2), Conor Sheridan; Sean Tobin (0-5, 2fs), Niall McMahon; Pauric McKeever (0-3); Shane Barry (1-5, 0-5 fs); Joe Lyons, Mark McCabe (0-1), Stephen Moran (0-1). Subs - Shane O'Rourke for McCabe (45), Colin Wickham for Donoghue (59).

Referee - Padraig Coyle (Seneschalstown). Tweet

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