Gusserane bring home the troops
WITH A relegation battle threatening, Gusserane sent for their big guns and it paid off in spades as they fashioned a thoroughly deserved six-point victory over Taghmon-Camross in this crucial Tom Doyle Supplies Senior football championship Group B game played in miserable conditions in Horeswood on Friday.
Having endured a frustrating campaign, Gusserane knew something special was needed to preserve their Senior status, all of this coming on the back of a disappointing run of defeats.
At 7.30 p.m. one saw the result of considerable behind the scenes work when veteran Adrian Flynn and Graeme Cullen marched into the dressing-room, signifying the club’s determination to remain in the top flight.
Cullen had winged in from Australia, while Flynn arrived from Boston some 24 hours before the game, and it gave their colleagues the lift they needed.
Cullen, in his usual centre-back role, brought a solidity to the defence that had been missing, while at the opposite end Flynn added composure and much-needed experience to the attack.
He kicked some lovely points, but more importantly brought a cohesion and attacking threat that the opposition defence found difficulty in coping with.
While Taghmon-Camross brought about a resurgence through the opening ten minutes on the resumption, they lacked guile and finishing power up front.
Indeed, they missed out on one real goal chance midway through the second-half when Stephen O’Gorman broke clear on goal, but kept his shot low and too near ‘keeper Micheál Ryan who managed to turn it around the post for a ‘45.
This was a glorious chance and once spurned it lifted Gusserane whose outstanding player, midfielder John Roche, drove home the all-important third goal seven minutes from the end to secure the points.
Throughout the opening ten minutes there was little to separate the sides, with wind-assisted Taghmon-Camross ahead by 0-2 to 0-1.
But then came the first glimpse of Flynn’s presence close to goal when he broke the ball down for Eoin Ryan to find the net from close range.
John Roche and Stephen O’Gorman exchanged points, but after Flynn and Luke Sinnott also got in on the scoring act, leaving it 1-4 to 0-4, Gusserane got a crucial break.
They showed patience in their build-up before finding Shane Cullen who rounded the ‘keeper to rattle the net, giving his side a 2-4 to 0-4 lead.
While the teams continued to trade points, Gusserane would have been happy to be leading by 2-5 to 0-7, turning around with the wind and rain in their favour.
However, Taghmon-Camross opened the second-half showing a greater urgency in their play, kicking three unanswered points through Eoin Doyle and Seamie McLoughlin (two frees) to reduce the deficit to the minimum (2-5 to 0-10) after 35 minutes.
Three minutes later Gusserane lifted the siege, leading to a Páraic Conway point, with Sam Wall tagging on a further point almost immediately.
After 13 minutes came Stephen O’Gorman’s goal miss, and while McLoughlin pointed the resulting ‘45, it was followed by a point from Luke Sinnott, who beat the ‘keeper to a high ball but unluckily saw his effort go over the bar.
Now with just one point (2-7 to 0-12) separating the sides with ten minutes remaining, a frenetic finish was in store.
Gusserane, inspired by the outstanding Roche, stormed back for a Seán Ryan point, followed by Roche’s tremendous goal.
They rounded off the scoring through a Páraic Conway pointed free, as their opponents were reduced to 14 players close to the finish when Luke Sinnott received a second yellow card.
In the end the more experienced Gusserane won out to retain their status, while Taghmon-Camross go into a relegation battle with Sarsfields.
Gusserane: Micheál Ryan; Adrian Redmond, Mark O’Neill, Jack O’Connor; Sam Wall (0-1), Graeme Cullen, Liam Dillon; John Roche (1-1), Kenny Cahill; Gavin Sheehan, Shane Cullen (1-0), Eoin Ryan (1-1); Tom Foran, Adrian Flynn (0-2), Páraic Conway (0-3, 2 frees). Subs. - Cillian Kehoe for Cahill, black card (6), Seán Ryan (0-1) for Foran, Jack Burford for Ryan.
Taghmon-Camross: Jack Dunne; David O’Keeffe, Alan Nolan, Stephen Stafford; Christopher Cullen, Mark O’Gorman, Darren Carty; Barry O’Gorman, Anthony Breen; Stephen O’Gorman (0-1), Seamus McLoughlin (0-7, 5 frees, 1 ‘45), Eoin Doyle (0-2); Ian Carty, Luke Sinnott (0-2), Cathal Doyle. Subs. - Seán O’Gorman for Dunne, inj., Michael O’Gorman for E. Doyle, Derek O’Hanlon for C. Doyle.
Referee: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore).