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Tubberclair’s championship challenge is back on track

Wednesday, 21 July 2010

Tubberclair 0-14 Coralstown Kinnegad 0-10.

TUBBERCLAIR manager Tom Lennon looked like a man who had just climbed Croagh Patrick, with ever ounce of energy drained from his body as he walked from the dressing room at full time. He was probably summing up what each and every player was feeling inside the close door at the end of sixty minutes.
Once more Coralstown Kinnegad were handed a defeat but under new manager John Cooney, they went down fighting even though their performance had improved greatly since the earlier rounds. Cooney came in to fill the shoes of former manager Colm Coyle and the signs are he may well be progressing, but it wasn't enough to stop Tubberclair recording their second win in the championship, after losing out in Tang in the second round to Athlone.
It was a closely fought battle and not one for the faint hearted with the sides regularly trading their periods of domination. Cooney's red army played into the Clara road end backed by an ever increasing wind in the opening half hour but it was Tubberclair that opened when Daniel Sammon register the first score of the game after just fifteen seconds, and Francis Brolly punched a second between the posts.
Coralstown Kinnegad had their first in the fourth minute through Alan Giles after the latter was fouled and although the angle was difficult, Giles raised the white flag. Ian Coffey was set to find Tubbercalir's third until his shot was blocked down by the full back Cillian Foley and when Joe Brolly went in, the defender fouled and Coffey split the posts. After seven minutes the gap had increased to three when Daniel Sammon was dragged down close to the edge of the penalty box and again Coffey converted.
However Kinnegad would discover their purple patch and from that four points would be produced. Alan Giles's free came after Andrew 'Jim Bob' Cannon was fouled, and David Kilmartin came in for Hubie Maguire in defence. Giles added two points from play and David Flynn gave Kinnegad the lead.
Francis Spollen at the clubhouse end was dragged down as he threatened the goalmouth and Jeffrey converted with Ian Coffey taking delivery of the long ball from James Martin before being pulled down and the shooting his side into the lead. However the teams would go to the dressing rooms with the scoreboard reading six points each after Wayne Fox intercepted a Coralstown Kinnegad pass before sending it over the bar.
It was John Cooney's side that seemed the hungrier in the early stages of the second half as the drove three unanswered points over. Giles opened from play as the ball was driven across the Tubberclair goalmouth. A Wayne Fox '45 was caught by Jason Cully to open a two-point lead and Cian Flynn soloed up the right wing and added another.
Now it was time to take the game by the scruff of the neck and it was Tubberclair's turn to dominate. Jeffrey Farrell converted a free from a most difficult angle from all of forty meters. Francis 'Brolly' Spollen took a quick free to Ian Coffey who sent it on its way. The latter was then fouled and levelled the scores and as the game reached the final quarter, Farrell's free kick put Tubberclair in the driving seat.
However Coralstown Kinnegad were not finished yet and Ronan Foley had the side level once more with eleven minutes remaining. However his side would be held scoreless for the remainder of the game with Tubberclair dominating in key areas capturing vital scores.
Ian Coffey gave them the lead after David Cassells was fouled and followed up with a free before Jeffrey Farrell has the score of the evening and on the hour Ian Coffey had his eighth score of the game. Coralstown Kinnegad finished the game with fourteen men after Fergal Dardis was issued with a second yellow card.
Enda Magee was taken to hospital in Tullmore for an x-ray on a knee injury. Its hoped he will be fit again for the forthcoming game with St Lomans, last year's beaten finalists who have yet to take a single point, and for the derby game that is eagerly looked forward to, with Maryland.

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