Dromtariffe U-21s ward off St Marks challenge
But when the crunch came, Dromtariffe held their nerve to pull away for a five point win.
From the opening half, there was no obvious difference between the teams in a lively and enjoyable thirty minutes. Indeed St. Marks operated with a steely determination, rewarded on a goal netted by Dean Collins.
For their part, Dromtariffe offered a number of promising raids with full forward Seán Cremin finding the net. And follow up points from Seán Howard extended the home side’s position.
Again St. Marks lifted their challenge, drawing a positive response from a dominant half back line of T J Twomey, Shane Brosnan and Shane Butler with Joseph O’Sullivan and James Forrest sharp to the breaking ball going forward.
Scoring-wise, Forrest obliged from play and frees with Collins and Padraig Curtin also on target to leave the minimum between the pair, Dromtariffe ahead 1-11 to 1-10 at the break to a high scoring opener. The game continued to be alive and buzz on the restart, Howard finding the target from various distances for Dromtariffe.
Marks kept in the hunt, their own talisman Forrest, the source for a series of points. Still a far more greater bite surfaced in Dromtariffe’s game, driven by the efforts of Jack Buckley, Jack Murphy, Mark O’Connor and Evan Murphy.
No surprise Howard added on the scores including a well struck goal from a penalty in the 41st. min to allow Dromtariffe hold a 2-15 to 1-12 grip. St. Marks attempted a response from points to Forrest and Shane Geaney with Dromtariffe ‘keeper Gavin O’Keeffe alert to a number of dangerous situations.
Dromtariffe drove on, points to Howard and Evan Murphy stretched their position. Again Marks refused to be counted out, sticking to their task from points to Forrest and Curtin.
Late on, Marks came raiding for a much needed goal that would had thrown them a lifeline but the Dromtariffe defence proved an unmovable obstacle, that allowed the hosts hold onto their advantage for a deserved win at the end of a terrific hour’s hurling.