TINAHELY PREVAIL
Late burst from Ging secures victory after extra-time
TINAHELY ST NICHOLAS 3-17 1-20
TINAHELY and St Nicholas served up a marathon battle in this fantastic Minor ‘A’ Plate final played in Baltinglass last Wednesday evening.
In what was a fabulous game of football, both teams in this game displayed a huge level of commitment, skill, heart and will to win. With the main pitch in Baltinglass out of action, the teams took to the back pitch and we were a go for this thrilling fixture.
The first half of this game was a slow burner. Both teams feeling each other out, and, as it turned out, setting the scene for a tight affair. The first score came in the eighth minute through St Nicks centre back, Tom Moran. The teams exchanged points, with Oisin Gorman and Mathew Ging landing four points for Tinahely. St Nicks answered through Mikey O’Rourke, Joe Mills and two from Shane Daly.
The major moment in the first half came in the 20th minute, when Rory O’Dare went bombing in to the St Nicks square. He was pulled down and a penalty awarded. Matthew Ging stepped up to blast passed Brian Keogh in the St Nicks goal, even though the St Nicks netminder got a hand to it.
The half-time scoreline read: Tinahely 1-5, St Nicholas 0-5.
The start of the second half was the real beginning of this game. When Mikey O’Rourke swung a point over for St Nicks straight from the kick off, this game took off. One minute later, Shane Daly latched on to a ball around the middle, exchanged a one-two with Mills, and Daly dispatched it to the back of the net.
What a start for St Nicks. They added five more points in the next 10 minutes, through Mills adding three, Mikey O’Rourke and Tom Moran. To their credit, Tinahely stayed ion touch through this period. Cillian McDonald, who was acting as a sweeper, chipped in with two points, as did Ging and Rory O’Dare.
Tinahely looked to be struggling with eight minutes left, down two points, they needed a goal, and it was a goal they got. Matthew Ging was fouled on the 45, surely, he puts it over, he goes short and plays a lovely one-two. Head down and back of the net. Now a point up, exciting finish at hand.
The last 10 minutes were helter skelter, both teams giving their all. St Nicks grab a point through Meitheal Cleary. A draw, one minute left. Up steps Matthew Ging and he kicks a peach. Tinahely by one, is it over, no Joe Mills swings one over for St Nicks. The final whistle blows, it’s a draw and we head to extra-time.
Full-time score: Tinahely 2-11, St Nicholas 1-14.
We head for extra-time and the game is super tight. The skills of these evenly matched teams only matched by their commitment and heart. St Nicholas started well again with a quick-fire point from Mikey O’Rourke.
Then, Cillian McDonald took hold of the game. He soared up and claimed a kick out above the crowd. He takes off, stepping in and out of tackles, he’s on the square, an exhilarating run, he rolls it to the net. A huge score. Tinahley two points up.
Half-time in extra-time: Tinahely 3-11, St Nicholas 1-15.
McDonald took up were he left off in the second period of extra-time. He plucked another kick out, he took off down the middle, two men hanging off his shoulder, he kicks with the outside of his boot and over the bar. An inspirational score for Tinahely.
St Nicholas weren’t done yet, however. Joe Mills wasn’t going to allow his team go down without a fight, and fight he did. He lashed three super scores over the bar in the closing minutes. A draw again. What a game. Breathless stuff. The final, final whistle – what next?
Full-time in extra-time: Tinahely 3-12, St Nicholas 1-18.
So, what next? Referee, Stephen Fagan called for penalties. Consternation ensues. Wait, a call from on high. A St Nicholas official has Hugh Kenny on the phone, Fagan takes the call, five more minutes each way.
Off we go again. Both teams giving it their all. This marathon game had another lap in it. In the second stint of extra-time, it was a story of who tired quicker, whose skill level would drop due to fatigue.
In the end, it was Matthew Ging, who scored 2-11 in total, that inspired Tinahely to victory in the end. He landed four points in this period, and, along with Bradley Hickey, he edged Tinahely over the line. Mills answered with two more points, to continue his fine game.
Tinahely won this game by three points in the end. We have to commend both sets of players that took part in this game. The levels of skill, heart and commitment on display for the full 90 minutes of football were unbelievable. As I said in the opening, a fabulous game of football.
Man of the Match:
Ging.
– Tinahely: Matthew Ging 2-11, Cillian McDonald 1-3, Oisin Gorman 0-1, Bradley Hickey 0-1, Rory O’Dare 0-1.
St Nicholas: Joe Mills 0-10, Shane Daly 1-3, Mikey O’Rourke 0-4, Tom Moran 0-2 Meitheal Cleary 0-1.
Caoimhin Rawson; Tomas Hayden, Callum Mutton, Cian O’Neill; Patrick Murphy, Bradley Hickey, Odhran Doyle; Adam Hadden, Daniel Hedderman; Diarmuid Lambert, Matthew Ging, Rory O’Dare; Oran O’Callaghan, Oisin Gorman, Cillian McDonald. Subs: Rhys Nolan for Adam Hadden, Owen Hedderman for Odhran Doyle.
Scorers TINAHELY:
Brian Keogh; Ronan Kelly, Jack Grace, Cian Fox; Mark Murtagh, Tom Moran, Willie Eager; Shane Daly, Tadhg McCarthy; Sean Metcalfe, Jack Reid, Mikey O’Rourke; David Fox, Joe Mills, Meitheal Cleary. Subs: Mikey Byrne for Sean Metcalfe, Daniel Furlong for David Fox, Rory Martin for Ronan Kelly, Sean Doyle for Shane Daly.
ST NICHOLAS: REFEREE:
Matthew
Stephen Fagan (Baltinglass)