Tinahely tops in thriller
TINAHELY BLESSINGTON 3-07 1-12
AT half-time in this Division 4 Football League final there was little indication of the excitement that was to come in the second period.
Tinahely led by six points, had scored three goals, had missed another from a penalty and looked to be well on their way to claiming the Gerry Finan Cup.
Brian Hickey and Fionn Furlong had controlled the midfield area and the Blessington defence were under heavy pressure throughout the first half.
David Blake put Tinahely ahead when he pointed a free in the fourth minute but Blessington full-forward Kieran McGovern responded with a fisted point and then put the Westerners ahead when he kicked another point four minutes later.
However, the Tinahely midfield pairing began to assert themselves, with the flow of play constantly moving towards the town goal.
Brian Hickey seldom moved far from between the two 45 metre lines but he kept the inside forwards well supplied with some well placed kick passes.
David Blake put the South men ahead when he netted an excellent goal coming up to ten minutes.
However, the same player shaved the outside of the left upright with his penalty effort in the fourteenth minute - a big let off for Blessington.
In one of their rare attacks David Behan added another Blessington point. Despite their overall dominance Tinahely were still only one point ahead.
That all changed dramatically inside the space of one minute. Willie Quaile had a ground shot well saved by Shane Breen in the Blessington goal but Niall O’Gor- man was in like a flash to bury the rebound.
Straight from the restart, Tinahely forced a 45. Anthony Phelan’s effort dropped in around the crossbar area, was broken down and James Hedderman bagged goal number three.
O’Gorman added a point and now there was an eight-point gap between the sides.
Blessington raised their game in the final five minutes of the half and added points from Eddie Boylan and Sean Mescall to leave the half-time scoreline at 3-2 to 0-5 in favour of Tinahely.
Fionn Furlong was substituted at halftime because of an injury he picked up coming up to the interval.
Likewise Brian Hickey was moved to the full-forward line because of injury.
The effect on the game was immediate. Blessington pulled back three points through Eddie Boylan (2) and Sean Mescall by five minutes. David Blake steadied the Tinahely ship when he pointed a free in the seventh minute.
Eddie Boylan had moved out from the full-forward line and was causing a lot of problems for Tinahely through his accurate distribution and his accuracy from frees.
Midfielders Daniellis Sareuskas and James Kearns came to life. The Westerners were now running at Tinahely and their full-forward line – starved of possession in the first half – were looking very dangerous.
They won a penalty in the tenth minute and this was expertly put away by David Behan.
The same player added another point from play and when Eddie Boylan (free) and Sean Mescall pointed again the Blessington men were gone into a two point lead.
The momentum was all with them and Tinahely looked to be in trouble.
They didn’t help their cause by having a number of frees moved forward for dissent.
However, a David Blake pointed free steadied them and with David Dillon, Anthony Phelan, Noel Mulhall, Niall O’Gorman and their half backs James Hedderman and captain Ray McGlynn putting in a great last quarter (including five minutes of added time) the men from the South came roaming back.
Excitement was intense and we had a grandstand finish.
Anthony Phelan levelled play and then David Dillon restored their lead with five minutes of normal play left.
Eddie Boylan brought matters level again when he pointed a free.
Tinahely didn’t falter and Willie Quaile became the hero of the hour when he pointed the winner in the third minute of added time.
Blessington had one more chance but were unfortunately wide from a forty metre free.
The final whistle sounded and Tinahely had captured the Gerry Finan Cup. Co. Chairman Martin Fitzgerald introduced Catherine Finan, who presented the cup to the winning captain Raymond McGlynn
Scorers – Tinahely: David Blake 1-3, Niall O’Gorman 1-1, James Hedderman 1-0, Anthony Phelan, David Dillon and Willie Quaile 0-1 each.
Blessington: David Behan 1-2, Eddie Boylan 0-5, Sean Mescall 0-3, Kieran McGovern 0-2.