Tallaght Town march on

TALLAGHT Town AFC booked their place in the quarter final of the DDSL Under 13 Gerry Murphy Cup at the expense of Lucan United, when they met in Airlie Heights last Saturday reports John Mooney.

On the day the Town were just about deserving winners as they managed the effects of a very strong swirling wind, and took the chances that came their way.

There wasn’t long before the first goal arrived in this contest, just under 10 minutes, and it set the visitors up for the remainder of the game.

Centre back Jack Murphy was the provider, when his perfect pass to Callum Byrne set the striker up for a chance he was never going to turn down.

I know it was early days but it meant that the home side had to chase the game, and chase they did but to no avail.

Lucan United’s Jamie Sargent attempts to win the ball back from Tallaght Town’s James Gilligan Photos by John Mooney

In all honesty their best chance in the opening half fell to King Utuke, when Robert Barden twisted and turned in the area and slipped the ball into his path, but he fired just over the bar.

While, at the other end, they survived a scare as keeper Tadgh Merriman spilled a shot from Alex Purdey, but managed to grasp from crossing the goal line to keep the score at 1-0 going into the break.

The second half started with a bang as both sides hit a bar in the space of a minute, first when the Town’s Kyle Macky hit the upright, then as the ball was moved quickly down the other end Jamie Sargent controlled a high ball, took a touch, but saw his effort also hit the upright.

As this game wore on the next goal was always going to be crucial, and with 10 minutes remaining Tallaght netted their insurance goal when Byrne bagged his second, after Phelim Behan picked him out with a nice cross, to more or less put paid to any kind of comeback that Lucan might have mustered.