Taghmon take last four place

A straightforward success

TAGHMON-C’ROSS 2-19 WOLFE TONES 2-7

TAGHMON-CAMROSS had a straightforward introduction to the AIB Leinster Club Junior hurling championship with a 2-19 to 2-7 win over a limited Wolfe Tones (Longford) outfit in Sunday’s quarter-final at Netwatch Cullen Park, Carlow.

The modus operandi was clear for the Wexford Intermediate ‘A’ champions - supply the full-forward line as quickly and as often as possible.

And it was a strategy that gained serious dividends for Jason Ryan’s charges as Cathal Doyle, Stephen O’Gorman and Luke Sinnott were in stellar form when sharing 1-13 between them.

Funnily enough, given they were so dangerous up front, the two goals that knocked the stuffing out of the Longford club’s meek challenge in the second-half were a penalty from goalkeeper Jack Dunne and a fluke from Stephen O’Gorman, so if anything there is still room for improvement from the winners.

Wolfe Tones have won every Longford Senior hurling championship since 2013 and also had a provincial victory under the belts after defeating Wicklow’s Avondale by 0-19 to 1-11 in round one, but their struggles here were perhaps surmised by the fact that manager Seán Browne togged out to make up the numbers.

Stephen O’Gorman created an opening immediately from the throw-in but screwed a goal chance wide of the post before Sinnott registered a nice opener for Taghmon-Camross on two minutes.

Cathal Doyle and John Newman exchanged frees, while the former tapped over another one after a wild pull on himself.

Ian Carty then stroked over from the left wing on seven minutes, while Wolfe Tones goalkeeper Andy Kelly was quick off the line to smother Stephen O’Gorman on the ground as Doyle knocked over the resultant ’65 to make it 0-5 to 0-1 after ten minutes.

Wolfe Tones did goal against the run of play though when a rather hopeful ball bounced beyond cover and Paddy Cullen tidily tucked away across Jack Dunne (0-5 to 1-1).

A Doyle free hugging the far sideline was cancelled by a more straightforward placed ball from Newman, but Sinnott really had his eye in during the first-half, as he pointed over his shoulder from the corner on 16 minutes.

Doyle peeled away from attention to follow suit from the same area of the field, Darren Carty seized a stray clearance to knock over their tenth point, while makeshift forward Stephen O’Keeffe stretched the lead to 0-11 to 1-2 after 21 minutes.

Doyle outwitted his unfortunate marker again with another premium effort from play, while Stephen O’Gorman hit his goal effort at a comfortable height for Kelly to bat away as Taghmon-Camross held a comfortable 0-12 to 1-3 advantage at half-time.

Doyle accounted for the first two scores after the break, including one free, and was man-handled at least twice close to goal for the penalty which Jack Dunne trekked upfield to take and stitch with aplomb.

Stephen O’Gorman finally got his name on the scoreboard on 43 minutes, and also raised a green flag a minute later when his shot dipped into the net for a 2-16 to 1-3 gap.

The winners’ last three scores came from substitutes as Michael O’Gorman and T.J. Codd (twice) both knocked over from play, while Wolfe Tones put a bit more respectability to the final scoreline with a brace of points from Martin Coyle and Seamus Hannon.

The former was also credited with a late goal as his delivery appeared to drop over the line without a touch from any other hurl.

Next up for Taghmon-Camross is a trip to Meath to take on Na Fianna - big winners against Crookedwood from Westmeath - in the semi-final on Saturday week.

Taghmon-Camross: Jack Dunne (1-0 pen.); Tom Banville, Alan Nolan, Mark O’Gorman; Shane Doyle, Ian Carty (0-1), Stephen Stafford; Thomas Furlong, Darren Carty (0-1); Chris Cullen, Barry O’Gorman, Stephen O’Keeffe (0-1); Cathal Doyle (0-9, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ‘65), Stephen O’Gorman (11), Luke Sinnott (0-3). Subs. - Michael O’Gorman for D. Carty, temp. (4-6), O’Gorman (0-1) for Sinnott (42), Shane Lacey for C. Doyle (45), T.J. Codd (0-2) for S. O’Gorman (48), Peter Murphy for S. Doyle (54), Robert Nolan for Mark O’Gorman (54).

Wolfe Tones: Andy Kelly; Cian McLoughlin, Thomas Stakem, Ciarán Fahy; Daniel Connell, Barry Stakem, Evan Tully; Martin Coyle (1-2), Seán Noonan; P.J. Masterson, Seamus Hannon (0-2), John Newman (0-3 frees); Luke Kelly, Mike Keating, Paddy Cullen (1-0). Subs. - Maithiú O’Donohoe for Kelly (40), Seán Browne for Keating (43).

Referee: John O’Brien (Laois).