Junior Football Wicklow Avondale vs Hollywood

 

Junior B Football Championship

Avondale 0-12

Hollywood 0-10

Eoin Horkan

Avondale

 

After a forty-five minute delay due to a change of venue it was the home side Avondale who managed to beat visitors Hollywood on Thursday nights under lights in Rathdrum.

This long wait to start off the game didn’t affect the visitors Hollywood as they raced into an early three point lead. It was centre forward Thomas Kelly who opened his sides account from play. Hollywood were winning the midfield battle and this led to them giving direct ball into full forward Keith Peppard who fired over a mark and a free for his side. The home side responded with a free from centre forward Cian Ward who narrowed the gap halfway through the half.  It was Peppard who was the main threat as he collected a ball before using the outside of his boot to split the posts again.

Avondale were finally starting to control the ball as they started to win  the breaks around the middle. This led to wing forward Jack Manley breaking though the defence to raise a white flag. With the game heading to the half time whistle the home side pushed forward through centre back Shane Byrne who started and finished a flowing move with a well taken score. The final point  of the half came from the visitors as Shane Ruane landed a long range mark to leave two between the sides at the break.

Avondale’s game plan of using a two man inside forward line which  hadn’t worked in the first half started to pay dividends  early into the second term as Jack Manley profited with a free before full forward Shane Farrar levelled the tie. The home side were starting to get some more impetuous off the bench as Callum Pursey slotted over an outrageous effort from a narrow angle. The visitors weren’t behind for long as Liam Callanan fired over a free against the run of play. With the game hanging in the balance Avondale flew down the wing but were fouled in what looked like a unfavourable position for a free taker. Ryan Kenny made light work of this angle giving his side the lead again. From the resulting kick out the ball landed in the arms of Ciaran Tyrell whose ling range effort flew just inside the upright.

The final ten minutes of this game turned into a score fest as anything either side hit seemed to go over the bar. Avondale struck first through the aforementioned Byrne at centre back  before Peppard levelled with another dead ball .This ling ball game from the home side was causing more and more problems as the game went on as full forward Farrar added two minores in quick succession before Kelly narrowed the gap to the minimum again. The home side finished the tie with two more frees from Ward with a solitary response from the boot of Keith Traynor.

 

Avondale: Ray Nolan; Kieran Penn, Kevin Sheehan, Rossa Merry O’ Sullivan; Kevin Fitzpatrick, Shane Byrne (0-2), Ryan Kenny (0-1f); Conor Sheehan, Karl Phelan; Jack Manley(0-2 1f), Cian Ward(0-4 3fs), Anthony Byrne; Christopher Sillery, Shane Farrar (0-2), Seamus McGraynor.

Subs Used: Kevin Busher for Kevin Sheehan, Seán Bailey Johnson for Kevin Busher, Callum Pursey (0-1) for Seamus McGraynor.

Hollywood: Garrett Bell; Dan Coyne, Seán O’ Keefe, Ciarán Corrigan; Paul Kelly, Kevin Cullen, Eoin Clarke; Andrew Corrigan, Kevin Murphy; Liam Callanan(0-1f), Thomas Kelly (0-2), Keith Burke; Shane Ruane(0-1m), Keith Peppard(0-4 2fs 1m), Keith Traynor(0-1).

Subs Used: Niall Clarke for Shane Ruane, Ciarán Tyrell(0-1) for Seán O' Keefe for Keith Burke,