Tubbercurry 1.14, Tourlestrane 1.19

Tourlestrane, who had the unusual experience a week previously of losing a league game at home, came back strongly to secure their first league victory of the season against neighbours Tubbercurry at a sun-drenched Kilcoyne Park on Friday evening last.

Both sides fielded under strength sides, missing up to half a dozen regular starters, but still serving up an entertaining game of free-flowing football for a small but enthusiastic crowd.

Tourlestrane started well and took a decisive lead in the latter part of the first half which shaped the ultimate outcome.

Although Tubbercurry fashioned the first real chance of the game through James Kelly, it was Tourlestrane who opened the scoring after two minutes when Cathal Henry fielded a long delivery to point. They followed up quickly with three further points from brothers Rian and Tom Bailey and Henry again to go four up within eight minutes.

James Kelly then pointed from a difficult angle after nine minutes to get Tubbercurry on the scoreboard but Henry and Rian Bailey from a free stretched the Tourlestrane lead to five.

The home side then hit a purple patch and led by Luke Gilmartin, they added four unanswered points. Their momentum was halted by a Rian Bailey point after good work by Conan Marren and Rian Kennedy.

The sides then exchanged two points each, with Cathal Surlis and Luke Gilmartin pointing for Tubbercurry while Tom Bailey and Conan Marren responded for Tourlestrane, both set up by Feidhlim O’Donnell to leave the visitors two points up, 0-10 to 0-8 after 25 minutes.

The shape of the game then turned on two incidents in the closing minutes of the half with Tourlestrane scoring twice off turnovers in their own half.  

Firstly, James Leonard broke up a Tubbercurry attack and fed Cathal Henry who pointed,

Then Oisin Kennedy broke up another Tubbercurry attack and got the ball to Gary Gaughan who played in Rian Kennedy to find the back of the net to leave his side 1-11 to 0-8 ahead at the break.

Tubbercurry came out strongly for the second period and were first to score but Tourlestrane responded with a mark converted by Gary Gaughan.

Tubbercurry kept up the pressure with two Luke Gilmartin scores, the second a free to bring the margin back to four but Rian Bailey restored Tourlestrane’s advantage with two points, both set up by Conan Marren to lead 1-14 to 0-11 after 14 minutes.

Tourlestrane were then reduced to 14 men for 10 minutes when James Leonard received a black card, but they responded well and held Tubbercurry to one point while notching two themselves to lead 1-16 to 0-13 with just over five minutes to play.

The winners added a point from Cathal Fleming before Tubbercurry was awarded a penalty that was converted by Luke Gilmartin to reduce the margin to five before the game finished with both sides trading points to finish on a 1-18 to 1-14 scoreline.