SFC: Gaels prevail in derby clash
May 23, 2014
Simonstown's Sean Tobin
Simonstown Gaels 1-11
Navan O'Mahonys 1-9
A ten-minute first-half scoring blitz that yielded 1-3 without reply to make it 1-7 to 0-2 heading towards the break proved decisive as Colm O'Rourke's charges made it three wins from as many starts in the campaign to displace their local rivals at the top of the group table.
For O'Mahonys it was a first defeat of the campaign and the leaking of their first goal in the group stages ultimately proved decisive. The Brews Hill men were forced to line out with injured county duo Kevin Reilly and Stephen Bray who were much missed.
Sean Tobin was Simonstown's marquee performer in attack and his 30th minute goal boosted the Gaels to a 1-8 to 0-4 interval advantage.
Simonstown - who bossed the opening half - nearly got in for a second goal before the break but Niall McKeigue prevented Mark McCabe's fisted effort from crossing the line.
Scores were less frequent in the second-half with the third quarter producing just two. When Paddy Smyth opened the second-half scoring he became the sixth O'Mahonys' player to register.
Simonstown led by eight points at one stage in the first-half. An improved second-half showing didn't yield significant scoring dividends for O'Mahonys until the 57th minute when Shane Gillespie netted after Ruairi O Coileain's effort was well-saved by Simonstown 'keeper Ronan Duffy.
Just two points then split the teams, 1-10 to 1-8, while O'Mahonys posted six second-half wides to Simonstown's three. Sub Stephen Moran pointed to settle the Gaels.
O'Mahonys needed a goal to salvage something from this fixture, a draw would have maintained top spot in the group. However, nearly five minutes of merited stoppage time only yielded a Gillespie point for them.
Eanna Donoghue got the ball rolling for Simonstown with a second minute point from a Nathan O'Brien assist. Ruairi O'Coileain levelled matters with the first of some well-taken scores from both sides .
Mark McCabe might have goaled when registering Simonstown's third point that left it 0-3 to 0-1 after 12 minutes. A Shane Barry free improved matters for the north Navan outfit.
David Bray's magnificent 14th minute effort into the town goal was the highlight of the opening half for the 2012 champions.
Simonstown's response was a purple patch that saw them post 1-3 without reply in a 10-minute spell. In addition to posting some fine scores, the tackling by Colm O'Rourke's men was top rate and contributed to their cause.
A fine fetch by Shane O'Rourke was the source of Simonstown's goal with Mark McCabe also contributing to the move which ended with Tobin netting to leave the nearby scoreboard reading 1-7 to 0-2.
O'Mahonys pulled three points back before the break with half-backs Shane Crosby and Gary O'Brien contributing in between an excellent effort from Gillespie.
Navan O'Mahonys - Marcas Brennan; Stephen O'Toole, Niall McKeigue, Stephen MacGabhann; James O'Reilly, Shane Crosby (0-2), Gary O'Brien (0-1); Damien Moran, Darragh Maguire; Ruairi O Coileain (0-1),Paddy Smyth (0-1), Shane Gillespie (1-2,1f); David Bray (0-2), Jake Regan, Sean Keating. Subs - Ian Matthews for O'Toole (21), Henry Finnegan for Keating (25), Alan Forde for Regan (ht), Ross Geraghty for MacGabhann (51), Darragh Smyth for Maguire (55).
Simonstown - Ronan Duffy; Stephen O'Reilly, Ian O'Rourke, Niall McMahon; Niall Kane, Eanna Donoghue (0-1), Colin Wickham; Declan Gaffney (0-1), Shane O'Rourke; Seamus Kenny, Shane Barry (0-3fs), Mark McCabe (0-2); Sean Tobin (1-2), Conor Sheridan, Nathan O'Brien (0-1). Subs - Padraig McKeever for Kenny (44), Andrew Kearney for Sheridan (51), Stephen Moran (0-1) for O'Brien (54), Mark Gardiner for Wickham (57).
Referee - David Gough (Slane). Tweet
