Tara’s involvement in this year’s Bradys Skoda Regional Football Championship ended with a heavy defeat at one of the favourites for the tournament Lough Crew on a 6-11 to 1-9 score line in this group B round three game played at Dunganny on Saturday evening.

Tara 1-9 Lough Crew 6-11

Although three teams finished on two points behind unbeaten table toppers Lough Crew, it was An Tuascairt who progressed to the semi-finals alongside Lough Crew from the group due to their greater score difference over Tara and Boyne Valley.

For most of the first half Tara were competitive and well in this game, in fact leading for the most part of the half up until the 28th minute, when Lough Crew took the lead for the second time, one they weren’t to relinquish as they dominated the scoring from here on.

As the old cliché goes, goals win games and Lough Crew had no problem carving Tara open for six goals, two of those coming in the first half and four in the second.

Tara midfielder Andy McWeeney opened the scoring in the 5th minute, while Lough Crew had to wait until the 10th minute for their first score, a goal from Moylagh’s Sean Reilly following some wayward efforts from Lough Crew in the opening ten minutes.

Tara had the perfect response to the setback of the goal, two points from Josh Harford and the goal coming from another Kilbride man David O’Leary with a superbly struck finish to the top corner of Conor McHugh’s net, 1-3 to 1-0.

Ballinlough’s Harry Ryan chipped in with a point off the left peg for Lough Crew, with David O’Leary responding for Tara four minutes later, 1-4 to 1-1.

Lough Crew midfielder Oran Mulvany sent over a huge point from way out the field, while David O’Leary responding for Tara to leave it 1-5 to 1-2 with nineteen minutes played.

Tara midfielder Andrew McWeeney extended his side’s advantage out to four points with his second of the afternoon, Lough Crew responded with points from both corner forwards Daire shine and Cormac Browne, leaving it 1-6 to 1-4 with twenty seven minutes played.

Then came the game’s turning point, Lough Crew were awarded a penalty after a foul on Sean Reilly, with Oldcastle man Jason Scully stepping up to dispatch the penalty past Tara ‘keeper Eoghan Kiernan to give his side the lead for a second time, 2-4 to 1-6, a lead they weren’t to relinquish from this point on.

Three further Lough Crew points from Ronan Maguire and two Daire Shine frees gave Davy Nelson’s side a four point half time advantage, 2-7 to 1-6.

A dominant second half performance from Lough Crew saw them outscore their opponents 4-4 to 0-3 in the second period. 1-1, a point from Daire shine and a Jason Scully goal which saw the regional captain palm home after some quick through the hands passing in the build-up extended Lough Crew’s advantage to eight, 3-8 to 1-6.

Points from Josh Harford and Andrew McWeeney either side of a Harry Ryan point for Lough Crew left three goals between the sides, 4-8 to 1-8, mid-way through the second half.

Tara could only muster a late consolation free from Craig Gilsenan as Lough Crew outscored Tara 2-3 to 0-1 in the final quarter. Sean Reilly split the uprights, before a misplaced kickout from Tara goalkeeper Conor Egan saw Stephen Lawless lob him for Lough Crew’s fifth goal of the evening.

As Lawless had number six on his back, the final four scores for Lough Crew all came from defenders, full back and corner back Michael Flood and Dylan Garrigan raided forwarded for points, before the last score of the game was a goal by half back Shane Gibney, to leave Lough Crew comfortable 6-11 to 1-9 winners when referee Stephen Cregan blew his full time whistle.

Tara team & scorers: Eoghan Kiernan, Micheál McIver, Cathal McCabe, Keelan Taylor, Ciaran Harnan, Darren Brennan, Mark Dempsey, Andrew McWeeney (0-3), Fearghal Kiernan, Cian Harford, Josh Harford (0-3), Craig Gilsenan (0-1f), Caolan Howard, Vinny Walsh, David O’Leary (1-2).
Subs: Keelan Forde, Paul Kelly, Conor Quinn, Conor Egan, Conor Duffy, Charlie McCormack, James Gavin.

Many thanks to Conor Scully, David Claire, David Harford and Aaron McNally for their mentorship to the Tara players from Moynalvey, Kilbride and Blackhall Gaels over the past three weeks.

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