Michael Lyng Senior Football Championship

Group 1

Mount Leinster 2-10

Tinryland 1-9

At Netwatch Cullen Park

By John Whelan

2015 League champions Mount Leinster Rangers have started their championship campaign in impressive fashion with a four point victory over Tinryland. The Tinryland men had led by a point at half time but a composed second half from the Mount Leinster men which saw two goals in ten minutes was enough to hand MLR a significant victory.

It was an energetic start for both teams with a goal chance each inside the first two minutes. Mark Dempsey beat Thomas Brennan in the MLR goal but Edward Byrne prevented the ball from crossing the line. A MLR 45 dropped short and Diarmuid Byrne was very unlucky to see his fisted effort drift wide. MLR saw an attack turn into defence when Cian Lawler turned the ball over for Tinryland swiftly followed by Gary Kelly winning the ball back for MLR.

Edward Byrne opened the score with a converted free to give MLR the lead, Tinryland replied through a Diarmaid Walshe point after a long range delivery from Glen Doyle. MLR took the lead once more when Chris Nolan found Edward Byrne in front of the terrace and he slotted it over. Chris Nolan was in on goal but a swarm of Tinryland jerseys won the ball back.

Diarmaid Walshe scooped the ball over the bar to level the sides after he showed great skill to get past Richard Coady. MLR lost the ball in attack to Diarmaid Walshe deep inside his own half, he broke quickly and found Mark Lawler who was brought to the ground and referee Paud O’ Dwyer showed Padraig Bambrick a black card. Tinryland outnumbered MLR’s solitary forward Denis Roche four to one on one attack as they began to control possession and cut off the supply to the MLR forward line.

A lapse in concentration from a MLR kickout led to Glen Doyle slotting the ball over the bar after a selfless Diarmaid Walshe pass and Tinryland led. MLR continued to look dangerous when they got the ball in the final third and a Chris Nolan pass found Diarmuid Byrne who narrowly blasted the ball wide. Paul Coady found the leveller for MLR after a Diarmuid Byrne pass. Tinryland blitzed MLR with Cathal O’Toole pointing, another MLR mistake inside their own half led to Glen Doyle doubling the Tinryland lead inside sixty seconds. Diarmaid Walshe made it three points in ninety seconds to edge Tinryland into a commanding sudden lead.

Edward Byrne slotted two vital scores with a free and a 45 on the cusp of half time to bring Tinryland’s lead down to one.

Edward Byrne resumed the second half exactly where he left off with another free at the beginning of the second half to level the sides. Tinryland would not lead again in the game.

Chris Nolan give MLR the lead with a well worked point on thirty five minutes. Cian Lawler was introduced only for him to receive a black card two minutes later. Diarmuid Byrne won a ball from Paul Coady and dispatched it to the back of the net to give them a four point lead. Diarmaid Walshe capitalised on another MLR mistake and this time he held onto it himself and blasted it to the back of the net to put them right back into the game. Second half substitute Kevin McDonald showed that MLR were not going to be fazed by the Tinryland goal and he grabbed MLR’s second goal on forty seven minutes and restored the lead to four points. Cormac Walshe responded with a point but they failed to sustain possession.

Points from Diarmuid Byrne, Willie Hickey and Jack Murphy saw MLR close out the tie in composed fashion.

MLR

Thomas Brennan, Padraig Bambrick, Padraig Nolan, Brian Nolan, Richard Coady, John Coady, Gary Kelly, David Phelan, Edward Byrne(0-5 3f, 45), Paul Coady(0-1), Willie Hickey(0-1), Chris Nolan(0-1), Denis Roche, Diarmuid Byrne(1-1), Derek Byrne(0-1) Subs: Jack Murphy (0-1 in for Derek Byrne 55 mins), Conor Fenlon ( in for John Coady 42 mins), Michael Malone( in for Padraig Bambrick 14 mins) , Ted Joyce( in for Paul Coady 61 mins) , Kevin McDonald (1-0 in for Denis Roche 41 mins), Like Roche, Shane O’Neill, James Kelly, Niall Lynam, Dean Grennan, Daniel Ryan

Tinryland

Trevor O’ Reilly, Matthew O’ Toole, Mark Dempsey, Conor O’ Toole, , Shane Webb, Conor Byrne, Niall Barrett, Glen Doyle(0-2) , Keith Jackson, Danny Moran, Cian Moore, Cathal O’Toole(0-1), Diarmaid Walshe(1-4, 1f), Mark Lawler, Cormac Walshe (0-1) Subs: Kieran Byrne, John Paul Moore, Padraig Delaney, Cian Lawler( in for Niall Barrett 45 mins), Padraig Townsend, Paul Doyle( in for Cian Moore 55 mins), Jack Lowry, Niall Lowry( in for Cian Lawler 48 mins), Conor McGrath, Ciaran Larkin(0-1 in for Mark Lawler 24 mins), Andrew Hanley, Richard Whyte, John Dwyer( in for Keith Jackson 43 mins), Peter Doran, Adam Dunne, Gary Fields, Shane Redmond, Paul Broderick, Padraig Whelan