Cullen’s goal stuns Rocks

TAGHMON-CAMROSS delivered a stirring finish as a Chris Cullen goal deep into additional time gave them a dramatic victory over a shell-shcoked Tara Rocks in this exciting Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ Hurling Championship Group B game in St. Patrick’s Park.

Having been left scrambling for scores for so long despite a hugely committed approach, Taghmon-Camross looked to be staring at defeat before Cullen popped up for that dramatic goal three minutes into additional time, while Darren Carty followed with a point to give his side a winning start to the campaign.

In truth one had to admire their battling qualities as they still showed passion when the game seemed to be gone from them. That factor contributed to those late winning scores, helping them open their campaign with a very impressive win under the guidance of Jason Ryan.

Tara Rocks, backboned by the Ballyfad players for the first time, had hurled with lots of composure, but their inability to turn their possession into scores through periods of control came back to haunt them.

When their opponents struck for those late scores they had little opportunity to respond, but truthfully when they reflect on this game, they will seriously question how they let slip two points that were well within their grasp at the end of normal time.

Tara Rocks opened with two Bobby Hughes pointed frees before the south county side struck back for points from Stephen O’Gorman and Darren Carty.

The first-half was really about Bobby Hughes’ point-taking from frees, while Pierce Doyle and Barry O’Gorman kept the opposition in touch, but the Rocks led by 0-9 to 0-7 at the interval.

The lively Dean O’Toole and Bobby Hughes increased their lead with two further points on the resumption. It was at this stage that Ian Carty came more into the game from his centre-back role with two long-range points, but Tara Rocks still led by 0-14 to 0-12 entering the closing six minutes.

Five minutes from the end Pierce Doyle was fouled but saw his resulting penalty well saved and cleared by Tom Hughes, while at the opposite end in the 60th minute a Niall Breen penalty was stopped by Seán O’Gorman.

Three minutes into additional time Taghmon-Camross launched an attack that saw a Stephen O’Gorman lob break in the goalmouth, with Chris Cullen just forcing the loose ball over the line for a dramatic lead goal.

They returned from the puck-out for Darren Carty to give his side a two-point advantage, with their opponents left stunned on the final whistle.

Taghmon-Camross: Seán O’Gorman; Adam Winters, Alan Nolan, David O’Keeffe; Barry O’Gorman, Ian Carty (0-2), Stephen Stafford; Tomás Furlong, Darren Carty (0-2); Chris Cullen (1-1), Barry O’Gorman (0-3), Luke Sinnott; Michael O’Gorman (01), Stephen O’Gorman (0-1), Pierce Doyle (0-3 frees).

Tara Rocks: Tom Hughes; Aidan Jones, Gary Owley, Cillian O’Toole; Cathal O’Reilly, Mossy Owley, Jim Hughes; Niall Breen (0-1), Denis Jones (0-2); Bobby Hughes (0-7, 4 frees, 1 ‘65), Niall Hughes (0-1), Mark Boland (0-1); Dean O’Toole (0-1), Peter Hughes (0-1), Fionn Doyle. Sub. - Joe Bolger for P. Hughes.

Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).