Tara Mines advance to All-Ireland decider

Tara Mines made hard work of overcoming Belfast City Council in an entertaining All-Ireland Inter-Firms JFC semi-final at Simonstown on Thursday night. The three-point margin of victory doesn't reflect Tara Mines overwhelming superiority, but they struggled to take their scores and left themselves susceptible to the counter punch against a Belfast City Council side that had a few excellent players and several very average ones. What the Belfast boys lacked in skill, they made up for in effort. As you would expect from a northern side Belfast City Council tackled ferociously, closed down space well and hit hard and fair to make life as difficult as possible for the Meath miners. A quick run down both team sheets would indicate that Tara Mines should win in a canter. Inter-county players Cormac McGuinness (pictured), Gary O'Brien, Damien Sheridan and Shane McKeigue led the line for Tara Mines and with others like Wolfe Tones pair Ciaran McLoughlin and Stephen Corrigan as well as Syddan's Ian Curran and Drumbaragh's James Connolly it was clear that Belfast would be under pressure. However, despite the presence of such top class players, Tara Mines struggled. They kicked 14 wides and dropped five efforts short. Such profligacy could have cost Tara Mines dear as Belfast struck with a late goal to set up a tense finish. Tara Mines lorded possession and with O'Brien and McGuinness inspirational at the back, it was McKeigue who led from the front with some brilliant play. McKeigue's link play was exceptional as he laid on chance after chance in the opening half, unfortunately most of them were missed as Trevor Lynch, Curran and Ruairi Russell kicked wides. The midfield battle was a sound contest which Corrigan and Sheridan marginally shaded, but Belfast City Council could never be discounted as Kevin Kennedy, Chris McAuley, Liam McKinley, Gerard Walls and especially the outstanding Karl Stewart kept them in the game. St Gall's star Stewart was a constant menace with four of his side's six points and it was his tempting free that set-up Kevin McGlinchey's flicked goal that closed the gap to three points with nine minutes remaining. That late goal, followed by another free from Stewart with three minutes remaining, ensured a tense closing few minutes for Tara Mines. They failed to score in the final 21 minutes and although they did enjoy a six-point scoring burst in a five-minute spell either side of half-time they were wasteful in attack. It took six minutes for the opening score to arrive. A foul on Russell allowed Curran give Tara Mines the lead and they never trailed as Curran doubled his side's advantage from another free a minute later. McAuley pointed after the referee allowed advantage and Dermot Scullion restored parity from a free. At the end of the opening quarter Curran's first point from play edged Tara Mines ahead and it was nine minutes before Stewart's first point from a free had Belfast City Council level, 0-3 each. After struggling to kick three points in the opening 28 minutes, Tara Mines added three more in the last 90 seconds of the half when Curran (two) and Barry Smith stretched their advantage. Stewart responded with a brilliant score to close the gap to 0-4 to 0-6 at the break. Within four minutes of the restart Tara Mines were 0-9 to 0-4 ahead with two frees from Curran and a superb score from Connolly. Stewart hit back with a free, but Russell and Lynch made it 0-11 to 0-5 before the three-quarter mark. However, that proved to be the end of Tara Mines' scoring contribution. They defended well to keep Belfast City Council at bay, but there were a few nervy moments after McGlinchey's goal. Tara Mines - M McCarthy (unattached); D Reilly (St Michael's), C McLoughlin (Wolfe Tones), S O'Brien (Navan O'Mahonys); C Kenny (Simonstown,), C McGuinness (Navan O'Mahonys), G O'Brien (Navan O'Mahonys); S Corrigan (Wolfe Tones), D Sheridan (Seneschalstown); I Curran (Syddan 0-7, four frees), T Lynch (Kilmainham 0-1), B Smith (Gaeil Colmcille 0-1); R Russell (Bective 0-1), S McKeigue (Navan O'Mahonys), J Connolly (Drumbaragh 0-1). Subs - R McCormack (Kingscourt Harps) for Kenny 46mins, J Shaw (Clann na nGael) for Russell 50m. Belfast City Council - S Laverty; M McGovern, N Convery, C Devine; M Colbert, S Bradley, L McKinley; G Walls, K McGlinchey (1-0); D Scullion (0-1 free), K Stewart (0-4, three frees), K Kennedy; C McAuley (0-1), K McDonnell, K Callan. Sub - B McKinley for McGovern 40mins. Referee - Tom McEntaggart (Louth).