Tubbercurry ease to victory over steely Eastern Harps
BUNNINADDEN Community Park was the venue for the meeting of these great rivals in the opening round of the Belfry senior championship on Saturday evening.
The winners dominated the opening ten minutes but lost their way as Harps got a grip on the exchanges. Tubbercurry led by 1-5 to 0-7 at the interval but upped the ante in the final 30 minutes to deservedly win by seven points.
In an early opening salvo,brothers David and James Kelly hit points from play.
The inspirational Tony Taylor pointed from play for Harps.
The winners then hit a purple patch with a goal from David Kelly ,who started and finished the move of the game.
Points followed from David Kelly,Stephen Gilmartin and Cathal Surlis. Strangely this was their final tally in the first half.
Tony Taylor converted his first of seven frees and Declan Hannon fly kicked a ball over the bar;an effort that could have ended up in the Tubber net.
Three pointed frees from Tony Taylor brought Harps right back in the game .
Their hard working defender,Tomás Taheny hit the final point of the opening half to leave his side trailing by 1-5 to 0-7 at the interval.
Harps missed the chance of at least getting on level terms early in the second half when two Tony Taylor frees were narrowly off target.Tubber forged ahead through a point from play from Luke Gilmartin and a 13m.David Kelly free. Tony Taylor kept Harps in the hunt with a pointed free from 45m. and one from play.
The winners went further ahead with three David Kelly points ;two from play and a point from play by the impressive Stephen Kilcoyne.
Shawn O’Hara briefly interrupted the Tubber scoring spree with a great point from play.Three Luke Gilmartin points;two from frees put Tubber seven points clear entering the closing stages. Tony Taylor’s pointed 20m.free was quickly cancelled by two Stephen Kilcoyne points from play.
Tony Taylor pointed two 20m.frees to close the Harps account; each coming either side of a Cian Gilmartin point from play to leave the final score 1-17 to 0-13 in favour of the winners.
Col mMc Gee was steady between the posts while the Tubber defence was well marshalled by Brian Murphy,Cathal Surlis and James Kelly. Stephen Gilmartin and Eddie Mc Guinness were prominent at midfield while Brian Curran,Stephen Matthews, the mercurial David Kelly and Luke Gilmartin were always a threat in as lick moving attack. Substitute sC ian Gil martin and Stephen Kilcoyne added considerably to the difficulties posed for an overworked Harps defence.
Harps goalkeeper, Alan Davey enhanced his growing reputation with a very competent display. The defence played well as a unit, while under intense pressure at times.
Tony Taylor and Kevin Gallagher worked hard in midfield,with Thomas Cryan also prominent.A resolute Tubber defence allowed the Harps attack little scope, particularly in the second half. Shawn O’Hara ,Sean Bruen and Martin Doherty posed the greatest threat.
Scorers: Tubbercurry: D.Kelly 1-6 (0-2f.),L.Gilmartin 0-4(0-2f.),S.Kilcoyne 0-3,J.Kelly,S.Gilmartin,C. Surlis & C.Gilmartin 0-1 each.
E.Harps: T.Taylor 0-9(0-7f.)T.Cryan,D.Hannon,T. Taheny&S.O’Hara 0-1 each.
Tub ber curry: C. McGee O.McCann,B.Murphy, O. O’ Donnell; R. Ryan, C. S ur lis,J. Kelly;
S.Gilmartin,E.McGuinness;D.Henry,B.Curran,S. Matthews; C. Ryan, L. Gil martin, D. Kelly. Subs used: C.Gilm art in,S.Kil co yne,D. Br en nan,D.Wa ls hand F.Cretaro.
E. Harps: A. Davey; T. Ta heny,R.Reid,D.M add en; G. Ho ran,E.Dwyer,E. La vin; K. Gallagher, T. Taylor; C. Higgis,T. Cry an, S. O’ Hara; S. B ru en, M. Do her ty, D. Han non. Subs. used: M. Clarke, C. Gallagher, J. O’ Hara and B.Cryan.
Referee: C.O’Donnell (St.Mary’s).