Michael Lyng Motors Hyundai Carlow S.F.C.
Palatine 1-18 Tinryland 1-5
A disappointing championship season for Tinryland got worse at Netwatch Cullen Park on Sunday afternoon when our neighbours Palatine inflicted a comprehensive defeat of the men in blue and white. Tinryland now find themselves in a similar situation to 2024 when Bagenalstown Gaels consigned the men from Rathcrogue to the relegation area a situation that Tinryland escaped from with a victory over Clonmore. On Sunday last Tinryland played second fiddle to a more physical and fast-moving Palatine who began to motor after conceding the opening two points to their parish neighbours when Jonah Dunne and Diarmaid Walshe put two points on the board in the opening 4 minutes. Palatine found their stride in the 6th minute when Padraic Kelly opened their account, and they were ahead one minute later when their midfielder and sharpshooter Shane O’Neill scored the first of his 2 two pointers. A Cormac O’Brien point at the mid-way stage of the half following good play by Jonah Dunne and Diarmaid Walshe kept Tinryland in contention but another two pointer from O’Neill and two more well worked points from Ciaran Moran edged the Cnoc Arda men into a 3-point lead that would increase as this game progressed. Tinryland did manage one further point in the half when Niall Lowry converted a tough free won by Cormac O’Brien, but this was as good as it got for Tinryland as Palatine moved further ahead in the 28th minute with another Shane to Neill point. Half time score Palatine 0-8 Tinryland 0-4.
When Kilbride referee James Foley re-started proceedings it took only 4 minutes for Pal to increase their advantage with Conor Crowly scoring a point after good play by Brian McMahon. Tinryland then replaced Bobby Doyle with Maurice Lawler but another Palatine point by Conor Crowley put 6 points separating the sides with 20 minutes remaining. Tinryland were then thrown a lifeline in the 40th minute when Paddy Regan one of Tinryland’s best players was upended in the small square and Diarmaid Walshe despatched the resulting penalty past Craig Kearney to leave only 3 points separating the teams and all to play for.
It was Palatine however that responded to this mini setback and over the next ten minutes they turned the screw in a big way with two points from Conor Crowley and Ciaran Moran as Tinryland sent Conor Byrne and Danny Moran into the fray and Palatine introduced the lively Brandon Cassidy who made a big impact when introduced. The icing was then put on the cake for the men from Bennekerry when corner forward James Cranny found the Tinryland net to put his team 9 points ahead. Both sides sprung more players from the bench with Stephen Reilly entering the action for Palatine and Lorcan O’Connor coming on for Tinryland replacing the injured Conor O’Toole. Palatine continued to dominate against a static Tinryland pulling eleven points ahead with further points from Crowley and O’Neill but try as they might nothing went right for the losing team with O’Neill scoring a 3rd two pointer to hammer more nails into Tinrylands challenge. Tinryland finally got on the scoresheet from play with a Paddy Regan point in the 61st minute but the game was well over at this stage with Palatines final point coming from Tomas Kenny. Tinryland now find themselves in a precarious position entering the final group game against Bagenalstown Gaels next weekend. Tinryland will have to beat the dual club by at least 4 points if they are to avoid another relegation battle against the bottom team in the other group which could be Mount Leinster Rangers or Eire Og.
Palatine: Craig Kearney, Darragh Fitzpatrick, Cian Cashman, Sean Walsh, Jack Deacy, Ciaran Moran 0-3, Padraic Kelly 0-1, Finbarr Kavanagh, Shane O’Neill 0-6, Josh Egan, Andrew Kehoe, Bryan McMahon, Conor Crowley 0-4, Jamie Kenny 0-1, James Cranny 1-0. Subs: Brandon Cassidy, Stephen Reilly, Tomas Kenny 0-1.
Tinryland: Chris Townsend, Ross Moran, John Murphy, Michael Hosey, Jonah Dunne 0-1, Paddy Regan 0-1, Conor O’Toole, Conor Ryan, Mark Mullen, Diarmaid Walshe 1-1, Peter Hennessy, Niall Lowry 0-1, Bobby Doyle, Cormac Walshe, Cormac O’Brien0-1. Subs: Maurice Lawler, Conor Byrne, Danny Moran, Lorcan O’Connor, Cian McGuire.
Referee James Foley Kilbride.
