Slaney secure Premier Division return after easing to title success
Bernard Mullen (vice chairman CDFL) presents the Tully's Travel Division 1 Cup to Slaney Rovers captain Eoin Curran.
All eyes were on the Burrin Road on Sunday morning to see if there would be one last twist in the tale of the Tullys Travel Division One title race that over the past month has taken so many different turns.
Slaney had led for so much of the season, and after their win against Baltinglass in February, looked set to go on and win the division with relative ease. But back-to-back defeats for the Rathvilly side against Kilree and Baltinglass brought the Wicklow side back into the race, and just a week ago, they had it in their hands.
However, a draw for Baltinglass against St. Pat’s B midweek, coupled with Slaney’s win over Ballymurphy, meant that it was Slaney who just had to win against New Oak B to bridge a seven-year gap to win the Division One title after winning it in the 2018/19 season.
They won it with relative ease, cruising to a win over the Town side who have shown potential at times this season, drawing with Baltinglass twice. Dylan Mahoney’s hat-trick, his third hat-trick in eight days, went a long way to deciding the winner of the tie, the man who’s winning the Golden Boot this season has been a force to be reckoned with, finishing up with 18 goals for the season. New Oak struggled and never got into the game. Their keeper, Shaun Geoghegan, was their best player and kept them in the game early on. Once the first goal went in, though, you knew it was going to be a long morning for New Oak.
Slaney showed their intent early on as Dylan Mahoney was played through on goal, but Geoghegan came rushing out of his goal to save. Five minutes later, Jake Elliott found himself in space down the right and hit an effort goalwards, but it was cleared off the line. Mahoney had an effort saved as Geoghegan got his foot to the ball.
Midway through the half, a long ball from Kyle Byrne found Mahoney on the edge of the box, and he composed himself before volleying the ball into the back of the net to give Slaney the lead, and it was nothing more than they deserved.
Keith Curran saw his effort from the right palmed over the bar by Geoghegan. However, just after the half-hour mark, a Matthew Fisher corner from the left bounced around the box before ultimately being headed in by Adam Byrne to double the lead. Mahoney had an effort saved.
Just before half-time, Mahoney got onto the end of a Fisher cross from the left and slotted home for 3-0, and Slaney were well on their way to lifting the Division One trophy. Mahoney had another effort saved.
Mahoney needed just three minutes after half-time to complete his hat-trick as Byrne played him through down the right and he scooped an effort over the ‘keeper to make it 4-0.
Rob Ryan got into the action as he got onto the end of a Jake Elliott ball and fired into the back of the net for the fifth goal.
With 17 minutes left, 41-year-old Dan O’Brien was played through down the right, and he scooped the ball into the bottom left-hand corner, before turning provider for Cormac Byrne, who made it seven two minutes later.
Slaney won a penalty in what turned out to be the final kick of the game with captain Eoin Curran stepping up to fire home, ensuring that his side can look forward to Premier Division football next season.
Shaun Geoghegan; Darragh Redmond; Keenan Geoghegan; Stephen Lacey; Lee Kane; Corey Connolly; Jordan O’Brien; Keelan Brennan; David Jarmakow; Darren O’Keeffe; Brandon Doyle.
Jack Redmond, Ajay Core, Scott Lawlor, Ben Coakley, Dan Hayden Donovan.
Regan Murphy; Kyle Byrne; Keith Slye; Eoin Curran; Adam Byrne; Conor O’Brien; Matthew Fisher; Rob Ryan; Dylan Mahoney; Jake Elliott; Luke Byrne.
Conor Byrne, Kyle Lawlor, Dan O’Brien, Rob O’Neill, AdamLawlor, Brian Goulding, Keith Curran.
Joe Byrne.
