Garvey goal set up Dunmore’s win over old rivals Tuam
Dunmore MacHales ................................................. 1-12
Tuam Stars ................................................................ 1-9
A scrambled goal in the third quarter by Dunmore forward Kenneth Garvey proved the decisive score in a very spirited, tightly contested encounter between the MacHales and their old rivals Tuam Stars at Corofin on Sunday, in a game that was played in the classic tradition of a local derby with no quarter asked or given.
Report by
Aoife de Poar
With just one point separating the sides twelve minutes into the second half, the goal was a bodyblow from which the Tuam team didn’t recover, and they trailed their opponents for the rest of the game although Michael Higgins brought them within two points with ten minutes remaining when, unmarked, he collected a pass across the goalmouth from David Devaney and fired into the net past the bulk of Dunmore goalkeeper Michael Halliday.
Tuam’s Odie Monahan was almost immediately gifted an opportunity to edge his side back into the lead when he found himself in space and bearing down on Halliday’s goal, but the Dunmore man saved well. From the resultant kick-out, John Donnellan fired over his eighth point to put three between the sides again and although Tuam’s effort could not be faulted in the closing moments — Tommy Carton scoring his seventh point with four minutes remaining after a clever pass from substitute Ollie Hynes — they were unable to breach the Dunmore defence to any more telling effect.
Hynes, in fact, won a last-minute free for his side, igniting the Tuam support, and Michael Donnellan was yellow carded for his trouble, but it turned sour for Ollie Hynes when he was sent off seconds later after Dunmore full-back Tom Ryder was flattened in the square, in an off-the-ball incident. The earlier free still stood, however, and Tommy Carton bravely went for goal, but his shot was cleared by the massed Dunmore defence. Almost immediately the full-time whistle was blown.
Really, this game was a tale of two full-forwards, the livewire Tommy Carton who scored seven points in all (six from play) for Tuam Stars, and the irrepressible John Donnellan, scorer of nine points for his side, five from frees. The latter probably benefited from a better quality supply of ball into the full-forward area, while Carton worked hard in the space created by the roaming Aidan Dempsey, on paper for Tuam Stars at corner-forward but taking up positions anywhere between wing-back and midfield, so that Tuam essentially operated a two-man full forward line. Certainly from a neutral perspective, the two No. 14s presented a study in opposites, though each showed an unerring eye for the posts.
It was Carton who opened the scoring with a free from his hands in the third minute and the elder Donnellan opened his side’s account in similar fashion two minutes later. Both Donnellan brothers added to the Dunmore tally to increase their lead but Tuam wing-back Willie Brogan and the effervescent Carton levelled the scores after eleven minutes. Carton then nudged his side into the lead when he scored after a great run through the heart of the Dunmore defence at the beginning of the second quarter, but the scores were level for the third time when Kenneth Garvey pointed on twenty minutes. Adrian Brennan, the Tuam Stars ‘keeper, was the hero a minute later when he managed to clear the inrushing Gerard Keenan’s goal-bound effort and although John Donnellan duly finished a fine move involving Francis Keenan and David Cronin, points by David Trayers and Tommy Carton meant the Stars led by the narrowest of margins at the interval.
The second half started in the same furious fashion as the first, Donnellan and Carton exchanging points on the restart and Donnellan equalising after four minutes. His brother Michael scored his second point of the game to edge Dunmore into the lead before wing-forward Kenneth Garvey scored the all-important goal after it seemed the danger from a punted high ball had been cleared by the hard-working Tuam Stars defence. Somehow the ball ended up in the back of the net, however, a score that fired the Dunmore team and they capitalised on Tuam’s shell-shock in the following moments when two frees were converted by John Donnellan to put his side into an imposing six-point lead.
It was to Tuam Stars’ credit that they didn’t capitulate even when their backs were to the wall, but they were fighting a rising tide as Dunmore, admittedly lucky to receive that break, fought successfully to hold onto their lead.
Dunmore: M. Halliday; J. Dooley, T. Ryder, J. Slattery; J. Henry, L. Quinn, F. Keenan; V. Martyn, D. Cronin; J. Nestor, M. Donnellan (0-2), K. Garvey (1-1); A. Burke, J. Donnellan (0-9, five frees), G. Keenan. Sub., P. Walsh, for Nestor.
Tuam Stars: A. Brennan; D. O’Connor, K. Fallon, J. Kerins; W. Brogan (0-1), D. Kelly, E. Cosgrove; M. Hogan, T. Costello; M. Higgins (1-0), O. Monahan, D. Trayers (0-1); D. Devaney, T. Carton (0-7, one free), A. Dempsey. Subs., O. Hynes, for Costello; D. Marley, for Monahan, inj.
Referee: Des Joyce (Galway).
Dunmore Ladies GAA Under 16 Blitz:
On a beautiful Autumn Saturday morning, Dunmore Ladies GAA staged an Under 16 Football Blitz. As no Under 16 competition was held in the county this year, the newly founded club decided to hold a competition. Visiting teams were Killerarin, Caherlistrane, Milltown, and Glynsk. Each team played 4 matches. The standard of football during the day was very high from all the participating teams. Killerarin and Dunmore met in the final and the host club was victorious. At the presentation of the trophies, the Chairperson thanked all who helped to make the day a success. The Bank of Ireland Dunmore were our sponsor for the day. Brendan Finn, newly appointed Manager at Dunmore Bank of Ireland presented the trophies to the runners up Killerarin and to the victorious Dunmore Girls Under 16s. We wish Brendan and his family every success and happiness in his appointment in Dunmore and we thank the Bank of Ireland for sponsoring the event. Well done to our Under 16s Managers Bernie, Helen and Damien. We wish to thank all who helped to make the day a success. A special thanks you to all the parents who organized the refreshments. It is our intention to make this an annual event. Thanks to Dunmore MacHales for their co-operation.
