Cental Minor Football championship
Clonmore/Grange 1-20 Tinryland 3-12
A strong second half saw the area side overcome Tinryland in a high scoring opener to this year’s minor championship in Hacketstown on Thursday last.
Tinryland got off to the the best possible start when Ross Moran had the ball in the home teams net after only 15 seconds having won the throw in. Tinryland went 4 points ahead 2 minutes later when Gael O’Rock slotted over a point but the home side quickly replied with a point from corner forward Fiach Byrne who finished the match with a personal tally of 1-11 including a brilliant first half two pointer. Tinryland played their best football in that opening half scoring another brilliant goal via Liam Ryan in the 10th minute after more good play by Gael O’Rock.
With Fiach Byrne continuing to clock up the scores for Clonmore/Grange, Tinryland managed to edge the first half with a well taken Jamie Doyle free with their other first half point scorers Mikey Byrne, Ross Moran and the lively Jamie Doyle. Half time score Tinryland 2-7 Clonmore/ Grange 0-12
The 2nd half began with a Clonmore/Grange point from substitute Jack Byrne who added pace to the winner’s attack in the last 30 minutes. Clonmore/Grange then took the lead for the first time with another successful free from Fiach Byrne before Tomas Murphy levelled matters in the 36th minute with a well taken point from a free won by Jamie Doyle. Tomas Murphy then produced a moment of magic with a brilliant two pointer in the 39th minute which put Tinryland two points ahead once again but 3 unanswered points from Fiach Byrne (2) and Jack Byrne edged the area team ahead once again before a Jamie Doyle free had the sides level in the 47th minute.
Fiach Byrne continued to decorate the scoreboard with 2 more successful frees before Jamie Doyle replied at the other end with a successful conversion. The crucial score in this high scoring game then arrived via that man Fiach Byrne when he found the Tinryland net in the 57th minute which gave his side daylight for the first time with a 4-point lead entering stoppage time. Another Clonmore/Grange point in the 61st minute solidified the points for the Clonmore/Grange alliance before Tinryland sub-Tadhg Deane rattled their net with the last kick of the game in this enjoyable encounter.
Clonmore/Grange: Aaron Doyle, Luke Kelly, Evan Fitzachary, Paddy Nolan, Conal Cullen, Conor Forde, Sean Corless, Darragh Cullen, Darragh Burrows 0-2, Pat Murphy 0-1, Daire Byrne 0-1, Jack Lyons, Brian Whelan, Oran Keating, Fiach Byrne 1-11. Subs: Jack Byrne 0-2, Tadhg Hennessy, Luke McGrath.
Tinryland: Johnny Scully, Ben Smith, Luke Cahill, Cathal Purcell, Charlie Keogh, Walter Webb, Calum O’Brien-Murphy, Ross Moran 1-1, Mikey Byrne 0-2, Cian Buckley, Cian Buckley, Liam Ryan 1-0, Cian McNamara, Tomas Murphy 0-3 Jamie Doyle 0-6, Gael O’Rock. Subs: Shay Ryan, Dan Kehoe, Tadgh Deane 1-0.
Referee James Tobin
