Tones take the title
Wolfe Tones finished the season on a winning note when they proved too resourceful for Simonstown Gaels in the A FL Div 1 final today at Páirc Tailteann where they recorded a 0-14 to 0-9 victory.
The Tones had two early wides on the board and there was also a spate of yellow cards and even a minor scuffle before the deadlock was broken in the 10th minute.
Simonstown duo Nicky O'Brien and Seamus Kenny along with Cian O'Neill from the Tones were picked out by referee Colm McManus after that little spat that was followed by a burst of points.
Thomas O'Reilly and Cian Ward (free) were on target for the Tones with Conor Sheridan and Nathan O'Brien countering for Gaels by the end of the first-quarter.
The highlight of that period was a mighty piece of fielding by Shane O'Rourke who claimed the ball under his own crossbar from a Cian Ward free.
The tempo increased subsequently, but accuracy was a problem for the Tones who added three points and three wides with Padraig Diamond, Cian O'Neill and Daniel O'Neill splitting the posts while Simonstown stayed in touch, after leading beriefly, with points from Padraig Mc Keever (free) and Nicky O'Brien.
The Tones enjoyed a 0-5 to 0-4 interval advantage and kept that margin intact after Cian Ward and McKeever (free) were each on target in the opening minute of the second-half.
Tones extended the lead through a brace from Niall McLoughlin and three Cian Ward points, two frees and a '45' for a 0-11 to 0-6 third-quarter advantage.
Shane O'Rourke's solo effort ignited the Simonstown challenge with McKeever and Nathan O'Brien adding to the tally.
However, Tones found enough to muster a response and it was the ultra-reliable Cian Ward who provided the spark with two points in a minute, one from a '45' and then an opportunist effort following the Simonstown kick-out.
Thomas O'Reilly added another point and all the Gaels could muster for the remainder was Nathan O'Brien point with five minutes remaining.
Tones picked up two black cards near the end with Saran O Fionnagáin and substitute Brughach O Fionnagáin exiting ahead of schedule.
For Saran O Fionnagáin it was a frustrating hour during which he had a lot of opposition players pulling and dragging out of him.
Simonstown's Niall McMahon picked up a yellow card for his efforts to curtail the Tones forward.