Second-half goals boost An Tuaisceart to victory

Four second-half goals were the catalyst for An Tuaisceart to open up their Regional FC with a comfortable 4-10 to 0-8 victory over an understrength Darnley side in Dunganny tonight, writes David Rispin.

Played in atrocious conditions with incessant rain and a tricky crosswind throughout, the stronger strength in depth available was key to Brian Farrell’s north Meath outfit scoring the victory on the night.

Playing with the aid of the elements in the opening period, it was the north Meath men who made the brighter start, kicking the first three scores of the contest.

Nobber duo Niall Farrell and Sean Meade along with a point from Castletown’s Declan Cribbin propelled the men in white to an early advantage. A Darnley free from Stephen Coogan was immediately cancelled out by another from Meade down the other end.

Dunderry's Coogan reduced the arrears to two and Anthony Malone and Eoin Carroll’s charges should have been in front when the O Donnchadha brothers Eamon and Diarmaid were both foiled by a combination of the upright and some terrific last ditch defending in the one move.

An Tuaisceart were then denied moments later themselves with Shane Hoey blasting into the side-netting as chances went abegging.

Kevin Tarynor and another free from Meade did reassert the leader’s advantage however the Darnley combination rattled off three consecutive scores from Emmet Costello and a brace of frees from Coogan to leave the minimum between the sides at the interval, 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of An Tuaisceart.

With the breeze assisting them in the second period, Darnley’s best laid plans were halted immediately as Traynor ran in for an all important first goal to put his side four clear.

Another couple of efforts from Dunderry sharpshooter Coogan did put the men in red within touching distance again before Keith Sheerin awarded An Tuaisceart a penalty for a trip on the raiding Gary Breslin. Meade stepped up and expertly tucked away the spot kick past the helpless Eoin Griffin.

Further points from Meade, Farrell and Shane Hoey put clear daylight between the sides with the tireless Breslin adding a third major 10 minutes from time.

Coogan curled over his seventh free and eighth point of the night but it was scant consolation as Cormac Sheehy found the net moments later to put the icing on the cake for Brian Farrell’s men.

Fresh from his recent Junior A success with Castletown, a typically penetrating run and fisted finish from second half substitute Killian Price rounded off the scoring for a rampant Tuaisceart team.

SCORERS

An Tuaisceart - Sean Meade 1-4, 1-0 penalty, two frees; Kevin Traynor 1-1; Gary Breslin 1-0; Cormac Sheehy 1-0; Niall Farrell 0-2 one free; Declan Cribbin 0-1; Shane Hoey 0-1; Killian Price 0-1.

Darnley - Stephen Coogan 0-7 six frees; Emmet Costello 0-1.

TEAMS

An Tuaisceart - Dary Hutchinson (Nobber); Barry Cassidy (Nobber), Evan Hoey (Castletown), Mark Fedigan (Syddan); James Mooney (Meath Hill), Kevin Traynor (Syddan), Niall Farrell (Nobber); Thomas Murtagh (Nobber), Ryan Owens (Meath Hill); Shane Hoey (Castletown), Sean Meade (Nobber), Gary Breslin (Meath Hill); Cormac Sheehy (Meath Hill), Declan Cribbin (Castletown), Paddy Matthews (Meath Hill). Subs - Killian Price (Castletown) for Matthews half-time, Ryan Summersby (Syddan) for Owens 44 mins, Eanna Fagan (Nobber) for Cassidy 60m, Killian Russell (Kilmainhamwood) for S Hoey 62m, Thomas Conlon (Drumconrath) for Cribbin 63m.

Darnley - Sean Brennan (Dunderry); Declan Ball (St Ultan’s), Sean Traynor (Dunderry), Carl Kelly (Clann na Gael); Ryan McNamee (Clann na Gael), Jack Doherty (Clann na nGael), Darren Kelly (Clann na nGael); Darragh Swaine (Clann na Gael), Hugh Staunton (Cortown); Diarmaid O’Donnchadha (Clann na Gael), Adam Rogers (St Ultan’s), Aaron Newman (Dunderry); Eamon O Donnchadha (Clann na Gael), Stephen Coogan (Dunderry), Emmet Costello (St Ultan’s). Subs - Eoin Griffin (Clann na Gael) for Brennan half-time, Ruairí Buchanan (St Ultan’s) for Costello 40 mins, Tommy Buchanan (St Ultan’s) for Rogers 42m, Thomas Doyle (Clann na nGael) for C Kelly 50m, Ciarán Keating (Cortown) for McNamee 55m, Theo Staunton (Cortown) for Ball 57m.

Referee - Keith Sheerin (Drumconrath).