Moyne Templetuohy 0-14
Arravale Rovers 2-13
By Mark Dunne PRO
Round 3 of the County Senior Football Championship took place in Clonoulty on Sunday last and pitted us against Arravale Rovers in a winner takes all game to see who advances to this years County Senior Football Quarter Finals.
The game opened at a frantic pace and Moyne Templetuohy found themselves a point to the good thanks to a superb point from Tom Meade of his right. Arravale didn’t take long to settle and found themselves a point up shortly afterwards with a free from James Hogan followed by a fine score from Stephen Spillane. 0-02 to 0-01, when disaster struck for Moyne Templetuohy; a short kick out from Martin Kelly went astray and found its way to the Arravale full forward who made no mistake. 1-02 to 0-01 after 7mins. Game most certainly on. Moyne Templetuohy responded will with a score from Pierce Meade, followed by an Arravale point, 1-03 to 0-02. John Hassett was next to add to the scoreboard with two frees. Then came a crucial play, Jason Bergin won the ball on the Arravale 45, he took on his markers to go one on one with the Arravale goalie only for Thomas Gleeson to pull off a fine save. Moyne Templetuohy were now at the pace of the game and Tom Meade struck a wonder score from his left. Arravale matched this with a score of their own. John Hassett added another to his ticket with a good score from a difficult angle. Arravale finished the half strongest however with three unanswered scores to go in 1-07 to 0-06 up at the break.
Moyne returned to the field knowing that they must up their game if they were to emerge winners. County U20 stars Conor Bowe and Gearoid O’Connor got the first two scores of the half to reduce the gap to two. Arravale responded with three of their own (two from play and one from a free). Moyne Templetuohy pressed hard and were rewarded with a free which John Hassett duly dispatched. Then another goal opportunity for Moyne; a short kick out from the Arravale Rovers goalie found Jason Bergin who was fouled just before he pulled the trigger. John Hassett converted the resulting free. 0-11 to 1-10, two points between the sides. Arravales game plan in the second half saw them work the lines which resulted in the next two scores coming from fisted points. Four between the teams again. John Hassett added the next two to bring the game to two points again, a margin we just couldn’t seem to reduce. Then came the killer blow, Arravale centre forward James Hogan took on the Moyne defence who tried desperately to intercept him, but Hogan had goal on the mind and goal he got. 2-12 to 0-13. Both teams traded scores in the remaining minutes but at the full time whistle it was Moyne Templetuohy 0-14 Arravale Rovers 2-13.
Moyne Templetuohy will be disappointed. This was a game we could have won, and we came close only for a few unforced errors which were duly punished by the Tipp town side. Thossie Hamill, Tom Meade, Tommy Hassett and Jason Bergin all worked hard for the Mid Tipperary side. As a result of today’s loss we now enter a secondary competition with the format as follows: The bottom two teams of each group go into a secondary competition. The losers of the four games (quarter final) here play a game with the losers playing a final game for relegation.
For the moment attention turns back to the small ball with the divisional Semi Final against Drom/Inch on the cards next Sunday at 12noon in Holycross.
Team and scorers: Martin Kelly, Shane Lowe, Pierce Meade (0-01), Chris Lawlor, Louis Everard, Thossie Hamill, Mark Ryan, Jason Bergin, Tomás Hassett (Captain), Tom Meade (0-03), Donnacha Dunne, Gearoid O’Connor (0-01), Diarmuid Fogarty, John Hassett (0-07 frees), Jack Taylor. Subs used: Conor Bowe (0-02) for Jack Taylor, Niall Russell for Donnacha Dunne, David Lowe for Chris Lawlor.
Referee: Derek O’Mahoney (Ardfinnan)
Also read
Weekly Club Notes – Sep 6th 2019