In what has turned out to be a great week for Brian Dillons, at the famous Ballinlough venue, their Junior (C) Football team qualified  for the final of the City Division Junior (C) Football Championship by virtue of a 3-13 to 1-7 victory over Rochestown ,on Tuesday evening, 11th September,2012.

                              Rochestown provided stiff opposition, especially in the first half, when some delightful ,fast and clever football was witnessed.  Brian Dillons began well and after fifteen minutes they were 0-4 to 0-1 ahead, with the Rochestown side wasting a lot of scoring opportunities through faulty shooting. They did, however, get the first goal,after twenty-two minutes which had them back on level terms, 1-2 to 0-5.   Rochestown added two further points which pushed them into the lead for the first time in the game but ,it was short-lived as Brian Dillons had levelled the scores in the ciosing minutes of the first -half with two points of their own to leave the half-time score reading, Brian Dillons, 0-7; Rochestown, 1-4.

                     A point in the first minute of the second-half pushed Rochestown ahead, once again, but, two minutes later , the impressive Kevin Allen had Brian Dillons back on level terms with a pointed free. It looked ,at this stage, that this game was going to go down to the wire , but a shrewd switch by the Brian Dillons mentors helped to turn the tide in their favour.  Rochestown had the upper hand at mid-field , up to this point, which saw their lively forwards getting a plentiful supply of the ball, but when Brian Dillons moved corner-forward, Damian Horgan out to the centre of the field, the trend of the game definitely began to change.. His constant work-rate began to show dividends, winning plenty of the ball and cutting off the supply to the Rochestown attack,as well as setting up numerous scoring opportunities for his own forwards.  And they did not disappoint. Three further points were added, one a beauty by James Varian, and then , their first goal arrived after forty -eight minutes when Luke O"Connell raced through the Rochestown defence and blasted the ball to the net.. Eight minutes later, the same player was hauled down as he was about to shoot for another goal and a penalty kick was awarded to Brian Dillons, which was calmly despatched to the back of the Rochestown net by Dave O"Donoghue....2-12 to 1-7.

                 The beleagured Rochestown defence were forced to concede another penalty kick in the final minute of the game, which was converted by the flying Kevin Allen  to leave Brian Dillons winners on a 3-13 to 1-7 scoreline.   The final score did not do justice to the gallant efforts of a game Rochestown team, which had looked most impressive in the opening thirty minutes.    Brian Dillons are now through to the final of this Championship in which they will meet Ballinure, on a date which has yet to be decided.    Goalkeeper, Paul McCarthy,proved ,once again, what a fine netminder he his, while James Varian,Paul Horgan and Dylan O"Donoghue, when moved from mid-field, also played well in defence. As already mentioned earlier in this report, Damian Horgan made a great difference when he was switched to mid-field and Luke O!Connell also benefitted when he moved to that position as it enabled him to surge into the attack ,on several occasions,which brought him  a goal and a point. The menacing runs by the excellent Kevin Allen and Dave O"Donoghue, caused the Rochestown defence numerous problems, while they managed some splendid scores as well. Derek Whelan and Shane Maher can also, feel pleased with their contributions  to the Brian Dillons attack.

             Scorers for Brian Dillons were; Kevin Allen,1-3,(1-0 pens; 0-1 free); Dave O"Donoghue,1-7,(1-0,pen.,0-3 frees ); Luke O"Connell,1-1; Shane Maher and James Varian, 0-1 each.

          The Brian Dillons team lined out as follows; (1) Paul McCarthy; (2) James Varian; (3) Paul Horgan; (4) Eoin Keane; (5) Dave Whelan; (6) Tom Harrington; (7), Luke O"Connell; (8) Mark Kelly; (9) Dylan O"Donoghue; (10), Shane Maher; (11), Derek Whelan; (12), Dave O"Donoghue; (13) Kevin Allen; (14), Andrew Daly ,Capt;(15),Damian Horgan;    Subs; Stephen Kearney for Eoin Keane (half-time,injured ); Keith Burns for Mark Kelly,(50 mins;), Kevin O"Sullivan for Luke O"Connell, (injured,53mins); Tom Fitzgerald  for Derek Whelan, (55 mins.)  Kevin Varian for Damian Horgan (57 mins;)