Taghmon edge through
TAGHMON-C’ROSS ST. JOSEPH’S 0-12 0-11 TAGHMON-CAMROSS sealed their place in the last eight of the Ashdown Park/Amber Springs Hotels Intermediate football championship when they just about held off a strong St. Joseph’s challenge in their Group A clash in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.
The Wexford town side got the last two points on the board to set up a nervy finish but were left to rue goal chances which went a begging when the game was there for the taking.
In the 38th minute Eddie Lawlor went agonisingly close to raising a green flag, but saw his shot off the ground rebound back into play off the left upright.
If that had gone in it would have given St. Joseph’s a six-point advantage, and in a game of small margins it would surely have sent them on their way to their first victory of the campaign.
Six minutes later, after Taghmon-Camross had reduced the deficit to one point, it was Wayne Carty’s turn to set the pulses racing but his goal-bound effort was blocked on the line at the expense of a ‘45.
On 47 minutes Eddie Lawlor had another sight of goal but blazed his effort wide of the target, but in truth it was no more than a half-chance and it would probably have been more prudent to pop the ball over the bar.
In the early stages both sides resembled a Saturday party-goer on Sunday morning, trying to shake off the cobwebs of the night before, with the teams tied at 0-3 apiece after 25 minutes. Seamie McLoughlin and Pierce Doyle (two) were on target for Taghmon-Camross and Gary Byrne, Dean Roche and Wayne Carty replied for St. Joseph’s.
However, the duvets were finally flung into the air and a flurry of points before the end of the half eventually roused all from the slumber.
The Wexford town side got four of those five points that were scored in as many minutes, with Lee Wadding, Dean Roche, Wayne Carty and Derek Bergin all finding the range, and Barry O’Gorman responding with a fine long-range score for Taghmon-Camross.
Seamie McLoughlin and Decky Downes then swapped points at the start of the second-half, before Lawlor saw his effort on goal strike the post.
Taghmon-Camross made the most of the let-off with Seamie McLoughlin and substitute Ian Carty - a notable absentee at the start - playing a big part as they built up a 0-12 to 0-9 advantage by the 58th minute.
Gary Byrne and Wayne Carty (free) responded to leave the minimum between the sides, but time ran out on a brave St. Joseph’s effort.
Taghmon-Camross: Seán O’Gorman; David O’Keeffe, Alan Nolan, Stephen O’Keeffe; Eoin Doyle, Pat Nolan, Darren Carty; Barry O’Gorman (0-1), Derek O’Hanlon (0-1); Barry Og McGrath, Stephen O’Gorman, Pierce Doyle (0-2); Seamie McLoughlin (0-5, 1 free), Luke Sinnott, Michael O’Gorman (0-1). Sub. - Ian Carty (0-2) for O’Hanlon.
St. Joseph’s: Jamie McMahon; Paddy King, David Tormey, Paddy Harnett; Andy Moore, Philly Leniston, Darren Dempsey; Decky Downes (01), Lee Wadding (0-1); Ciarán Walsh, Derek Bergin (0-1), Gary Byrne (0-2); Dean Roche (0-3), Wayne Carty (0-3 frees), Eddie Lawlor. Subs. - Kyle Dempsey for Walsh, Seamus King for Leniston, Robbie Mullins for Lawlor, Leniston for Wadding, Walsh for D. Dempsey.
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).