Tubbercurry defeat Gaels
TUBBERCURRY had a comprehensive win over Shamrock Gaels in round 8 of the Division 1 league last Sunday. Played in ideal conditions, a youthful Gaels team started brightly with Karl McKenna bringing the best out of Colm McGee in the Tubbercurry goals before corner back Ben Tuohy pointed for the opening score. Stephen Gilmartin quickly responded with a point for Tubbercurry. With both teams deploying a sweeper the Gaels were the more defensive side despite the early attacking moves and it was a bizarre defensive error that led to the opening David Kelly goal. The Gaels won the break from a hop ball on the twenty one yard line, however a back pass to the keeper over the head of David Kelly dropped short only for Kelly to pounce and finish to the back of the net. Indeed veteran Kelly, operating at centre forward caused the Gaels all sorts of trouble and Tubbercurry quickly dominated with points from Stephen Matthews and Brian Morahan putting them into a six point lead after fifteen minutes. The Tubbercurry keeper, Colm McGee got in on the scoring with two pointed frees mid-way through the half with Tubbercurry in control. At the other end Shane Deignan kept the Gaels in touch with three great individual points and the Gaels were given a lifeline on the stroke of half time when Michael Kilkenny found Darragh Hailstones with a long ball and he in turn found brother Seamus who finished to the net to leave the half time score 1-9 to 1-4 in favour of Tubbercurry.
The second half however was all one way traffic with two quick points from David Kelly and Dylan Henry giving an indication of what was to come. Tubbercurry with a more direct style dominated and continued to pile the pressure on the Gaels with Paul Higgins and Daire Kearns making goalmouth clearances in quick succession. The introduction of Luke Gilmartin at half time added new life to the Tubbercurry forward line and he converted a great goal mid way through the half after a 45’ had dropped short to leave the game beyond the Gaels reach. The Gaels did have a consolidation goal with Dylan Willis setting up Darrah Hailstones who converted. It was Tubbercurry however who finished strongly with the impres- sive Brian Morahan converting four points in the closing ten minutes to give Tubbercurry a deserved win.
TUBBERCURRY: Colm McGee (0-2), Gerard Perry, Oisín McCann, David Brennan, Seamie O’Baoighille, Cathal Surlis, James Kelly, Stephen Gilmartin (0-1), Niall Murphy, Dylan Henry, David Kelly (1-2), Stephen Matthews (0-2), Aidan Brennan (0-2), Dermot Walsh (03), Brian Morahan (0-6), Subs: Fabio Cretaro for D Brennan, Luke Gilmartin (1-1) for S Matthews, Brian Curran for A Brennan, Cian Gilmartin (0-1) for D Henry, Darragh Brennan for G Perry.
SHAMROCK GAELS: Daniel Lyons, Ben Tuohy (0-1), Paul Higgins, Andrew Flynn, Declan Willis, Evan Lyons, Karl McKenna, Michael Kilkenny, Joe Henry, James Carroll, David Quinn, Darragh Hailstones (1-0), Shane Deignan (03), Seamus Hailstones (1-0), Ciaran O’Connor. Subs: Alan Kelly for B Tuohy, Daire Kearns for A Kelly (BC), Dillon McDermott for J Carroll, Dylan Willis for D Quinn, Brian Boyd for C O’Connor, Conor Merrick for D Willis.
REFEREE: Ciaran O’Donnell