Starlights bounce back
STARLIGHTS bounced back from defeat against Shelmaliers to secure their place in the Tom Doyle Supplies Senior Football Championship quarter-finals with victory over Taghmon-Camross in Hollymount on Friday evening last.
The Bellefield lads simply had too much quality for their plucky opponents, right across the board they got strong performance and, despite conceding two first half goals, were always in control.
Last week’s loss hasn’t even made the champions blink, they simply regrouped, went right back to work and it was business as usual - the typical Starlights that local football fans have come to enjoy the last two season.
There wasn’t a lot of difference between what Taghmon did in this game and their win over St James’.
The simply fact is that, right now, Starlights have better players, engaged in a brand of football they have become accustomed to playing well.
The Enniscorthy Town side controlled the first quarter and built a 1-3 to nil lead. Eamonn Furlong was hit late after delivering the pass to Dylan Redmond, it meant that when his teammate cut in and netted the Stars full-forward enjoyed the moment a little more than usual.
Two Sheamie McLoughlin points haulted the momentum but James Carty kicked a pair of overs himself.
Yet Taghmon-Camross got right back into the game when Barry O’Gorman blitzed through and drove past Pa Doyle to put just two between the side.
Furlong tapped over his first but in the 28th minute Taghmon goaled again, this time Ian Carty did superbly to keep the ball in, feed back to McLoughlin and he did the rest. Late overs from Furlong and Darragh Pepper still gave Starlights a 1-7 to 2-2 interval advantage.
The sides shared the first four points of the second half evenly but a burst of overs from the 38th minute gave Starlights a lead they wouldn’t surrendering. Alan ‘Gooch’ Tobin kicked two of those points, Redmond and Ryan Mahon were also on target as their side moved 1-13 to 2-4 ahead.
Even the smallest doubt about the destination of the win were blown away when Ricky Fox netted soccer-style from Mahon’s pass in the 45th minute.
Starlights controlled the final quarter and added further gloss when Liam Ryan capped a fine performance with a clinically taken goal.
Starlights now face St James’ in their final group game and they will be playing for position in the table. With so many games in such a short period of time it will be interesting to see how Joe Hagan and Purt Doyle opt to use their squad for that clash.
Things looked really good for Taghmon after they beat St James’ last week but they are back under a little bit of pressure.
A win against Gusserane doesn’t guarantee a spot in the last eight, it will depend on the other results but it would ensure that they safely stay a senior club for 2019.
STARLIGHTS: Pa Doyle; Mel Doyle, Tom Wall (capt.), Rory O’Connor; Jack Kelly, Ricky Fox (1-0), James Peare; James Carty (0-2), Liam Ryan (1-0); Alan Tobin (0-4, 1 free, 1 ‘45), Ryan Mahon (0-1), Dylan Redmond (1-3, 0-2 frees); Darragh Pepper (0-2), Eamon Furlong (0-3), Kevin Foley. Subs. - Tomás Mahon for R. Mahon (50), Anthony Roche for Doyle (55), Tommy Foley for Furlong, inj (59), Anto Russell for Peare (60+1).
TAGHMON-CAMROSS: Jack Dunne; Shane Doyle, Alan Nolan (capt.), David O’Keeffe; Stephen Stafford, Mark O’Gorman (0-1), Darren Carty; Barry O’Gorman (1-0), Chris Cullen; Luke Sinnott, Anthony Breen, Stephen O’Gorman; Ian Carty (0-1), Michael O’Gorman, Sheamie O’Loughlin (1-5, 0-5 frees). Subs. - Cathal Doyle for Michael O’Gorman (43), Darren Hayden for Cullen (49), Eoin Doyle for S. Doyle (53).
REFEREE: Fintan O’Reilly (Kilmore)