Tinryland too good for Clonmore as Walshe leads the way
Tinryland captain, Paddy Regan, who scored the all-important goal against Clonmore. Photo: Pat Ahern.
Tinryland picked up their first win in the Talbot Hotel Carlow Intermediate Football Championship on Friday evening against a Clonmore side who have now lost twice on the spin.
Both teams coughed up four goals in their respective opening-round defeats and came into Round 2 in desperate need of a victory.
The momentum swung back and forth throughout the tie, but ultimately it was Tinryland who proved the superior side on the night, leaving Fenagh as five-point victors.
Shane McGrath gave Clonmore the lead with a two-pointer inside 20 seconds; Tinryland levelled with two scores from sharpshooter, Diarmuid Walshe, but they were denied the lead thanks to a goal-line clearance from Shane Murphy.
A two-pointer from Walshe moved Tinryland into the lead on ten minutes, with Clonmore already guilty of four wides.
Peter Hennessy and Walshe extended Tinryland's lead to four points, with Dylan Doyle pulling one back midway through the half.
Paddy Gahan and James McGrath swapped scores before a pair of frees from Doyle reduced the gap to a single point and then landed a lovely curled effort from play with the final kick of the half to make it a draw match at the interval; 0-7 apiece.
Clonmore fought back well in the second quarter, but they could have been way out in front had it not been for eight first-half wides.
Shane Murphy was called into action again after the break when the Clonmore centre back intervened to block Diarmuid Walshe's close-range effort after some wonderful build-up play from Tinryland's talismanic midfielder, Paddy Regan.
A lovely score from Paddy Gahan nudged Clonmore into the lead for the first time in over half an hour. That was quickly cancelled out through another Walshe score before a free from Doyle pushed Clonmore ahead once more ten minutes into the second half.
Another strong run through the middle from Regan created a clear opening for his side to equalise, but it was now Tinryland's turn to waste their chances.
But Jamie Walker did manage to level matters heading into the final quarter, and from there Tinryland smelled blood. They found their way back into the lead through Cormac O'Brien, before their top performers - Regan and Walshe - combined incredibly well as Regan slipped the ball beyond Aaron Doyle in the 49th minute for the game's only goal.
Walshe kept the pressure on with another well-taken score before Dylan Doyle curled over a free for Clonmore to leave four points in the difference with just five minutes remaining.
Tinryland managed the closing stages well, however, with a final Walshe score making it a five-point game.
Tinryland are back in Fenagh on Saturday to take on Kildavin-Clonegal in Round 3, while Clonmore will meet St Patrick's in Spellman Park.
D Walshe 0-8 (1tp, 1f), P Regan 1-0, P Hennessy, J McGrath, J Walker, and C O'Brien 0-1 each.
D Doyle 0-6 (3f), S McGrath (tp) and P Gahan 0-2 each.
Conall McGuire; Michael Hosey, Conor Ryan, Jamie Walker; Sean Murphy, Danny Moran, Ross Moran; Cormac Walsh, Paddy Regan; Jamie Doyle, Peter Hennessy, Mark Mullen; Cormac O'Brien, Diarmuid Walshe, James McGrath.
Bobby Doyle for McGrath (26), Rory Doyle for J Doyle (38), Maurice Lawlor for Mullen (56).
Aaron Doyle; Cormac Connolly, Shane Murphy, Matt Cullen; Rory Maguire, Anthony McDonald, Dara Connolly; Eoin Connolly, Enda McGrath; Fiach Byrne, Shane McGrath, Conal Cullen; Paddy Gahan, Luke Connolly, Dylan Doyle.
Daire Byrne for Gahan (49), Lee Doyle for Cullen (57), Anthony Byrne for L Connolly (58).
David Hickey.
