Neary goal decisive as Tang edge out Moate
Tang 1-9, Moate All Whites 1-8
By Eamon A. Donoghue
Tang hung on to defeat a somewhat unlucky Moate outfit in this Westmeath Senior Football Championship encounter at Páirc Chiaráin last Sunday.
This game had high expectations beforehand, with two unbeaten teams who had shown plenty of promise in their previous two games. But it failed to ignite in the first quarter. Moate showed their inexperience and with Tang playing against the elements in the first half, they struggled against a well organised defensive set-up.
Adam Neary was in sparkling form for Tang and both he and Shane Hanley kicked two early scores but then their scoring threat totally dried up.
Moate were struggling to attack themselves. They couldn’t find any efficiency. Nothing was sticking and they didn’t score in the first quarter. They were finding the physical exchanges tough to deal with also.
In the second quarter Moate finally got their scoring up and running. Two frees in as many minutes from Tobby Conteh and Eoin Bracken levelled up the contest by the 18th minute.
Then Neary lit up the game again. Firstly, he kicked a peach of a score off his left foot. Then moments later, Neary stole short kickout from Richard Price before chipping the Moate keeper for a goal.
Although Moate were stung by the concession of that goal, they did gather themselves and finally scored their first point from play, Robert Forde the scorer. At half-time, Tang led 1-3 to 0-3.
The third quarter came to life with Moate throwing everything at Tang, but missed opportunities at this stage proved costly. They took over and won plenty of possession but missed several chances that should have been put away. Corner-back Luke Whitney found himself inside the Tang defence, a handpass from Conteh finding the Moate student, but he blazed his goal attempt over the bar.
Moments later, Billy Berry had a gaping goal chance but his shot blazed wide of the post.
After a subdued Robert Forde missed a scoreable free, then Eoin Bracken and Ronan Murray were both off target from marks after good work in earning them. Inexperience was proving Moate’s downfall.
Adam Neary kept the scoreboard ticking for Tang at the other end. How Moate could have done with a player like him in their attack. At this stage the game seemed to have gone for Moate, but then their fortunes got a turn for the better.
Forde suddenly came to life, he picked up a turnover, used his pace to head for goal and passed to Conteh and the latter finished past Owen Coughlan in the Tang goal.
The game was on a knife edge but again Moate’s inexperience and lack of game management let them down. They had the possession but not the knowhow to fashion scores under pressure.
Tang used their experience with Neary, Martin Rock and Thomas Lennon kicking points that looked like security scores. Keith Higgins’ side led 1-9 to 1-6 close to the end.
But what Moate lacked in experience they made up for with enthusiasm. They kept going, led by James Bracken, Ronan Murray and Daragh Lowry.
They cut into the arrears as pointed frees from Forde and Conteh left the bare minimum between them in stoppage time.
Moate did have one last chance to get an equaliser but they failed to get that score and Tang hung on to win a titanic battle. Moate have a young team and they have a bright future if they stick together and build experience and guile in their play.
Tang will be happy to be a step closer to the quarter-finals, but they will know themselves that they will need to improve.
Man of the match: Adam Neary (Tang). Neary kicked 1-5 and his scoring exploits were the winning of the game. Others who contributed handsomely were Shane Hanley, Robert English and Kieran Duncan. For Moate, Daragh Lowry, James Bracken and Ronan Murray didn’t deserve to be on the losing side.
Key moments: Moate’s butchering of chances in the third quarter – that could have yielded to 1-3 - cost them victory in this game. Losing out by a single point in the end, each of these missed opportunities, including a gilt-edged goal chance, was key.
Scorers – Tang: A Neary 1-5 (0-4f), S Hanley, A Burke, M Rock and T Lennon 0-1 each. Moate: T Conteh 1-3 (0-3f), E Bracken 0-2 (1f), R Forde 0-2 (1f), H Niall 0-1.
Tang: Owen Coughlan; Ian Coughlan, Kieran Duncan, Eoghan Bannon; John Rock, Ronan Hanley, Jason Coughlan; Ciaran Clear, Robert English; Aidan Burke, Jack Keenan, Thomas Lennon; Adam Neary, Shane Hanley, Martin Rock. Subs: Shane Keenan for A Burke (47 mins).
Moate All Whites: Richard Price; Luke Whitney, Andrew Gorman, Tom Gorman; Sam Fannin, James Bracken, Daragh Lowry; Cathal O’Brien, Harry Niall; Conor Bracken, Robert Forde, Eoin Bracken; Billy Berry, Tobby Conteh, Ronan Murray. Subs: Ruairi Cunningham for C Bracken (H-T), Philip King for Fannin (41 mins), Aaron O’Neill for Berry (52).
Referee: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).