Tully goal boosts Boyne Valley to victory

SLANE’S Matt Tully scored the crucial goal as defending champions Boyne Valley made a winning start to the Regional FC with a 1-8 to 0-9 victory over Tara in a repeat of last year's final before a sparse attendance at Dunganny this evening, writes Sean Wall.

There was little to choose between the teams at any stage in what was a fairly subdued start to the campaign with Tara, thanks mainly to the accuracy of Luke Mitchell, edging the exchanges on the scoreboard until Sean Clare and Daire Rowe combined to set up Tully for a simple slap in goal on 43 minutes.

That score left John McCarthy’s side leading 1-6 to 0-8 and Tully then doubled his side’s advantage two minutes later. Mitchell’s seventh point brought it back to the minimum and the teams only managed a single point between them in the final 17 minutes which included four added on for injuries and delays. It was a well taken effort coming in off the left wing by Adam Quinn and that was sufficient to see Boyne Valley hold out for victory.

Boyne Valley led twice in the opening stages through Tully and his Slane club mate Podge McGowan. Mitchell and Marty Mulhall were both on target for Tara in the opening quarter before Mark Dowdall pointed them ahead on 17 minutes.

Michael Brady brought the eventual winners back level but four successive points from Mitchell, three frees and a mark, left Tara leading 0-7 to 0-5 at half-time.

Moynalvey’s David McLoughlin was introduced in the opening half for Boyne Valley and he accounted for a point either side of half-time.

Mitchell also accounted for Tara two points in the second half from frees but with Boyne Valley having a little more going for them in attack they finished deserving winners.

Boyne Valley – Cathal Dardis (Syddan); Evan Murray (Slane), Ronan Mooney (Syddan), Jack Doyle (Walterstown); Mark Fedigan (Syddan), Darren Brennan (Moynalvey), Conor Farrelly (Walterstown); Sean Clare (Syddan), Michael Brady (Moynalvey 0-1); Matt Tully (Slane 1-2), Barry O’Connell (Walterstown 0-1), Michael Fedigan (Syddan); Daire Rowe (Syddan), Podge McGowan (Slane 0-1), Adam Quinn (Walterstown 0-1). Subs – Alan Wall (Walterstown) for Clare 12mins, Clare for Tully 23m, David McLoughlin (Moynalvey 0-2 one free) for Michael Fedigan 26m, Tully for McGowan 37m, Jim Marry (Slane) for Mark Fedigan 40m, Jack Wilson (Walterstown) for Wall 43m, Ross Reynolds (Walterstown) for Doyle 50m, Michael Fedigan for Rowe (58).

Tara – Niall Flynn (Dunsany); Conor Harkin (Dunsany), Ciaran McCarrick (Dunshaughlin), Jack Grant (Bective); Pauric Burke (Dunsany), Sean Ryan (St Peter's), Mark Dowdall (Bective 0-1); James Cahill (Dunsany), Matthew Cully (Bective); Paul Kelly (Blackhall), Cathal Murphy (Dunsany), Con Smith (Bective); Eoin Harkin (Dunsany), Marty Mulhall (Bective 0-1), Luke Mitchell (Dunshaughlin 0-7 five frees). Subs - Neil Dowdall (Bective) for M Dowdall 37 mins, Jack Cottrell (Dunsany) for Kelly 42m, Mark O’Brien (Bective) for Murphy 50m, Shane Whitty (Blackhall) for Cully 52m.

Referee – Sean Gahan (Ratoath)