Tyrrell stars for the kingpins of Kildare
KILDARE kingpins Moorefield were full value for their sixpoint win over Mullingar Shamrocks as Adam Tyrrell stamped his authority on this first-round Leinster contest.
The reigning provincial champions had control but it was the home team who started brightly and were two points clear with six minutes on the clock, courtesy of a Denis Corroon free and a neat score from play by Tye Adamson.
Moorefield levelled by the 12th minute with a point apiece from corner forwards Ronan Sweeney and Niall Hurley Lynch.
An Adamson free put the Westmeath champions back in front, but their Kildare counterparts pounced for their first goal in the 16th minute.
The outstanding Tyrrell, who was causing havoc for the Mullingar rearguard, found the net in style after pulling off a great catch from a delivery by Cian O’Connor.
The respective No 14s, Dean Moore and Tyrrell, then traded points from frees, and the visitors added 1-2 without reply by halftime – all from that man Tyrrell.
He doubled his goal tally in similar circumstances to his first three-pointer, on this occasion collecting a long ball from Eanna O’Connor in the 25th minute before slotting the ball underneath Philip Shaw, while both of his points came at the end of fine moves.
Moorefield already looked en route to a Leinster quarter-final slot when they raced into a 2-5 to 0-4 lead at the break.
A dull third quarter produced only two points, both to Moorefield from open play via Tyrrell and Eanna O’Connor.
Mullingar Shamrocks, who had prevented their neighbours St Loman’s from a four in-a-row in Westmeath just seven days earlier at the same ground, struggled to string together cohesive moves and open up the visitors’ strong defence.
However, they came right back into contention against the run of play by scoring an unanswered 1-2 between the 48th and 54th minutes.
The points were scored by Corroon and Paddy Fagan, who struck a great individual effort, before a foul on Kieran Gavin, the former Westmeath player now operating at full-forward having started at full-back, resulted in a penalty kick which was converted with aplomb by Dean Moore.
With Moorefield having already withdrawn a number of key players, including the very influential Tyrrell, the game looked like it might take an unexpected twist.
Those fears were allayed, however, with two late frees from Eanna O’Connor wrapping up a comfortable win for the holders, who had David Whyte dismissed in added time after picking up a black card to go with his earlier yellow card.
Moorefield, who won last year’s Leinster title with a sensational late comeback against the aforementioned St Loman’s, Mullingar, will have home advantage when they face the almost-perennial Laois champions, Portlaoise, next Sunday week with a place in the semi-finals at stake.