Tourlestrane are made to work hard for a win over Coolera-Strandhill
TOURLESTRANE secured their second win of this year’s Furey’s Coaches Senior Football League last Saturday evening at their south Sligo base.
But Kevin Johnson’s charges had to work extremely hard for their 0-11 to 0-9 over a Niall Murphyinspired Coolera-Strandhill.
In the closing stages a pointed free from Rian Kennedy put Tourlestrane in front, 0-10 to 0-9, and John Kelly sealed the deal with a point from play in stoppage time. Niall Murphy, who started at midfield for the visitors, was on song during the opening period – he kicked five of his side’s six points. One of Murphy’s standout scores was a long-range belter from along the right wing.
Coolera-Strandhill started well but were eventually pegged back – it was 0-3 apiece by the water break, with Rian Bailey levelling matters for the hosts.
The remainder of the opening period was tit for tat. Rian Kennedy and Kenny Gavigan added to Tourlestrane’s tally, with Niall Murphy, inevitably, on target for Coolera-Strandhill.
Tourlestrane were marginally ahead at the break, 0-7 to 0-6, having managed to keep CooleraStrandhill’s inside forwards scoreless – Barry Walsh’s duel with Coolera-Strandhill attacker Barry O’Mahony was one of the game’s intriguing subplots.
Another fine battle was in midfield where Tourlestrane’s Cathal Henry was up against Peter Laffey.
In the first 15 minutes of the second-half Tourlestrane extended their lead with points from Cathal Henry and Rian Kennedy. CooleraStrandhill kept in touch, however, and managed to draw level. Tourlestrane finished well to win this Division One Group One fixture. They lead the Group One standings, with two games still to play, and Coolera-Strandhill are second.
In Group Two of the top tier, Coolaney-Mullinabreena were two-point winners over St Molaise Gaels, 2-10 to 1-11, at Oxfield Park last Sunday.
A strong start from CoolaneyMullinabreena would ultimately prove decisive – Gavin Gorman’s punched goal in the opening 60 seconds helped them lead 1-2 to 0-0 after five minutes.
The winners were still in front by half-time, 1-8 to 1-6, but St Molaise Gaels had begun to find their form – Aaron Currid, who impressed throughout, goaled and there were good points from Daragh Fallon.
A 40th minute converted penalty from Shane O’Brien was the crucial score for Coolaney-Mullinabreena. The spot-kick stemmed from a goalmouth situation in which St Molaise Gaels goalkeeper Niall McLoughlin saved Gavin Gorman’s goalbound effort.
Referee Gavin Cawley then awarded a penalty after he deemed Daniel Keaney to have fouled a Coolaney-Mullinabreena player – Keaney was also black-carded. Although Niall McLoughlin stopped Shane O’Brien’s spot-kick, Cawley asked for it to be retaken and this time O’Brien netted. Meanwhile, St Mary’s edged matters against Calry-St Joseph’s in Saturday evening’s Furey’s Coaches Senior Football League Division One Group Two contest at Hazelwood.
St Mary’s won by a point, 1-14 to 2-10, as they overcame the concession of two first-half goals – Aaron Flynn and Adrian Cummins were each on target with a goal for Calry-St Joseph’s.
The visitors, who were denied a goal by Calry-St Joseph’s goalkeeper Brian Shannon, did find the net before the break when Patrick Maher applied the finish to a slick move. Second-half points from Conor Griffin and Darragh Cummins put Calry-St Joseph’s in the lead but St Mary’s regained the advantage through scores from Emlyn Mulligan and Kyle Cawley. St Molaise Gaels are on top of Group Two, with two wins from three games, followed by CoolaneyMullinabreena and St Mary’s
(each with three points). CoolaneyMullinabreena still have to play Calry-St Joseph’s in this section.