Tenacious Tara win bizarre semi-final contest
What a game this Regional FC semi-final between Tara and An Tuaisceart turned out to be at Dunganny tonight. Not a classic, from from it, but a bizarre encounter that rambled along before finishing in a flurry of excitement.
The winning point was scored in injury time by Kilbride's David O'Leary. He caught a long ball from club colleague Cian Harford before winning the mark about 20m out. He then proceeded to pop the ball over the bar for what turned out to be the winner.
It was a strange game because for so long An Tuaisceart were the better team. They passed the ball through the lines at pace, frequently creating opportunities. They problem for them is that they couldn't take enough of them with Tara goalkeeper Niall Flynn making a number of top-drawer saves.
An Tuaisceart led for a huge chunk of this game and wasted a series of good chances. In the end such profligacy came back to haunt them.
Brian Farrell's side led 0-6 to 1-0 at the interval with Kevin Traynor (two), Cormac Sheehy , Ryan Owens, Tomas MacGabhann and Thomas Murtagh all scoring for them. Yet, despite a world of possession they could only muster two more points in the rest of the game from Owens and Sheehy. .
Tara's showed the value of sticking with their convictions and believing. They didn't have a good first-half with Paul Kelly's superbly taken goal (after a super, fast-paced move) one of their few highlights.
They relied on Flynn to keep them in the game, the 'keeper making outstanding stops to deny Sheehy and Gary Breslin.
It says a lot about Tara's display that they didn't get their opening point until almost the 50th minute from a fine Declan Smyth finish. O'Leary added another soon after from play. Still An Tuaisceart looked like they would prevail.
Then in injury time Kelly crossed for Jamie McWeeney to palm the ball bravely to the net at the far post. Suddenly Tara were ahead 2-3 to 0-7.
Sheehy levelled for An Tuaisceart with a point. Extra-time loomed. Then, with the seconds ticking,Tara played a ball long to O'Leary who won his mark and pointed.
Even then the drama wasn't over. Mark Fedigan had a late chance for An Tuaisceart but shot wide. Tara held on for a remarkable victory at end of a really bizarre game.
SCORERS
Tara - Paul Kelly 1-0; Jamie McWeeney 1-0; David O'Leary 0-1 one mark; Declan Smyth 0-1.
An Tuaisceart - Ryan Owens 0-2; Cormac Sheehy 0-2; Kevin Traynor 0-2; Thomas Murtagh 0-1; Tomas MacGabhann 0-1.
TEAMS
Tara - Niall Flynn; Pauraic Burke, Eoin O'Connor, Mark Dempsey; Conor Harkin, Eoin Harkin, Declan Smyth; Jamie McWeeney, Charlie O'Donnell; Paul Kelly, Pierre Fox, Tommy Kinsella; Cathal Murphy, Alan Nestor, David O'Leary. Subs - Tommy Dalton, Hugh Smith, Cian Harford, Tadgh O Dushlaine, Conor Mooney, Rian Kealy, Dermot Carty, Shane Walsh, Wes Goodwin, Fearghal Kiernan, Sean O'Neill, Ronan O'Leary, Donnacha Tobin, Josh Harford.
An Tuaisceart - Dominic Yorke; Ronan Mooney, Barry Cassidy, Ryan Summersby; Mark Fedigan, Killian Russell, Ryan Owens; Thomas Murtagh, Kevin Traynor; Dean Halpin, Gary Breslin, Cormac Sheehy; Tomas MacGabhann, Patrick Matthews, James Mooney. Subs - Matthew Durnin, Brian Cassidy, Niall Bennett, Tomas Conlon, Eanna Fagan, Niall Farrell, Dary Hutchinson, Sean Meade, Daire Rowe.
Referee - Derek Ryan (Na Fianna).
* In the other semi-final Boyne Valley defeated Lough Crew 1-16 to 1-13 but only after extra-time. Fergal Lynch's full match reported will be posted shortly.