O’Tooles 2-13 Castleknock 3-7

It started as a lovely morning in Blunden Drive with the pitch in fantastic condition. It’s been a while since O’Tooles won a football championship at any grade and there was a great crowd out to watch this Minor E Football Championship final v Castleknock. O’Tooles were without expert marksman Luke Webster who picked up an ankle injury last week. Luke had been top scorer in many of the other matches earlier in the campaign.

The game Started at a frenetic pace with both teams running at each other with some great passages of play and attractive attacking football. The pace never let up for the entire 60 minutes.

In the first five minutes Castleknock seemed to be on top in midfield and the forwards and O’Tooles were struggling to keep possession. Castleknock scored a well worked goal at the 5 minute mark after working the ball through the lines.

7 minutes in, Aaron Cooling delivered a 40 meter pass to Conn Rock who flicked it on to free man Luke Gifford who was dragged down. The Ref gave a penalty which was calmly dispatched to the net by Midfielder Jason O’Reilly

Castleknock worked the kick out straight up the pitch to convert a nice point. O’Tooles were now starting to come more into the match. Aaron Keating was starting to pull all of the strings around the middle of the pitch. A ball from him to Conn Rock and on to Sean Maher who took a tidy point saw the score at 1-2 to 1-1 after 10 minutes.

On the 14 minute mark Castleknock strung a long line of passes together and worked the ball right into the O’Tooles net.  A mistake from the resulting kick out saw Castleknock turn over possession and add another point. With that, the ref blew for the first water break:  The score O’Tooles 1-1 Castleknock 2-3

Immediately upon the restart, Castleknock piled on the pressure by adding another goal. O’Tooles were now 8 points down.

O’Tooles now dug deep and the momentum of the game was to change entirely. Where Castleknock had been dominating in midfield, Ben McGibney and Aaron Keating were now getting on top. Aaron added three points in 5 minutes and paddy Smith kicked a free.

On 27 minutess, Luke Gifford won a free after winning possession of a hopping ball 21 yards out andPaddy Smith converted the resuting free.  Luke Gifford then got on another delivery from Aaron Cooling and sent a high loopy ball from 40 yards out over the bar.

O’Tooles are now firing on all cylinders – Cian Davey and Karol Elliott were winning everything in the backs and the inside forward line of Conn Rock and Luke Gifford was on fire winning ball after ball. On 29 mins, Conn Rock gets the point of the match after Jason O’Reilly had covered all of 50 meters on a solo run and passed the ball into him.

Right on the stroke of half time Aaron Keating beat 3 Castleknock players and delivered a great pass to Luke Gifford who rattled the net. Half time is blown, 2-8 to 3-4, O’Tooles a point up.