Leahy hoping to help Towers to the next level
By Hayden Moore
ROUND TOWERS are coming into the Adult Football League bolstered by the appointment of two-time Dublin Championship winner Kevin Leahy as their manager.
The Clondalkin club will travel to take on Scoil Ui Chonaill in Leahy’s hometown, Clontarf, this Saturday night in what will be his first match in charge of an adult team.
Round Tower senior footballers
“Traditionally [Scoil Ui Chonaill] are a very good side, I know from playing with Kickhams how strong they are,” Leahy told The Echo.
“They’re the top team in their club and every time you play a team that is the top team, their highest ranked team, you’re going to have your work cut out for you.
“I’m not going to be placing a huge amount of expectation on the players, because it’s only the first game, but if they are improving game on game moving towards the championship then I’ll be happy.”
Originally with Clontarf, Leahy made the move to Ballymun Kickhams in 2007.
A Player Welfare Manager with the GAA, Leahy won two Dublin Championships with the ‘Mun and hung up his playing boots after the latest win in 2020.
Having garnered some experience alongside Ballymun and Dublin legend Paddy Christie managing Dublin City University, he felt the timing was right to test the waters on his own.
He was appointed manager of Round Tower last November, with Mark Healy swapping to manage the club’s second team.
“We had three sessions done in December with the lads before we were locked down and they’ve been doing their programmes since then,” Leahy explained.
“We have a challenge game, so that will really be the first time I can have a look at the lads.
“What I like to do is try develop good habits and then you can focus on other things, but if your habits are right then you’re on the right track.
“You could be two or three games into championship before we know our best 15.
“With the facilities in the club and players, who are all committed, I would argue that everything is there to move up a level.
“They were beaten in the semi-final of the championship by St Finbar’s last year and they went on to win it, so we’re not a million miles away.”
The Clondalkin outfit has a heap of young players ready to step up the mark while the likes of Mick Hollows and Ian Ward, whom Leahy played alongside with the Dublin Minors in 2003/04, are still knocking about the squad.
Grouped together with Templeogue Synge Street, Na Fianna, St Anne’s, Kilmacud Crokes and St Oliver Plunkett’s, Towers will not be short of tests over the summer as the Division Two South league plays out.
Elsewhere on Saturday at 6.30pm, Templeogue will host Na Fianna in Dolphin Park while St Anne’s will travel to take on Kilmacud Crokes in Silver Park.
