Loughcrew 6-11 Tara 1-09 

Loughcrew and Tara met in Round 3 of the Regional Football Championship and with all four sides in the group still in with a chance there was great expectations that this game would be a tight but entertaining affair.

Well it might have being entertaining but it was anything but tight in the end as Loughcrew ran out convincing winners in some style with no less than 11 different names on the scoresheet by the time the final whistle was blown.

However it was Tara who opened the scoring in Dunganny this evening as Andy McWeeney pointed in the fifth minute. Loughcrew were showing some early signs of promise but struggled to make it count on the scoreboard, until finally they got motoring when Jason Scully played an excellent ball to Sean Geraghty, and he combined with Harry Ryan to feed the ball to the on rushing Sean Reilly who blasted to the net in the ninth minute.

Credit to Tara they responded excellently to the goal as Conor Harford pointed twice in as many minutes before his Kilbride teammate Caolan Howard completed a fine individual effort to jink his way past several defenders and finished to the net in the 13th minute.

Harry Ryan pointed for Loughcrew from a tight angle to lower the deficit but Tara were in fine form and David O’Leary pointed in the 18th minute to leave three points between the sides.

Oran Mulvaney sent over a booming effort for Loughcrew but the Tara Men responded with points from David O’Leary and Andrew McWeeney extending their lead to four points in the 21st minute.

Loughcrew will feel aggrieved they were not awarded a penalty for a clear pull back on Jason Scully but the Referee waved play on much to the chagrin of the vocal Loughcrew support in Dunganny this evening.

Daire Shine got Loughcrew scoring again with a fine point in the 25th minute, before Cormac Browne added his name to the scoresheet with a well taken score moments later.

While the Referee might have missed the first call for a penalty, he was quick to point to the spot in the 28th minute when Sean Reilly was hauled down unceremoniously, and Jason Scully stepped up to finish to the net with aplomb.

That score revitalised Loughcrew and they finished the half strongly with points from Daire Shine(2) and Ronan Maguire to turn a four point deficit into a two point lead.

So when Referee Stephen Cregan blew the half time whistle Loughcrew lead on a scoreline of 2-07 to Tara’s 1-06.

With their tails still up and Manager Davy Nelson’s half time message still ringing in their ears Loughcrew got off to a flying start in the second half with Daire Shine converting an early free, before the score of the game came when Jason Scully collected possession out near midfield, played a couple of 1-2’s with team-mates, before ducking and diving his way through defenders to be standing in the perfect position when his last 1-2 with Daire Shine was returned to him and he palmed to the net from close range to boost Loughcrew further.

A point for Conor Harford in the 40th minute got Tara scoring again, but Loughcrew were operating on another level now with Shane Gibney marauding forward at will, and while he was unlucky to see his goal effort saved in the 42nd minute, Ballinlough’s Harry Ryan was on hand to finish the ball to the empty net to give Loughcrew their fourth goal of the evening.

Andrew McWeeney was doing his damnest to keep Tara in this game with a fine point in the 45th minute, but Loughcrew refused to lift their foot off the gas and Sean Reilly matched that point with an effort of his own a moment later.

A quick bit of thinking from Oldcastles Stephen Lawless saw the Loughcrew centre back add his name to the score sheet as he spotted the Tara keeper off his line and with a cheeky chip of the ball he secured Loughcrews fifth goal in the 52nd minute.

While the Loughcrew forwards were motoring well, the defense was keen to get in on the act, and St.Brigids Michael Flood sent over a point any corner forward would be proud of in the 56th minute.

Tara were struggling desperately to hit scores in the second half and had to rely on a Caolan Howard free in the 58th minute to add to their score.

A large cause of consternation to the Tara forwards was the brilliance of Dylan Garrigan, as he was once again outstanding in defence, not only keeping his marker quiet in the second half, but he also had time to show off his attacking pedigree with an excellent point in the 60th minute, to large cheers from the Loughcrew Faithful.

While the game was all but over on the scoreboard it was fitting the last score went to another man who put in another powerful defensive display in Shane Gibney, and he was duly rewarded for his efforts and he finished sublimely to the net in the 61st minute to put the tin hat on an excellent performance from the Loughcrew men.

So when Referee Stephen Cregan blew the full time whistle, Loughcrew secured their spot at the top of the table and a Semi-Final spot with a resounding victory on a scoreline of 6-11 to Tara’s 1-09.

Next up for the lads is a Semi-Final date with Bru na Boinne, while Group A winners Ardbraccan will face off against the second placed team in Group B An Tuaisceart.

Loughcrew: C.McHugh, D.Garrigan(0-01), M.Flood(0-01), C.Fleming, S.Geraghty, S.Lawless(1-00), S.Gibney(1-00), O.Mulvaney(0-01), E.Briody, S.Reilly(1-01), J.Scully(2-00(1pen)), R.Maguire(0-01), C.Browne(0-01), H.Ryan(1-01), D.Shine(0-04(3f))

Subs: K.Connell for J.Scully 46’, .Kevin for C.McHugh 47’, S.Guirke for S.Geraghty 51’, J.Connell for O.Mulvaney 51’, S.Peyton for D.Shine 56’

Referee: Stephen Cregan

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