Tullamore Show Their Ability In Cup Cracker
Thursday, 2 February 2012
Tullamore Town 2. Fettercairn FC 1.
RIDING high at the top of their Division, Leinster Senior League side Fettercairn presented Tullamore with a significant obstacle to their progress in this competition but, in a tooth and claw Cup tie, Town rose to the challenge magnificently in Leah Victoria Park last Friday.
Both sides started tentatively but with ten minutes on the clock the home side nearly broke the deadlock.
Fergal Gorman won a corner on the right and, when he swung the ball in, Scott Delaney's powerful downward header bounced inches over.
Delaney again went perilously close when he got on the end of a Hafeez Sholola free only for his header to be deflected past the left post.
Tullamore should have taken the lead on twenty five minutes when Brian Francis played a great ball through to Ronan Kelly, but he elected to pass when well placed and the chance was gone.
It was not all one way traffic and, on the half hour, Declan Glynn broke clear on the left and cut the ball back to Keith Coombes but Mark Gorman managed to charge down his effort.
Minutes later the home side hit the front when Ronan Kelly picked out Jason Pohl in the inside right channel and he flashed the ball past Carl Skelly at his near post for a fine goal.
As Fettercairn moved into top gear, Kenneth Ennis headed narrowly over from a corner and he again threatened when he got on the end of a lovely ball from Gareth Coombes but this time he drilled his shot well wide of the far post.
As they continued to press Keith Coombes fired in a great ball from the right but Declan Glynn ballooned his effort over and then another dangerous cross from Coombes was cut out by Phillip Coffey as the referee brought the first half to a conclusion with Tullamore one goal to the good.
With Enda Carroll being introduced to the home back four at half time they took on a more steely aspect, but they had to withstand an early Fettercairn onslaught as they went all out for an equaliser.
Within minutes of the restart Keith Ennis raced clear but dragged his shot outside the left post while at the other end Brian Francis pulled the ball back to Trevor Moylan and his tremendous twenty yard drive flew inches outside the far post.
As the visitors tightened their grip on the game Scott Delaney was like a beacon at the heart of the Tullamore rearguard, but it was his defensive partner, Mark Gorman, who shone the brightest.
His reading of the game, speed off the mark and excellent distribution continually frustrated the visitors as the home side slowly fought their way back into contention, and they nearly increased their lead when a fine Fergal Gorman cross was knocked back to Ronan Kelly, but his goal bound effort was blocked on the line. Hovering over this game like a chess master, manager Jimmy Green continued to make decisive substitutions at crucial stages, and none more so than the introduction of Michael Hoey on sixty five minutes.
Although looking a little ring rusty, his physical presence and positional sense ensured that the Fettercairn defence had their hands full.
With Tullamore moving up through the gears, Brian Francis picked the ball up in midfield and went on a surging run through the middle before firing narrowly wide and then a Scott Delaney free found Stephen Francis but again the shot was off target.
Hoey then got on the end of a Hafeez Sholola cross and played the ball inside to Brian Francis but his effort was too high.
In the slippery Sholola, Tullamore had a player capable of unlocking the tightest of defences. His close control and ability to ghost past defenders was a constant thorn in the Fettercairn rearguard and he amply demonstrated this on seventy five minutes.
Receiving the ball out wide on the right from Delaney he set off on a great run that carried him into the area, only to be denied by a fine point blank save from Carl Skelly.
With ten minutes remaining the home side increased their lead with a beautifully crafted goal. Sholola picked the ball up on the edge of the area and cleverly threaded it inside the defence to Brian Francis who played it across the face of the goal for the inrushing Hoey to sweep it into the back of the net.
They nearly went further ahead when, following great play from Ronan Kelly and Michael Hoey, Brian Francis had his shot brilliantly blocked by Skelly and when it broke back to Hoey he fired wide.
Kelly and Hoey again combined to bring another fine save from Skelly while at the other end Gavin Byrne pounced on a defensive error to fire narrowly wide. Fettercairn got the goal their efforts deserved in the last minute when a quick break out of defence saw Gareth Coombes race clear and lift the ball over the diving Coffey for a fine consolation score.
This was a rip roaring Cup tie with no quarter given by either side, but ultimately it was Tullamore's footballing ability that carried them safely through to the next round.
A special word of commendation to referee Pat Geoghegan, whose authority and good common sense contributed enormously to this enthralling match.
For the home side there were excellent contributions from Scott Delaney, Brian Francis, Stephen Francis, Ronan Kelly and Hafeez Sholola with Carl Skelly, Craig Kelsh, Keith Coombes and Gareth Coombes the pick of the visitors, but the man of the match award went to Tullamore's outstanding central defender, Mark Gorman.
Tullamore: Phillip Coffey; Trevor Moylan, Scott Delaney, Mark Gorman, Michael Kenaney, Fergal Gorman, Brian Francis, Stephen Francis, Hafeez Sholola, Ronan Kelly, Jason Pohl. Subs: Enda Carroll, Michael Hoey, Mark Goodings and Martin Cunningham.
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