Jimmies feeling the heat after Taghmon’s triumph
TAGHMON-CAMROSS 2-9 ST. JAMES’ 1-8
THREE YEARS removed from a memorable Tom Doyle Supplies Senior football championship title, St. James’ are in grave danger of dropping into the relegation decider after this Group B loss to a gallant Taghmon-Camross in O’Kennedy Park, New Ross, on Sunday.
The Ramsgrange side will need an absolute minimum of three points from games against Glynn-Barntown (Friday) and county champions Starlights if they are to avoid a relegation decider against Sarsfields, and on this performance it’s hard to see the Jimmies getting them.
While it’s all woe for St. James’, on the other hand Taghmon-Camross thoroughly deserved this victory. Both sides worked hard but the victors looked absolutely shattered shortly after the break, and it is to their immense credit that they continued to not only battle on with everything they had, but also to make good decisions when they did get the chance to attack.
A couple of Donal Barron points and a classy strike by Tommy Walsh kept the scoreboard ticking over for St. James’ in the opening quarter as they moved 0-3 to 0-2 ahead.
Apart from a John Ryan save inside a minute from Stephen O’Gorman, they had looked the more likely to raise the first green flag too.
Yet that crucial score went to Taghmon-Camross. Initially it looked like nothing was on as they handpassed between each other 60 metres from goal.
However, Darren Carty had other ideas, as he soloed all the way in himself, the James’ defence opened up, and he sent a smashing finish low past Ryan.
Ian Carty was magnificent in this contest and he had three points on the board as the game drifted into first-half added time.
His side seemed to nab a critical score just before the break when Stephen O’Gorman fed Michael O’Gorman into the clear and he calmly found the net.
However, Brendan Doyle won possession from the next kick-out, booted long and located Daniel Keating on the run. The wing-forward played a tidy one-two with Graeme Molloy before firing his side back in it at the break (2-5 to 1-4).
Molloy himself hit the foot of the post within two minutes of the restart but, after Taghmon-Camross weathered that initial storm, they were comfortable.
Matthew O’Hanlon and Tommy Walsh scored a couple of minors each for St. James’ but the closest they ever got was three points.
There was the goal in it with 90 seconds to go and it was fitting that Ian Carty put the seal on victory with his fifth point, a classy score with the outside of his right boot to ensure the points went back to Taghmon-Camross.
The winners will want to beat the Starlights and make a statement but, in reality, their chances of making the knockout stages are most likely going to come down to a winner-takes-all battle with Gusserane in round five. On the weekend’s form they have every chance of making the last eight.
Taghmon-Camross: Jack Dunne; David O’Keeffe, Alan Nolan (capt.), Shane Doyle; Darren Hayden, Mark O’Gorman, Darren Carty (1-0); Chris Cullen, Barry O’Gorman; Michael O’Gorman (1-1), Ian Carty (0-5, 1 free), Stephen O’Gorman; Seamie McLoughlin (0-2 frees), Luke Sinnott (0-1), Anthony Breen. Subs. - Stephen Stafford for Hayden (40), Eoin Doyle for S. Stafford, black card (43), Cathal Doyle for Michael O’Gorman (46), Derek O’Hanlon for Cullen (57).
St. James’: John Ryan; Paul Barron (capt.), Jason Barron, Greg Doyle; David Doyle, Darragh Lyons, Mark Molloy; Matthew O’Hanlon (0-2), Brian Molloy (0-1 free); Daniel Keating (1-0), Donal Barron (0-2), Alan Walsh; Tommy Walsh (0-3, 2 frees), Brendan Doyle, Graeme Molloy. Subs. - Robbie Barron for D. Doyle (31), Shane Murphy for A. Walsh (31), Liam Murphy for B. Doyle (50), David Doyle for D. Barron (57).
Referee: Billy Dodd (Sarsfields).