Late Tyrrellspass rally sends valiant Tang down

Tyrrellspass 0-18 Tang 0-17

By Shane King

Injury-time points from substitutes Chris Daly and David Glennon proved the difference as Tyrrellspass clung on to their senior football status and Tang fell through the relegation trapdoor following a dramatic finish in Shandonagh last Saturday.

In a game played in front of a sizeable crowd, the Tidy Town looked to be heading for victory with relative comfort when they led by five points at half-time, but Tang produced a superb second-half resurgence to turn the game on its head.

Inspired by the evergreen Aidan Burke, Tang dominated for long periods after the interval, drawing level before edging two points clear. However, Tyrrellspass refused to fade and a late rally, coupled with their ability to win primary possession from Tang's kickouts, ultimately kept them in senior football. Tang, meanwhile, will play intermediate football next year for the first time since 2021.

In what was a cagey and rather flat start to the game, Tang opened the scoring when Shane Keenan found Adam Neary, who was fouled, allowing Burke to convert the free. Tyrrellspass responded with a well-worked score, David Hanlon shooting over before Evan Connell added a free following a delay caused by an injury to Tang full-back Conall McKiernan in the build-up.

The sky blues moved two ahead when Hanlon set up Jamie Gonoud, who pointed neatly from play. Tang then hit four scores in succession. Martin Rock was at the heart of the response, scoring twice from play before McKiernan surged forward from full-back to add another. Burke then put Tang three ahead with a fine two-point free after Shane Hanley was fouled.

Tyrrellspass quickly restored parity. Peter Clarke, who was influential from wing-back, was fouled and Connell converted before the Tyrrellspass forward caught the kick-out brilliantly, linked with Peter Pierson and received the return pass to split the posts for a two-pointer.

Rock continued to cause problems for Tyrrellspass and set up Jason Coughlan for a fisted score, but the sky blues then took control approaching half-time. Tommy Ryan produced a superb two-pointer following a turnover deep in the defence before Nigel Harte added another point after good work from Ryan and Pierson.

Peter Clarke's effort then struck the upright before Tyrrellspass raised another orange flag, goalkeeper Joe Hyland coming upfield to split the posts from a placed ball.

Burke reduced the deficit when he converted after Rock was fouled, but Tang conceded a free on the stroke of half-time after breaching the three-up rule, with Connell making no mistake to leave Tyrrellspass 0-13 to 0-8 ahead at the interval.

The five-point lead looked difficult for Tang to overturn, but the second half belonged almost entirely to the Longford border side. Within a minute of the restart, Shane Hanley fired over a monstrous two-pointer before John Rock added another after Tang won the resultant kick-out, cutting the deficit to two.

Robert English pointed following a powerful run through the centre from Ronan Hanley, before Shane Hanley levelled the contest with a score while falling.

Tang sensed an opportunity to push on and nearly found the net when Martin Rock won possession from another Tyrrellspass kickout and dribbled the ball soccer-style towards goal, but his effort went out for a '45. Neary's resultant kick dropped short and Rock was first to the ball, tapping over to put Tang in front by one.

Questions were now being asked of Tyrrellspass, but Connell answered them, converting a free to bring the sides level once again. Meanwhile, Tang immediately regained the advantage when Neary struck a two-point free off the ground with just ten minutes left on the clock.

Connell and Neary then traded frees as the tension mounted, with Tyrrellspass facing the very real prospect of relegation. But the sky blues summoned one final response. Peter Clarke came darting forward to register a fine point before substitute Chris Daly levelled matters as the clock ticked into injury time.

With Tang needing a score to save their senior status, while a draw would suffice for their opponents, Tyrrellspass won possession from the kickout and worked the ball forward. David Glennon then fired over to give his side a one-point lead and secure victory.

Scorers - Tyrrellspass: E Connell 0-7 (1tp, 5f); T Ryan (tp), N Harte and J Hyland (1tpf) 0-2 each; D Hanlon, J Gonoud, D Glennon, C Daly and P Clarke 0-1 each. Tang: A Burke 0-4 (1tpf, 3f); M Rock, S Hanley (1tp) and A Neary (1tpf, 1f) 0-3 each; C McKiernan, J Coughlan, J Rock and R English 0-1 each.

Tyrrellspass - Joe Hyland; Mark Devine, Cormac Monaghan, Eoin Corcoran; Peter Clarke, Jamie Gonoud, Kai Harte; Cathal Dunne, David Hanlon; Nigel Harte, Neale Pierson, Val Sizychas; Peter Pierson, Tommy Ryan, Evan Connell. Subs: Brian Slevin for J Gonoud (50), Kieran Geraghty for Slevin (temp. 53-54), Chris Daly for Devine (54), David Glennon for N Pierson (57).

Tang - Owen Coughlan; Cathal Reilly, Conall McKiernan, Eoghan Bannon; John Rock, Ronan Hanley, Jason Coughlan; Ciaran Clear, Robert English; Callum McGarry, Aidan Burke, Shane Keenan; Adam Neary, Shane Hanley, Martin Rock. Subs: Richard Laffan for McGarry (HT), Tommy Lennon for English (57, inj.).

Referee - Alan Coyne (CFCW).