Cleary pounces late to cap off stirring O’Dwyer’s comeback
O’DWYER’S delivered a storming finish to eke out a narrow 0-10 to 1-6 victory over Geraldine Morans in their Dublin Adult Football League Division 10 final in Cornelscourt on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors opened the scoring through a fifth-minute free from Colm O’Reilly, but the hosts soon found their range and struck three successive points, shared by John Doyle and Donal McEnery.
With Jim McGrath especially solid at full-back and Micheál Curtin making inroads from wing-back, Geraldine Morans maintained control and opened up a sizeable advantage as the tireless Pádraig Flynn netted in the 24th minute.
Crucially, O’Dwyer’s responded admirably to this setback with defenders Niall Tuckey and Luke Ryan to the fore, and points by Emmet McCarroll and O’Reilly ensured they trailed by just 1-3 to 0-4 at the interval.
Despite Doyle inching Morans further ahead within seconds of the restart, the surging runs of Jamie Lawlor were beginning to pay off for O’Dwyer’s, and they reduced their arrears through a Connor Cleary brace.
TOWERING
The ebb and flow was maintained as McEnery and towering midfielder Dickie Young added points for Geraldine Morans, but O’Reilly’s dead-ball prowess ensured that O’Dwyer’s remained in contention as they entered the closing stages.
A stunning save from Neil Costello denied the visitors a goal in the 53rd minute, but O’Reilly struck his fourth point of the afternoon soon after as O’Dwyer’s midfield began to assume control of the contest.
Their influence proved telling in a dramatic conclusion as Cleary kicked the winning scores, prompting a lengthy journey home for the Balbriggan club’s players and supporters.
O’Dwyer’s: P O’Donoghue; L Ryan, N Tuckey, PJ Gallagher; J Lawlor, C Cawley, D Boyne; R Faherty, J Andrews; M Jewells, P Quinn, C O’Reilly; E McCarroll, P Crawford, C Cleary. Subs: D Thompson, M Levins, A Howley, I Cawley, D Comerford, J O’Brien, S O’Carroll.
Geraldine Morans: N Costello; N Carlin, J McGrath, K McCabe; M Curtin, K Guerin, L McCabe; D Young, E O’Brien; D McEnery, P Flynn, C Mac Stiofáin; O Gill, E Mac Maoilir, J Doyle. Subs: C Scollard, D Hussey, G Callery, D Lavelle, J Ahern.
Source: Evening Herald
