Tubbercurrycomeback

A pristine Kent Park played host to this entertaining encounter between hosts St Mary’s and Tubbercurry in round two of the Division 1 League. St Mary’s looked set to take the points, leading 2- 6 to eight points at half- time but Tubbercurry came back strongly in the second half to deservedly earn a draw and could have won only time ran out. ST Mary’s set an early tempo to the match, powering into a 1- 0 to 0- 0 lead after a great move saw Johnny Martyn finding the net in the second minute. DOWN the other end and it was St Mary’s keeper Fintan Ruddy who had to be alert making a wonderful save on a Dermot Walsh chance thirty seconds later. Darragh Kilcoyne put Tubbercurry on the scoresheet on five minutes through a free as the lively Stephen Coen, St Mary’s top scorer, pointed for the hosts on 11 minutes. Coen added another a minute later before Kilcoyne got his second on 15 minutes. Jason Perry brought it back to a two point game, before a fine point from Cian Gilmartin was cancelled out by Coen on 18 minutes. Two minutes later St Mary’s found the net again. Mark Breheny sent a decent ball into the path of Coen who took his goal well as five separated the sides. A Kilcoyne free on 21 minutes was responded with a well- taken Breheny free for the hosts. A Rory Ryan attack for Tubbercurry saw the corner back fouled, with Jason Perry slotting over the resulting free on 26 minutes as four separated them. Tubbercurry had their second goal chance a minute later, again Ruddy did well getting his hands to Luke Gilmartin’s shot. Down the other end, Coen took on two Tubbercurry defenders and pointed again from play as Brian Curren earned another Tubbercurry free, which was converted by Kilcoyne. Breheny and Dylan Kilgallon linked up with Coen who scored his fifth point, with Walsh sending a fine score over for Tubbercurry who were four points down at the break in what was an exciting opening half. After the resumption, Rory Guinan sought out Coen but his attempt sailed wide, while Curren’s shot also went the wrong side of the posts. A short Ruddy kickout went straight into the arms of Ryan as another Tubbercurry goal could have been on the cards, the ball flying off the leg of a St Mary’s defender before Perry then pointed a free. Coen again was causing hassle for the Tubbercurry defence and he was brought down, with Ruddy converting on 36 minutes putting four between them. A minute later, a Martyn attack fed Breheny who saw his goal chance slice wide. A Guinan free made it a five- point affair but for the last twenty minutes it was the visitors who had their scoring boots on. A Kilcoyne free was responded with a Breheny point from play before Perry was again on target, converting a free on 48 minutes. Spectators could sense they were in for a thrilling final few minutes when a blistering Tubbercurry attack saw Walsh firing into the St Mary’s net to put only one point between them with seven minutes remaining. A push on the back of Conor Darcy saw Ruddy again converting the free make it a two point game with five minutes to go. Kilcoyne again pointed a free as momentum seemed to be with Tubbercurry. A foul on Fabio Cretaro was brought forward by referee Marty Duffy after protestations from St Mary’s players, an easy one for Kilcoyne to level the match one minute into injury time. The visitors were looking for the winner as time eventually ran out.

ST MARY’S: F Ruddy, C Darcy, L Nicholson, K O’Grady, J Lynch, B McGarry, T O’Kelly- Lynch, N McManus, P Kilcoyne, D Kilgallon, M Breheny, J Martyn, S Coen, R Guinan, N Rooney. Subs used: M McGoldrick, S Mulligan,

TUBBERCURRY: C McGee, E Coleman, E McGuinness, J Kelly, M Burke, C Surliss, R Ryan, B Curran, B Murphy, L Gilmartin, C Gilmartin, F Cretaro, D Kilcoyne, D Walsh J Perry. Subs used: D Brennan, B Brennan, M Mulhern.

REFEREE: M Duffy.