Experience wins the day
TINAHELY ANNACURRA 3-09 0-08
ANNACURRA and Tinahely played out a competitive match on Thursday evening in ideal conditions at Annacurra in the Junior C football championship second round.
Tinahely fielded a side with a blend of youth and experience with Shane Kenny pointing from play within a minute.
Annacurra responded with their first attack of the game with a move up the field which resulted in a wide.
On five minutes, Kenny fed Stuart Gilbert in the inside line for a fine point.
Annacurra, although under pressure, were settling into the game and a fine run by their centre-back Mark Doyle whose effort went wide.
Niall Gorman secured the ball on eight minutes and fed to Sean Pollard who pointed from the right hand side.
Some stout defending by Kevin Doyle kept Tinahely at bay but again the wide count was mounting for Annacurra with a long range free from Bob Fitzgerald missing the target.
David Dillon was put in one on one and David Whitty pulled off a magnificent save to deny the visitors.
Annacurra continued to press Tinahely with some great moves unfortunately missing the target. Tinahely slightly edging the midfield area the ball was secured by David Dillon who shot over the bar.
Tinahely scores from play followed for Sean Pollard (point) and Stuart Gilbert (goal), Shane Kenny also registered a score from a dead ball.
Annacurra upped their game at this point with some good football and registered their first score around the 20-minute mark from James Walsh following good work from centre-forward Colm Maher.
A long range score from Bob Fitzgerald four minutes later kept the Annacurra scoreboard ticking over and they were unlucky when a minute later when they hit the post.
At the start of the second half a Tinahely attack was well defended by Annacurra and Colm Maher was causing problems for the Tinahely defence with some hard direct running and a point from play kept the pressure on the visitors.
Tinahely’s first score was registered by a Stuart Gilbert goal giving the keeper no chance.
A great move up the field followed by Annacurra with Glenn Austin pointing with nine minutes gone.
A half blocked ball by the Annacurra defence resulted in the ball breaking in the danger area with Sean Pollard reacting first and sending the ball to the net on 12 minutes.
Quick thinking by Annacurra from a free caught the Tinahely napping resulted in a fine point from play.
Points were then exchanged for each side.
The hard working and much improved Bill Kavanagh was winning some dirty ball in the middle third for Tinahely and Kevin Doyle fedStuart Gilbert to register another score from play.
A great run at pace by Glenn Austin resulted in a fine score for Annacurra.
A brave save by Alan Lillis on 26 minutes saw him punching the ball out to clear the danger.
The final two scores were registered by Stephen Nolan (free) and Stuart Gilbert from play.
The game was played in a great spirit by both clubs.
Tinahely benefitted from the vast experience of David Dillon, Shane Kenny, Stuart Gilbert and Brian Hickey.
Others to catch the eye were Bill Kavanagh, Sean Pollard, Anthony Phelan, Kevin Doyle and Niall Gorman in what was a great team display.
Alan Lillis, Danny Quinn, Kevin Doyle, Thomas Dalton, Tony Lacey, Brian Hickey, Ray Mcglynn, Anthony Phelan, Niall O’ Gorman, Bill Kavanagh, David Dillon, Eric Donohoe, Sean Pollard, Stuart Gilbert, Shane Kenny.
David Whitty, jack Keenan, Shane o Neill, Brian Shannon, Niall Murphy, Mark Doyle, James Walsh, Robert Fitzgerald, Stephen Murphy, Glen Austin, Colm Maher, Brian McDonald, John O’Neill, Sean O’Neill, Diarmuid Murphy.
Darragh Byrne