Whittaker returns as Tubberclair claim victory over Tang

Tubberclair 1-22, Tang 1-14

By Gerry Buckley

Tubberclair maintained their 100 per cent record in the race for the Flanagan Cup with a victory by an unflattering eight-point margin against fellow-South Westmeath side Tang in TEG Cusack Park last Sunday evening.

The men in green and gold were boosted by the return of one of the stars of this year’s Delaney Cup win, Matty Whittaker, the versatile potential All Star getting the opportunity to ease himself back into action ahead of guaranteed knockout football in September. For their part, Tang simply must defeat Tyrrellspass next weekend to avoid a return to the intermediate grade in 2027.

Tang, whose eventual chosen team was hard work for fans and reporters with team lists to untangle, opened the scoring in the first minute via a routine free from Aidan Burke. Paul Garvey replied in kind at the other end. In the seventh minute, a ‘breach’ gave Eoghan McCabe the chance to show off his two-point free-taking prowess. Burke halved the deficit from a one-point free before Garvey pointed when a goal looked on, following great work by Paul Keegan.

The team jointly managed by Danny Sammon and Keith Higgins stretched their lead significantly at the start of the third quarter with two-pointers from Kealan Connell (open play) and McCabe (a monster free), and a quality one-pointer from Connell (seconds after goalkeeper Kevin Fagan had produced a catch reminiscent of selector Gary Connaughton). Tubberclair now led by 0-9 to 0-2 with 22 minutes elapsed.

Dissent – consistently punished throughout by Enda Kelly – handed Burke a simple free for the losers, but Fred Kelleher responded with a delightful two-pointer from play at the other end. Tang rounded off the first half scoring with a brace of single points from the boots of Shane Hanley (from a tight angle) and Burke (another free), but they still trailed by 0-11 to 0-5 at the interval.

The fightback by Paul Conway’s troops continued on the change of ends with a point from open play by John Rock (after a mere 30 seconds) and a two-point free from the reliable Burke. McCabe completed a hat-trick of two-point frees prior to point exchanges between Burke (a free) and Tadhg Moody (a fine score from play), and Martin Rock and Sean Claffey (both from play), leaving Tubberclair ahead by 0-15 to 0-10 after 41 minutes.

The lead was increased via a Kelleher point under pressure and another great two-point free from McCabe. Two successful Burke frees kept the men in maroon and white just about in touch, but a great team point finished by sub Daire O’Connor and a wonderful goal from Taylor Slevin in the 49th minute all but wrapped up the two championship points for Tubberclair at this juncture.

There was an inevitability about the outcome in the closing stages, but to Tang’s credit they plugged away manfully and had the small consolation of outscoring the winners in the closing stages by 1-2 (a goal by Burke from the rebound after his penalty had been saved - after a foul on Ronan Hanley, and points from a Burke free and sub Niall Bannon with time almost up) to 0-3 (McCabe’s fifth two-point free and a single point from play by sub Finn Duffy). Tang will need to display similar resolve for the full hour when they square up to Tyrrellspass at the weekend.

Scorers – Tubberclair: E McCabe 0-10 (5 2ptf), T Slevin 1-0, K Connell (1 2pt), F Kelleher (1 2pt) 0-3 each, P Garvey 0-2 (1f), T Moody, S Claffey, D O’Connor, F Duffy 0-1 each.

Tang: A Burke 1-10 (8f, 1 2ptf), S Hanley, N Bannon, M Rock, J Rock 0-1 each.

Tubberclair: Kevin Fagan; Stephen McGonagle, Cathal Tighe, Kyle Fagan; Taylor Slevin, James Madden, Kevin Claffey; Tadhg Moody, Gavin Delaney; Paul Keegan, Keelan Connell, Eoghan McCabe; Fred Kelleher, Paul Garvey, Sean Claffey.

Subs used: Daire O’Connor for Keegan (blood, 17), Matthew Whittaker for Delaney (43), Finn Duffy for K Claffey (43), Robbie Curley for Garvey (49), Matthew Lynch for Kyle Fagan (50), Oisín O’Meara for Slevin (54).

Tang: Owen Coughlan; Kieran Duncan, Conal McKiernan, Eoghan Bannon; John Rock, Ronan Hanley, Jason Coughlan; Ciaran Clear, Shane Keenan; Callum McGarry, Martin Rock, Shane Hanley; Robert English, John Tumelty, Aidan Burke.

Subs used: Cathal Reilly for Duncan (blood, 17), Niall Bannon for Tumelty (inj., h-t), Daniel Taplin for S Hanley (inj., 38), Andrew Gill for English (51), Killian Foxe for J Rock (59).

Ref: Enda Kelly (Castledaly).