Owenmore Gaels 1-8 Tubbercurry/Cloonacool 1-6
Owenmore Gaels secured the Minor A League Shield competition with a hard fought win over Tubbercurry/Cloonacool on Thursday evening last at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence.
Wet and slippery conditions contributed to a low scoring and at times scrappy game. We were first to make an impression on the scoreboard when midfielder Ross Trill joined the attack to land a fine score after patient build-up. Tubber/Cloonacool hit back with the next two scores. We equalised when Stephen Fallon won possession and offloaded to Oisin Geraghty. Geraghty let the ball inside to Derek Lynch at 14 who turned his man and fired over a fine score. Fallon got his first score of the evening off his left foot, James Duffy with the assist. We were controlling proceedings at this stage with our backs snuffing out any Tubber threats and our midfield on top. Fallon scored a free after a determined run from Duffy was illegally halted. Calum Tonry tagged on another, a fine kick from out on the left. We added one more before half-time, a great team score. Jamie Callaghan and Roly Anderson made two excellent blocks in a row to turn over the ball. It was worked to Kevin Quigley who beat his man down the endline to manufacture a free which, Fallon popped over to leave us 0-6 to 0-2 up at the break and in control.
The second period saw Tubber/Cloonacool come out fighting. They dominated a very scrappy opening period, scoring the first two points of the half, and but for some good defending and a great save from Mark Walsh could have gotten more. Byron Doherty entered the fray for Calum Tonry to add pace to the forward line. Jack Foley stepped forward from Full-Back to show the way with a great point. Fallon added a free to put us back into a 4 point lead. Kevin Healy was introduced at corner forward for Kevin Quigley. Tubber/Cloonacool got the next two scores, the second diverted over by an alert Jack Foley. A flowing team move from back to front ended with Lynch bearing down on goal but his powerful effort came back off the crossbar and out for a 45′. The resulting effort from Fallon caused confusion in the Tubber/Cloonacool defence and ended up in the back of the net. This was to prove a crucial score as Tubber/Cloonacool fisted an effort to the back of the net in the last minute to leave a final score of 1-8 to 1-6 in our favour.
Well done to the players and management on their achievement, the clubs first silverware at Minor A level in decades. They will now re-focus their attention on the championship which begins in August. Man of the match Stephen Fallon, accurate in front of the posts but also selfless in his running and workrate throughout.
Team: Mark Walsh, Vincent Harte, Jack Foley (0-1), Tony Fox, Roly Anderson, Jamie Callaghan, Roan Conneely, Ross Trill (0-1), James Duffy, Calum Tonry (0-1) (Byron Doherty), Oisin Geraghty, Stephen Fallon (1-4), (0-3F) (1-0 45′), Kevin Quigley (Kevin Healy), Derek Lynch (0-1), Aaron Walsh. Subs: Daragh Mahon, Diarmuid Harte, Jordan McGuinn, Jack Branley, Evan Willis, Bryan McPartland (inj), Diarmuid O’Grady (inj)
