Carty earns draw
THERE WON’T be any prizes awarded for the quality of football witnessed in this scrappy, error-ridden Tom Doyle Supplies Senior championship Group B clash in Innovate Wexford Park on Saturday.
However, that won’t matter one whit to Taghmon-Camross after last year’s Intermediate winners bounced back from a 14-point hammering at the hands of St. Martin’s to share the spoils thanks to Ian Carty’s pointed free off the ground from 40 metres with the second-last kick of the game in the fifth minute of added time.
Fethard may still be unbeaten, but surely they will wonder how they were so flat just six days after that big derby win over St. James’.
In truth, they were stifled to a great degree by their rivals’ swarm defence which kept space in their attacking third at a premium.
Only John Tubritt had the key to unlock that rearguard, showing exactly why he has become a Wexford regular. He finished with 1-4 from play, and was Fethard’s sole scorer until joint captain Kevin Rowe kicked a free that their top marksman had earned in the 49th minute.
Fethard introduced another sharpshooter, Mikie Dwyer, near the end of the third quarter but struggled so badly to make inroads that by my reckoning his only touch of the ball was a snapshot in the 58th minute that Seán O’Gorman did very well to stop after diving low at his near post.
Early points from Darren Carty and Seamus McLoughlin, both set up by Darren Hayden, settled the Senior newcomers, and they went on to lead by 0-6 to 1-2 at half-time.
Centre-forward Stephen O’Gorman was the chief contributor with three fine points, timing his runs to perfection and finishing with aplomb.
The goal that kept under-performing Fethard in contention arrived in the 24th minute, with a Taghmon-Camross defender losing possession and the ball swiftly transferred to John Tubritt whose shot went in via Alan Nolan’s attempted block.
Tubritt brought his tally to 1-3 less than 50 seconds into the new half, but his side didn’t score again until Kevin Rowe sent over a free in the 49th minute. Taghmon-Camross only registered once in between though, courtesy of corner-back David O’Keeffe.
Paul Foley and Richie Waters did very well to keep out two quick-fire goal attempts by Seamus McLoughlin and Michael O’Gorman, while Graham O’Grady blocked another effort from Darren Hayden.
Joe Sutton swung his boot at the ball to produce a vital save from Seán O’Gorman at the other end, with Rúairí Tubrid and Luke Sinnott swapping points before scores from Garrett Foley and John Tubritt left Fethard 1-7 to 0-8 clear after 59 minutes.
Taghmon-Camross deserved some reward for their efforts though, and it duly arrived as Seamus McLoughlin and Ian Carty converted late frees, the latter won by the influential Darren Hayden.
Taghmon-Camross: Seán O’Gorman; Stephen Stafford, Alan Nolan (capt.), David O’Keeffe (0-1); Darren Hayden, Mark O’Gorman, Darren Carty (0-1); Barry O’Gorman, Chris Cullen; Michael O’Gorman, Stephen O’Gorman (0-3), Eoin Doyle; Seamus McLoughlin (0-2, 1 free), Luke Sinnott (0-1), Ian Carty (0-2 frees). Sub. - Stuart Murphy for Cullen, black card (60+2).
Fethard: Paul Foley; Seán Donohoe, Daniel Mullan, Eddie Power; Daire Barden, Graham O’Grady (joint capt.), Chris Molloy; Rúairí Tubrid (01), Kevin Rowe (joint capt., 0-1 free); Garrett Foley (0-1), Mark Wallace, Richie Waters; John Tubritt (1-4), Joe Sutton, Ciarán Dwyer. Subs. - Mikie Dwyer for Waters (42), Michael Roche for Mullan, inj. (50), Mullan for Sutton, black card (55).
Referee: James Flood (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown).