Injury- hit Mearnóg bow out
Round Towers ( C) 1-12 Naomh Mearnóg 0-9 AN understrength Mearnóg team, who were missing former All Star Shane Ryan and underage stars Kevin O'Brien, Morgan O'Reilly and Jamie Walsh put up a brave show before a late Mick Hallows penalty ended their involvement in this year's championship.
Mearnóg go into to the relegation play-off draw tonight, hoping like most teams to avoid Division 1 outfit Parnells who were surprise losers to Trinity Gaels on Saturday.
Mearnóg had trailed by four points early on following scores from Towers stalwarts, Jonathan O'Brien, Ian Ward and Hallows.
However, Mearnóg rallied towards the end of the half, with Michael Gibbs ( older brother Robbie joined him in the full forward line, having lined out for the seconds the previous night) and Stephen McHale pointing to leave it at 0-6 to 0-4 at the break.
However, points from their prolific free taker Andy Sheppard coupled with additional points from Ronan O'Reilly and Micheal Gibbs, saw Mearnóg rattle off five points without reply before Hallows landed a late penalty to kill off the tie. ROUND TOWERS CLONDALKIN: K Graham; Derek Murray, J McCarthy, N Byrne; I Ward 0-1, S Halpin, B Keane 0-1; L Connolly, Damien Murray; J Joyce, M Hallows 1-2 ( 10 pen), D Mackin; P Clifford 0-2, J O'Brien 0-1f, C Carr 0-4 ( 0-2f). Subs: B McLaughlin for Mackin ( 36), E Moran for Damien Murray ( 49), E Moore for Joyce ( 58). NAOMH MEARNÓG: Sean Kenny; Francis Doyle, Ronan Colreavy, Ray Kenny; Eoin Byrne, Colm Fahy, Ryan O'Sullivan; Declan O'Reilly, Francis McGowan; Andy Sheppard 0-6 ( 0-4f), Stephen McHale 0-1, Michael Gibbs 0-2, Aidan Kenny, Ronan O'Neill, Robert Gibbs. Subs: Ronan O'Reilly for R Gibbs ( 28), R Lenihan for R Kenny ( ht), A Brennan for Colreavy ( 36), Graham Rusk for O'Neill ( 39). REFEREE: S Finucane.
