Holland thrives as Turloughmore get title hopes back on track

Turloughmore   2-12

Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry   2-10

TURLOUGHMORE got their Salthill Hotel SHC campaign back on track in front of a sizeable crowd at Kenny Park, Athenry last Friday evening when they had two points to spare over Group C rivals Tynagh-Abbey-Duniry after both sides missed several scoring chances.

The winners shot 15 wides in total and will have to sharpen up considerably if they are to make any impression from now on. Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry had a dozen efforts off target and had they converted even a fraction of those they might well have snatched a vital win to go with the point from their draw with Beagh in their previous game.

They will have regrets about this result but, in truth, Tynagh/Abbey-Duiniry did not play to their full potential and their persistence in indulging in short passing and careless cross-field balls played into the hands of Turloughmore who themselves looked far from the finished article.

In fairness to the winners, however, they were getting over some background upheaval and, in the circumstances, the victory was all that mattered following their surprise defeat to Craughwell last time out.

New Turlough’ boss Gerry Holland will be delighted with the brace of points and, considering their display over the hour, it were deserved although they had to withstand a spirited late rally by Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry. A late Padraig Breheny goal had the Hoops hanging on nervously after they held a five-point lead with three minutes remaining.

Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry’s other goal was also a late score, but it came in the first half when Paul Gordon’s long delivery reached corner-forward Padraig Robinson who netted from close in to reduce the 2-6 to 0-7 deficit and leave them trailing by just two points at the break after Turloughmore had dominated much of the first period.

Despite shooting four wides in the opening six minutes, Turloughmore who, of course, had three Galway defenders (Fergal Moore, Ronan Burke and his brother Daithi) at the back and with promising young minor Jamie Holland partnering Darren O’Shaughnessy at midfield, were 1-2 to 0-0 ahead thanks to a goal by Ronan Badger after early points by Cian Burke and Jamie Holland from a free.

Just when Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry had got back into the game via points by Colm Larkin and a great free by Shane Moloney, they were dealt another blow when Conor Shaughnessy struck for goal number two and a 2-2 to 0-2 lead with ten minutes gone. The men in green were gradually settling into the game though and were boosted by a fine point hit on the run by Padraig Breheny after he collected a clever Paul Gordon flick.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.