Terrific Tinahely victory sends Hollywood down
Keating Trophy the first half but he rarely touched the ball in the second as Annacurra didn’t kick it in long as often.
Tony Darcy got Tinahely off the ground shortly after McDonald’s point and Tinahely began to dominate the Annacurra kick out. They didn’t win the ball cleanly in the air, rather they brought a ferocious appetite to the breaking ball and time after time they gained possession.
It gave them a launch pad for their attacks and after twenty minutes they led by six points to two. Alan Nolan with a free, Willy Dillon, Darcy again and two Alan Dillon points all came together for their six point total at half time. Dillon’s first point was a thing of beauty as he gathered possession in front of Robinson and tried to get past him along the end line. From an almost impossible angle he somehow put the ball over the bar.
Annacurra looked in danger at four points down but they reeled off four unanswered points from Dean Barnes, Clive Horan and Mick Healy before half time to level the match.
Horan started the second half well with two points to put Annacurra back in the lead again but Tinahely quickly answered, Alan Dillon converted a free and Alan Nolan kicked a 45. Eleven minutes into the second half and the sides were level again.
Robert Fitzgerald produced a wonderful save moments later to keep out David Dillon. A long, high ball dropped just outside the square and Dillon directed it towards the top corner only for Bob to somehow get across and divert it the far side of the post.
Willie Dillon and Horan traded another point each coming into the final ten minutes as the Tinahely crowd grew slightly more nervous. They were sedated somewhat by a couple of more points to give them a slight cushion in the final five minutes.
First Alan Nolan took a Willy Dillon pass to kick a point and then John Blake, who had moved to wing forward, kicked another. Horan scored one final point from play to put the minimum between the teams again but Tinahely held out to stay senior.
Hollywood are relegated while Annacurra move on to the Keating Cup Final against Eire Og in a match neither team wanted at the start of the year.
Scorers – Tinahely: Alan Dillon (1f), Alan Nolan (1f, 1 45) 0-03 each; Willy Dilllon, Tony Darcy 0-02 each; John Blake 0-01.
Annacurra: Clive Horan (2f) 0-05; Dean Barnes 0-02; Alan Byrne, Mick Healy, Ian McDonald 0-01 each.
Tinahely: Stephen Nolan; Jamie Cullen, Mick Byrne, James Gilbert; Ray McGlynn, Conor Hatton, John Blake; Brian Walsh, Willy Dillon; David Blake, Stephen Dillon, Gavin Kenny; Alan Dillon, Alan Nolan, Tony Darcy. Subs: Paudge Murphy for Ray McGlynn (28 mins, blood); David Dillon for Ray McGlynn (HT); Declan Barnes for David Blake (52 mins); Paudge Murphy for Gavin Kenny (53 mins).
Annacurra: Robert Fitzgerald; James Keenan, Vinny Flaherty, Liam Moules; Elliot Robinson, Martin O’Brien, Ciaran Byrne; Jon Hynes, Paul McDonald; Alan Byrne, Mick O’Brien, Dean Barnes; Clive Horan, Mick Healy, Ian McDonald. Sub: Shane Macalister for Mick Healy (53 mins, inj.).
Referee: John Keenan