Tinahely pass test
Alan Costello’s united outfit look like the real deal
TINAHELY COOLKENNO 3-12 2-8
TINAHELY took the test they hadn’t yet received in this Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship and they passed it with flying colours thanks to a comprehensive 3-12 to 2-8 victory over a limited and ill-disciplined Coolkenno side in Joule Park Aughrim on Sunday afternoon.
Huge workrate, endless energy, intelligent football, ambition, zeal and no shortage of courage are just some of the superlatives that could be used to describe this Tinahely performance as they laid waste to a Coolkenno side that was robbed of the services of the hugely influential Eamonn Rossiter due to a hand injury picked up the day before the game.
Alan Costello’s side look like a team on a seemingly unstoppable march to the Intermediate crown and a swift return to Senior football and they take their place in the semi-finals along with Laragh after their shock victory over Ballymanus in Arklow the previous evening.
The decision by the Tinahely management to deploy Alan Dillon at full-forward was a superb move and one that set them on their way to victory as the young attacker took on Paul Keogh and the Coolkenno defence with relish and confidence, bagging 1-2 and winning frees and having a hand in plenty of other scores.
But it’s not about any individuals when it comes to Tinahely.
Yes, Stephen Dillon is enjoying an excellent season and seems to be a real leader on the field, especially on Sunday, and yes Willie Dillon ‘s influence at centre half back was immense as was Michael Byrne at full-back and Alan Nolan’s goalkeeping ability and his tactic of making himself an extra man are impressive, although incredibly high risk in terms of the latter with Willie Dillon’s embarrassing own goal in the second half finding the net because Nolan wasn’t there to collect the pass.
But instead, it’s the sum of their parts that is where Tinahely are finding their strength. It is their hunger to attack, their desire to win possession, primary or turnover, it’s their belief in a cause and their confidence that has them sailing through games, and it is very impressive to watch.
In saying that, Coolkenno without Eamonn Rossiter, Cathal Rossiter, Don Jackman and Conor Doyle from the start of a game are a team without some serious operators and the 3-7 to 1-4 halftime score was a fair reflection of the gulf between the teams.
Lack of discipline would destroy any hope they might have had of a recovery in the second half with Ben Jackman and Paul Keogh going on black cards and Don Jackman departing on a straight red after an incident with Willie Dillon who had been deployed back to limit the Coolkenno legend’s influence.
The early stages were tight, but you could sense that Tinahely had more potential in attack than Coolkenno.
Eamonn Rossiter’s endless work rate was sorely missed in this game.
There was 11 minutes on the clock when Brian Walsh rifled home to the top corner of John Corcoran’s net to make it 1-3 to 0-2 for Alan Costello’s side. Alan Dillon, John Blake and Tony Darcy had bagged the Tinahely points while Pauric Coleman and a fine score from Jim Cushe had Coolkenno up and running.
James Gregan was named at full-forward but operated out the field while Eoghan Dolan roamed but was watched closely all day.
Noel Muhall and Bob Keogh exchanged points before Alan Dillon claimed a high ball from brother Stephen over Paul Keogh and turned and fired home to the back of the net with 19 on the clock, 2-4 to 0-3.
Coolkenno needed something quick and they got it when they marauded up the field and James Gregan fed the ball across the square to where Pauric Coleman palmed it home, 2-4 to 1-3, 23 on the clock. Hope for Damien McMahon’s men.
A Conor Walker pointed free made it a one-score game but Tinahely romped home to the end of the first half with points from Noel Mulhall, Tony Darcy (free) and a peach of a free from Jason Cush and a beautiful shot to the bottom corner from Rory Stokes after lovely hands from Stephen Dillon to leave it 3-7 to 1-4 at the break.
Don Jackman entered the fray at the break but a reckless hit on Alan Nolan by Ben Jackman saw him issued with the game’s first black card. Conor Doyle came in to replace him.
From here on in the game changed in many ways. It became slightly messy but still contained some decent football.
Conor Walker swept over a beauty off the outside of his right but Tinahely hit back with two, one from Tony Darcy, the other from Alan Dillon, as space seemed to be opening up big time in the Coolkenno defence.
A Conor Walker free made it 3-9 to 1-6 and Coolkenno’s first real attempt to fire a high ball down on top of Don Jackman at full-forward was thwarted by Alan Nolan who punched to safety.
Tinahely were looking to put this game to bed but in John Corcoran they found a quality goalkeeper and he saved superbly from Stephen Dillon with 42 on the clock.
Good play from James Gregan allowed Pauric Coleman the chance to point and Rory Stokes hit back at the other end off his left to make it 3-10 to 1-7.
Things went a bit pear-shaped for Coolkenno for the rest of the game.
Paul Keogh went on a black for downing Alan Dillon who was heading for goal and although they got a temporary boost and the crowd got some welcome levity when Willie Dillon passed the ball back into his own net it was all over bar the shouting when Don Jackman was sent to the line for kicking out at Dillon as the two pestered each other constantly in open play.
A super win for Tinahely. Any questions in relation to their ability to handle difficult challenges were answered profoundly with this performance.
It’s going to take a mammoth performance from an opponent or a cataclysmic meltdown of their own making to stop them from clinching the Darcy Sand Intermediate Football Championship.
The latter is very unlikely, the former remains to be seen.
Scorers – Tinahely: Alan Dillon 1-2, Rory Stokes 1-1, Tony Darcy 0-4 (2f), Jason Cush 0-2 (2f), Noel Mulhall 0-2, Brian Walsh 1-0, John Blake 0-1.
Coolkenno: Pauric Coleman 1-2 (1f), Conor Walker 0-4 (3f), Bob Keogh 0-1, Stephen Dillon 1-0 (OG), Jim Cushe 0-1.
Alan Nolan; Kevin Mulhall, Michael Byrne, Conor Hatton; John Blake, Willie Dillon, Curtis Keating; Noel Mulhall, Brian Walsh; Rory Stokes, Jason Cush, Stephen Dillon; Tony Darcy, Alan Dillon, James Hedderman. Subs: James Gilbert for C Keating (45), Daniel Ging for S Dillon (60), Jamie Cullen for J Hedderman (60), James
John Corcoran; Willie Doyle, Paul Keogh, Shane Walker; John Kavanagh, Bob Keogh, Philip Timmons; Jim Cushe, Ben Jackman; Eoghan Dolan, Paul Murphy, Paddy Dalton; Pauric Coleman, James Gregan, Conor Walker. Subs: Don Jackman for P Timmons (H/T), Conor Doyle For B Jackman (BC, 31), Donal Doyle for J Kavanagh (40), Cathal Rossiter for P Keogh (BC, 48), Colm Murphy for B Keogh (54min).
Declan Peppard (Holly-
wood)