Old Leighlin deservedly took the spoils in this night shift encounter.
2024 Michael Lyng Motors SFC Group 1, Round 1
Old Leighlin 2-12 , Tinryland 1-10
By Stephen Bambrick
The battle of the blues (though both wore their green away strips!) in the second part of Friday night’s double header went the way of an Old Leighlin outfit who mixed the brilliant at times with the ordinary, a 5 point half time lead ironically also the final margin.
It was Old Leighlin who started the brighter with Darragh Fitzgerald opening their account in the 6th minute, the same player combining with Mikey Bambrick for the latter to goal from close range just a minute later, this after a couple of simple scores had gone a begging.
Tinryland, living off veritable scraps up front, saw Jonah Dunne point on their first attack in the 9th minute, the impressive Fitzgerald (who along with corner back Tadhg O’ Neill, Ben Stanley and Dan Roche in the subs patiently waiting to celebrate their Leaving Cert results!) with his 2nd soon after before Mikey Bambrick tested Chris Townsend in the Tinryland goal.
Matthew O ‘Toole doubled the Rathcrogue outfits account following a Diarmuid Walshe run, the ever reliable Danny Moran always good for a score had it 1-2 to 0-3 by the 20th minute, with another Old Leighlin goal chance finding Townsend’s midriff from Aaron Amond.
Steven Scallan’s journey up to the Tinryland 20m line tight to the sideline proved fruitful as he put a goal between the sides but not for long, Walshe’s first free of the evening had it four scores each.
Old Leighlin had threatened throughout the half without delivering the killer punch, then with John Hickey about to call time a brilliant move occurred with space at a premium involving 3 Old Leighlin players. A combination of quick hands, feet and thinking found David Bambrick at the back post to palm home, with a more honest reflection of the half now on the scoreboard, 2-3 to 0-4 at the interval.
The second half was in it’s 5th minute when Sean Taylor, already on a yellow, saw black for a challenge near the sideline, yellow and black meaning red. The introduction of Jamie Doyle at this time for the injured Shane Dooley reaped immediate rewards when he kicked a point before Seamus Kinsella had his first from a free, the numerical disadvantage not showing yet.
Tinryland’s own substitutes would have an impact also, Shane Redmond and James McGrath in at half time, the latter pointing a free for 2-5 to 0-5 on 40 mins, Aaron Amond responding immediately, meaning that all 6 Senior captains have scored in the 3 SFC games to date.
This was before Walshe and Seanie Bambrick swapped scores, Seanie’s a punched effort, the next score similar, a punched Tinryland effort at a point dropping short, Redmond’s fisted effort deemed to have crossed the line before Scallan cleared it to safety, the extra man now allowing Tinryland push on, a mighty Dunne point followed by another Walshe free had it back to a 2 point game.
Old Leighlin’s introduction of Cathal Coughlan was to have a telling impact in the last quarter, Townsend smothering yet another goal chance, it eventually finding Coughlan’s trusty left boot to point. Then Fitzgerald with his 3rd had it a 2 score game before another sub Maurice Lawler with a monster of a kick had it 2-9 to 1-9 on 58 mins.
The next score was vital. Mikey Bambrick with a ™️run from deep, next to unstoppable with open road, was inevitably fouled, free inevitably pointed by Coughlan, however with Danny Moran replying yet again, the 3 point lead soon became 4 and 5 with Coughlan and Kinsella both pointing frees brought on by the pace of the Old Leighlin attacks from deep. 2-12 to 1-10 the final score.
Scorers
Old Leighlin:
D Fitzgerald 0-3
C Coughlan 0-3 ( 0-1f )
M Bambrick 1-0
D Bambrick 1-0
S Kinsella 0-2f
J Doyle 0-1
A Amond 0-1
S Bambrick 0-1
S Scallan 0-1f
Tinryland:
S Redmond 1-0
D Walshe 0-3f
J Dunne 0-2
D Moran 0-2
M O’Toole 0-1
J McGrath 0-1f
M Lawler 0-1
TEAMS
Subs
Old Leighlin
J Doyle
C Coughlan
Tinryland
S Redmond
J McGrath
M Lawler
S Webb
M Lawlor
Referee – John Hickey
