Three-minute spell makes the difference for Ardagh

JFC Group 2 – Round 1

Tourmakeady 1-7

Ardagh 2-11

Paul O’Malley at Tourmakeady GAA

It took three disastrous minutes in which Tourmakeady conceded a goal and were reduced to 14 men for this game to go the way of Ardagh.

Brendan Carr found the net for Ardagh after 46 minutes to level matters and Tourmakeady's Stephen Staunton was given his marching orders just two minutes later and Ardagh pulled away.

Lee Traynor and Kevin Moran, a free, got Ardagh moving in the right direction early on with a point each. Tourmakeady were struggling for accuracy and hit four wides in the games opening quarter. Meanwhile, inter-county panelist James Carr scored his first of the day.

The Gaeltacht men finally got up and running with 17 minutes played when Shane Staunton fired over a free. Brendan Carr responded for Ardagh before Staunton added another free. Tourmak’ keeper Lee Tolan-Jennings added the next score with a long-range free inadvertently tipped over by an Ardagh man.

Ardagh replied through Traynor and Stephen Rochford. Padraig Ludden popped over two points, one from a free and the second was Tourmakeady's only point from play in the first half. Rochford made it a two-point game again before the break.

In contrast to the opening half, Tourmakeady came out the stronger of the two teams. Shane Staunton broke through the Ardagh lines and took a clattering but won a penalty for his troubles that Ludden dispatched well to put the hosts ahead by a point.

Ronan Malee, who previously played his club football with Kiltimagh, extended the lead and Darragh McConnell added another with 44 minutes played but that was the end of the scoring for the home side.

Traynor showed immense vision to flick a pass over his shoulder towards Enda O’Hora in miles of space. He found Brendan Carr at the back post who applied the simple finish. Stephen Staunton was then shown black and having been booked earlier, was sent off.

From here, Ardagh made hay and added 1-4 to their tally with Brendan and James Carr, Stephen Rochford and Traynor adding points.

The goal was superb; Liam Pritchett sent a booming ball out of defence, intending to clear his lines but he found Traynor in space behind the defence. The hosts had committed players forward looking for inroads back into the match and paid the price. He found James Carr who played it back to the corner-forward who continued his run to the back post to finish.

Scorers. Tourmakeady: Padraig Ludden 1-2 (1pen, 1f), Shane Staunton 0-2f, Lee Tolan-Jennings (f), Ronan Malee and Darragh McConnell 0-1 each.

Ardagh: Lee Traynor 1-3, Brendan Carr 1-2, Stephen Rochford 0-3 (1f), Stephen Carr 0-2, Kevin Moran 0-1f.

Tourmakeady: Lee Tolan-Jennings: Sean Burke, John Joyce, James Walsh: Martin Carr, Tom Staunton, Jack Horan: Darragh McConnell, Darren Kelly: Stephen Staunton, Shane Staunton, Matthew Gibbons: Padraig Ludden, John McGranahan, Ronan Malee. Subs: Michael Joyce (for Burke H/T), Aaron Tolan-Jennings (for Gibbons 41), Stephen Staunton-Kelly (for Ludden 48), Cathal Staunton (for D Kelly 53), Michael Morrin (for Horan 56).

Ardagh: Sean Finan: Donal O’Boyle, Joe Carr, Liam Pritchett: Ruairi O’Boyle, John Cafferty, Owen Pritchett: Sean Moore, Brendan Carr: James Carr, Stephen Rochford, Paddy Walsh: Lee Traynor, Luke Gilmartin, Kevin Moran. Subs: Declan O’Boyle (for O Pritchett 40), Enda O’Hora (for Moran 43), Fionn Gill (for Moore 53), Diarmuid Barrett (for Walsh 56), David Cassidy (for J Carr 60+1).

Ref: Enda Nolan