Tubber defeat St Mary’s
TUBBERCURRY gave their chances of finishing in top spot in Group One of the Belfry Senior Football Championship a boost, as they recorded a relatively comfortable ten point win over a disjointed St Mary’s at Connolly Park on Sunday afternoon.
Seven points to the good at the break, thanks in no small part to Luke Gilmartin’s first half goal, Tubber never really looked in trouble in this one.
Mary’s only managed to produce two scorers, Mark Breheny and Rory Guinan, on what was a disappointing offering from the Sligo town men.
Fresh from their seven point defeat of Eastern Harps one week earlier, it was Tubber goalkeeper Colm McGee who got the show on the road with an early 45 in the early autumn sunshine.
Both teams found themselves in scorable positions early on, but wayward kicking was either side’s down fall. It wasn’t until the ninth minute when Mary’s skipper Guinan levelled the game from a free after Kyle Cawley was obstructed 20 yards from goal.
David Caffrey’s management team were forced into a reshuffle on eleven minutes when Johnny Martyn was black carded for an over-zealous attempt to dispossess Tubber’s Eddie McGuinness.
Luke Gilmartin sending over the result- ing free for the first of his 1-6 for the day.
Tubber, who are this year hoping to appear in their first county decider since they last won it in 2014, surged into a six point lead by the mid-way mark of the half.
A white flag from Steven Kilcoyne was followed up on the next attack with the game’s maiden goal.
The sly David Kelly slotting the ball between two Mary’s backs to pick out the run of the elusive Luke Gilmartin who clipped the ball, left footed past Fintan Ruddy.
Stephen Gilmartin followed up with the first of his two points of the afternoon, before Mary’s broke their run of nine min- utes without a score. Breheny finding a gap between two defenders to shoot over.
Breheny and Cian Gilmartin exchanged scores as Mary’s settled somewhat. Guinan cutting the deficit to four with another point from play eight minutes from the break.
Tubber passed up a great chance to land what would have been a significant blow on 23 minutes. The tricky Dylan Henry finding himself free of the last defender only for Ruddy to get a slight touch on his cushioned effort which looked destined for the bottom corner. McGee’s skewed shot from the resulting 45 one of six wides for Tubber.
The in-form Luke Gilmartin made no such mistake soon after.
Conall Ryan fouled in the corner, offering Gilmartin the chance to sweep the ball between the posts for one of the scores of the game.
Breheny had his third from a free on the 30 minute mark, but Tubber weren’t finished. That man Luke Gilmartin had time to slot over his third point to leave it at a five point contest at the interval.
Mary’s, who had beaten Coolaney/ Mullinabreena a week previous, altered their approach in the second half with the introduction of both Jonathan Davey and Jonathan Lynch.
But their struggles in front of the target continued as they went another prolonged period without a score, while Tubber made the most of their chances.
Stephen Gilmartin sent his second over the black spot, while a simple point from close range from the boot of Luke Gilmartin followed after Kelly was fouled Tony O’Kelly-Lynch.
Despite his form, Luke Gilmartin was found guilty of a poor miss on 37 minutes, but more than made up for it with a perfectly executed drop of the shoulder and dummy past his marker to clip over another score.
While the same man made it 1-11 to 0-6 with a free which was moved forward by referee Barry Judge.
Mary’s registered two wides in quick succession as the game continued to slip from their grasp. Tubber, 20 times county champions, making the most of their opponent’s misfortune when ‘keeper McGee picked up his second 45 of the day after Ruddy did just enough to deny Rory Ryan a goal.
Breheny ended Mary’s poor form midway through the half with two pointed frees to complete his tally for the day.
But any slight hopes of a comeback were dashed on 48 minutes as Tubber secured their second green flag. A determined run from Cathal Surlis brought the half-back through the heart of the Mary’s defence. The number six teeing up Cian Gilmartin who buried the ball beyond a despondent Ruddy.
Both sides continued to add to the scoreboard in Collooney. Stephen Matthews for the black and white and Guinan for Mary’s.
Leading 2-13 to 0-11 and heading into added time, Tubber’s James Kelly ensured his team didn’t slow down with a well taken point from left of the goal.
Mary’s were fortunate not to end the game with 14 men. Luke Nicholson, booked in the first half, catching David Kelly with a high tackle. The 2007 Connacht title winner pinging the resulting free over Ruddy’s head.
Tubbercurry: Colm McGee (0-2); Oisin McCann (Niall Murphy 62), Brian Murphy, David Brennan; Rory Ryan (Fabio Cretaro 57), Cathal Surlis, James Kelly (0-1); Stephen Gilmartin (0-2), Eddie McGuinness; Dylan Henry (Stephen Matthews 49) (0-1), Brian Curran, Steven Kilcoyne (0-1) (Cian Gilmartin 19) (1-1); Conall Ryan (Brian Morahan 45), Luke Gilmartin (1-6), David Kelly (0-1).
St Mary’s: Fintan Ruddy; Jonathan Martyn (Liam Henry 11) (Black Card), Luke Nicholson, Conor Darcy; Niall McManus, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (Adam Lynch 55); Mark Breheny (0-5), Paul Kilcoyne; Cian Breheny, Rory Guinan (0-6), Nathan Rooney (Jonathan Davey HT); Kyle Calwey, Dermot O’Connor (Jonathan Lynch HT), Mark McGoldrick (Dylan Kilgallon 42).
Referee: Barry Judge.