Defeat for St. John's in round 1 of Sligo Senior football championship

The St.John's senior football team that were in action in the first round of the Sligo senior football championship

Belfry Sponsored Sligo Senior Football Championship round 1

 Tubbercurry 0-15 St. John’s 1-08

Winning start for Tubbercurry as St. John’s falter

Tubbercurry are off to a winning start in this year’s Belfry sponsored Sligo senior football championship, writes Michael McGee

St. Johns having failed to score for the first 17 minutes in the first half and with the concession of 5 points without  reply in the first 14 minutes of the second half left the Carraroe side with too much to do despite coming back strongly in the second half.

The opening skirmishes resulted in St. John’s Mickey O Hehir stopping Tubbercurry’s Cian Gilmartin who let fly a stinging shot from 21 metres. The St. John’s corner back managed to deflect away an almost certain goal right at the very start. Tubbercurry’s Steven Kilcoyne opened the scoring on 4 minutes with a pointed free from 21 metres out straight in front of the posts. On ten minutes  Darragh Kilcoyne increased Tubbers lead with a converted  free.  Tubbercurry sub Barry Brennan was called into the action soon after and he made a telling contribution for the rest of the match.    The athletic Cian Kiloran was fouled when bearing down on goals. Up stepped Dara Kilcoyne again with a 21 metre free on 12 minutes.  The overworked St. John’s defence was forced into conceding another free and Dara Kilcoyne duly obliged to put Tubbercurry  4 points to 1  up with 15 minutes passed.  It took St. John’s all of 17 minutes to get on the scoreboard when David Rooney’s great incisive run from 30 metres split the posts. Within 4 minutes and having being outplayed St. John’s were right back in it. Brian Harris showed a clean pair of heels,  ran 30 metres before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the roof of the  net giving Daniel McDonald in the Tubber goal no chance. The sides were level at 1-1 0-4.   St. John’s Daniel Smyth came in for Brian McGowan on 24 minutes. Two scores from Tubbercurry’s Steven Kilcoyne (1 free)  and a point from St. John’s Mark Rooney ended the scoring in the first half with Tubbercurry leading 0-6 1-2.

It was all Tubbercurry for the first 14 minutes of the second half when they scored 5 points without reply with points from Steven Kilcoyne (2) Brian Curran the substitute, David Kelly &  Cian Kiloran all adding points.  Like a prize fighter clinging to the ropes St. John’s breathed life into their game at last. With a greater sense of urgency that wasn’t seen in the first half the Carraroe side  rallied and hit back magnificently with a 5 point salvo of their own.  John Scanlon replied with a brace his second score from a difficult angle over on the left wing from 14 metres was particularly impressive.  Oisin Cox & 2 points from Mark Rooney in a minute kept St. John’s hopes very much alive. The momentum swung back to St. John’s but alarmingly they failed to press home their advantage. Some wayward passing let them down at a critical juncture in the match.     Brian Morahan kept Tubbercurry out in front with a great score from a difficult angle.  Tubber’s Brian Curran elected to punch the ball over the ball when in a good position close to goal.  Mark Rooney pointed from 30 metres to leave just 2 points in it 1-08 0-13 with 5 minutes left on the clock.   It was Tubbercurry who finished the stronger with Cathal Surlis running 40 metres at pace kicking the ball over the bar for an inspirational score and then Brian Morahan selling a nice dummy before pointing from 14 metres to give Tubbercurry the win by 0-15 1-8.

Best for St. John’s were Steven Kerins, David & Mark Rooney, Brian Harris & John Scanlon while Tubbercurry’s best were Cian Kiloran, Steven & Dara Kilcoyne, David Kelly , Cian Gilmartin, Barry Brennan & Brian Morahan.

Referee: Gus Chapman

Note:  Owenmore GFC have to be complimented on having Connolly Park looking in pristine for Saturday’s double header.  The Sligo G.A.A Board too, produced a very helpful match programme.

Scorers St. John’s  Mark Rooney (0-4) Brian Harris (1-0) David Rooney (0-1)  John Scanlon (0-2) Oisin Cox (0-1)

Tubbercurry: Steven Kilcoyne (0-5)  Dara Kilcoyne (0-4) Brian Morahan (0-2) Cathal Surlis (0-1) Brian Curran (0-1)  David Kelly (0-1) Cian Kilcoyne (0-1)

St. John’s: Philip Greene, Eoin Flanagan,Niall Walsh, Mickey O’Hehir, Phelim Murphy, Steven Kerins,  David Rooney, James Murphy, Oisin Cox, Brian McGowan, Mark Rooney, Tommy Kelly, Brian Harris,John Scanlon, Conor Greene. Sub   Ciaran Walsh (24 mins)

Tubbercurry: Daniel McDonald, David Wynne, Brian Murphy, Daniel Maye, Cathal Surlis, Owen Coleman, James Kelly, Aidan Brennan, Cian Kiloran, Cian Gilmartin, Dara Kilcoyne, Fabio Cretero , Steven Kilcoyne, Dermot Walsh, David Kelly; Subs: Barry Brennan (10 mins) Brian Curran (27 minutes) Brian Morahan (half time)