Champions
Tourlestrane registered their second win of this year’s championship but not
before they withstood a spirited challenge from St Farnan’s in an action packed
encounter at Castleconnor on Sunday afternoon last,
In a game played in warm
conditions with only a slight breeze Tourlestrane lined out as on the
programme while the 2021 Intermediate champions St Farnan's made two changes to
the announced team with the Hallinan brothers, Niall and David replaced by
Gavin Connolly and James Weir in defence.
The Farnans effort
was led by Patrick O’Connor who scored eight points on the day, five from play
but they also had an outstanding display from goalkeeper Simon Mullarkey who
denied the Tourlestrane attack on numerous occasions.
Mullarkey was
called into action before there was a score on the board as he denied a great
effort by Gary Gaughan in a dramatic start to the game.
Both sides
registered a wide a piece before Patrick O'Connor opened the scoring with a
free for St Farnans. Tourlestrane responded quickly with a free converted by
Brian Egan after John Kelly was fouled for Tourlestrane.
The O'Connor
brothers were causing plenty of problems for the Tourlestrane defence from
early on and their efforts paved the way for the first goal of the game in the
ninth minute when they created an opening for Finnian Cawley to fire home
The lead was short
lived however as Cathal Henry got in to fire past Mullarkey at the other end
and moments later another goal chance went a begging as Brian Egan shot wide failed
with the goal at his mercy.
Mullarkey, yet
again came to the rescue for St. Farnan's as he was called upon to save yet another
goal chance.
The action then
swung to the other end with St. Farnan's awarded a penalty after a foot block
on Patrick O'Connor which was converted by his brother Ciarán to put his
side 2-1 to 1-1 ahead.
Tourlestrane
continued to pile on the pressure on St. Farnan's defence but good work in
defence led by Shane Molloy kept them at bay despite best efforts of Barry
Walsh, Gary Gaughan and James Leonard who put another good goal chance wide.
The sides exchanged
two points each with the O’Connor brothers each on the mark for Farnans either
side of two Liam Gaughan points for Tourlestrane to leave three between the
sides 2-3 to 1-3 with eight minutes to the break.
Tourlestrane scored
three unanswered points in a two-minute burst to level matters before Patrick
O'Connor dropped in a free from the corner in front of goal which his brother
Ciarán sent to the net to restore the Farnan’s advantage.
Further drama ensued
before half time as Tourlestrane were awarded a penalty but again Mullarkey
came to the rescue saving from Liam Gaughan. Brian Egan converted the
resulting 45"to leave the half time score St. Farnan's 3-3,
Tourlestrane 1-8 – a two-point margin.
After the break it
was all Tourlestrane. Led by John Kelly were causing a lot of problems for St.
Farnan's while wing forward full forward John Kelly and the hard working Kenny
Gavigan, they added 1-5 without reply to their score line in the first ten
minutes to lead 2-13 to 3-3 – the goal coming from Cathal Henry.
St. Farnan's
finally got on the scoreboard in the 12th when Patrick O'Connor pointed a free and
although Gavigan pointed in reply almost immediately, it did signal a mini
revival for the west Sligo side who continued to battle hard and scored three
unanswered points from play to leave the score 3-7 to 2-14.
James Leonard and
Liam Gaughan added points for Tourlestrane but over the final ten minutes it
was St. Farnan's who dominated proceedings as they added three points to their
tally to bring themselves within a score of the lead.
They almost got in
for a goal but despite the best efforts of Stephen Mulligan, Patrick O'Connor and
Mattie Lang no score accrued.
At the other end
James Leonard might well have added a goal to his tally but Mullarkey again
kept his goal intact.
Patrick O'Connor
got St. Farnan's final score of the game two minutes into added time to narrow
the gap to a single point but Tourlestrane had that last word as Egan got his
side's final point to ensure victory by two points - 2-17 to 3-12
The champions were
made to work all the way for their win in a thoroughly absorbing contest.
St.Farnan's meanwhile still search for that elusive win in this year's senior
championship.
St. Farnan's :Simon
Mullarkey,Gavin Connolly, Shane Molloy ,Conor Gordon, James Weir, Eamonn
Kilgannon, Shane O'Brien (0-2), Trevor Kilgannon(0-1), Martin
Mulligan, Fionn Connolly, Finnian Cawley (1-0) Ciarán O'Connor (2-1(pen),
Thomas Cawley, Patrick O'Connor (0-8(3f), Mattie Lang.
Subs used: Kevin Mc
Gee, Stephen Mulligan, Ronan Molloy
Tourlestrane: Adam
Broe, JP Lang, Barry Walsh, Kevin O'Hara, Oisín Kennedy, John Francis
Carr, James Leonard (0-1), Adrian Mc Intyre, Conan Marren, Kenny
Gavigan(0-1),Cathal Henry(2-3(1f), Gary Gaughan, Liam Gaughan(0-6(3f), John
Kelly (0-1), Brian Egan (0-5(2f,45").
Subs used: Feidhlim
O'Donnell, Ronan Walsh.