Carey edged out late on

Tir na nÓg 2.16 Carey 1.13

Sunday 24th June

With both sides desperately wanting a win following a few defeats Carey’s James Black scored a long range point after just 30secs.

Tir na nÓg replied with a wide while Emmet Hunter sent a 65’ between the posts to lead by 2 after 2mins of play. Approaching 4mins Tir na nÓg got their scoring off to a start courtesy of no.10 and a minute later 15 added another to level things while Carey hit a wide in between.

Over the next few minutes of play neither side could find the target with Carey hitting another wide and Tir na nÓg sending 3 wide.

Coming up to the 10min mark Carey midfielder James Black sent a high ball into the forward line for Colly Smyth to collect and help himself to a point.

Once again the Tir na nÓg reply was instant and they went up the field and won a free which was duly converted. Carey’s reply went wide while Tir na nOg fonnd the target again to lead by 1.

By the 14 minute mark Carey levelled things once again courtesy of Colly Smyth.

Tir na nÓg went on the attack over the next 5mins and got 3 points in a row with Carey off target again with another wide. Emmet Hunter then had a shot on goal easily blocked but managed to send the ball over the bar a minute later and Colly Smyth also sent 1 over to reduce the gap to 1.

With Carey still pressurising the Tir na nÓg keeper was forced to make a save approaching 24mins and then a minute later Carey won a 20 metre free which was saved when Emmet Hunter got down low. Tir na nÓg then forced Steven McGinn to make a save before sending over a point.

A converted free in the 29th minute gave Tir na nÓg a 3 point lead approaching the break but the midfield combo of Michael McVeigh and James Black combined well for James to send the ball over the bar in injury time to reduce the deficit to 2.

Half time score: Tir na nÓg 0.9 Carey 0.7

The second half started with Carey on the attack and by 3 minutes in Carey had added 3 points and had a 1 point lead. Steven McGinn was then forced to make 2 good saves 2 minutes apart to keep Carey ahead.

After the second save Carey went straight up the other end of the pitch and Colly Smyth sent the ball to the back of the net to lead by 4. Approaching 9mins Tir na nÓg won a 20m free but sent it wide.

A minute later the home side rattled the back of the net and then added another point to leave things level once again with 11mins played. Emmet Hunter sent a 65’ just wide of the mark and Ciaran McCaughan also couldn’t find the target.

Tir na nÓg took the lead with a point in the 15th minute but Carey replied just 30 seconds later with a point courtesy of substitute Kevin Murphy, set up by wing half back Sean McLoughlin who made a run forward.

Once again Tir na nÓg replied instantly within a minute with a point and Carey could only reply with a wide. A converted free nearing 19 minutes increased Tir na nÓg’s lead to 2 while a Carey free was again sent wide.

Kevin Murphy added a point in the 22nd minute to reduce the deficit to 1 but the home side began to pull away, adding 3 more points, 1 a converted free while Carey’s wide tally started to mount with 3 more being added. Steven McGinn was called into action after 28 and a half minutes.

In injury time substitute Fintan McCarry added a point for Carey to leave 3 between the sides but in the dying seconds of the game a Tir na nÓg sub who came on just minutes earlier put the match to bed sending the ball past Steven McGinn to win by 6.

In what was an evenly contested match throughout, with the score being level on numerous occasions, the home side edged away in the last 6 minutes of play and had the composure to finish strongly and take the 2 points.

Carey Team: 1) Steven McGinn; (2) Paul Devlin; (3) Michael Hegarty; (4) Gerard McBride; (5) Patrick McBride; (6) John McBride; (7) Sean McLoughlin; (8) James Black; (9) Michael McVeigh; (10) Emmet Hunter; (11) Cathal McAuley; (12) Tommy Devlin; (13) Ciaran McCaughan; (14) Colin Smyth; (15) Daniel McAllister

Subs used: (16) Kevin Murphy on for (15) Daniel McAllister (43min 20sec); (17) Fintan McCarry on for (12) Tommy Devlin (53min 50sec); (20) Conleth McVeigh on for (10) Emmet Hunter (53min 50sec); (22) Christopher Butler on for (7) Sean McLoughlin (57min 20sec); (18) Patrick McAlonan on for (14) Colin Smyth (31min 45sec). Subs not used: (19) Sean Gillan; (21) Daniel Hill; (23) Christopher Duncan.

Carey Scorers: James Black: 0.2 Emmet Hunter: 0.2 (0.1 from a 65’) Cathal McAuley: 0.1 Fintan McCarry: 0.1 Ciaran McCaughan: 0.1 Kevin Murphy: 0.2 Colin Smyth: 1.4