Fired-up Tubber deliver in style

Tubber 3-16   Tulla 1-14

HURLING with a fevered championship tempo, Tubber outfought and outhurled Tulla in Clarecastle last Sunday.

The Tubber men were clearly more motivated than their opponents and in men like midfielder Clive Earley, his brother Blaine, the O’Connors in the full-forward line and corner-back Fergal O’Grady, they had players who were prepared to fight for every scrap.

Throw-in the 1-1 from play notched by centre-forward Eamon Taaffe and Pat O’Connor’s excellence from long-range frees it becomes evident that Tubber have a balanced team with every player prepared to fight his corner.

Tulla didn’t display the same stomach for battle and perhaps waited for things to happen rather than making it happen.

As early as the 20th second, Blaine Earley should have goaled for the winners but his shot hit the side netting. While it was a chance missed, Tubber sustained their early drive and led 1-9 to 0-7 at half-time.
Darragh O’Connor buried the goal, six minutes before half-time, capitalising upon a Blaine Earley run and pass. O’Connor had earlier pointed a superb effort from play while Blaine Earley, Justin McMahon, Taaffe, David O’Donoghue and Pat O’Connor all put over first-half points.

Andrew Quinn looked dangerous for Tulla early in the game and pointed early in the half, while Niall Bolton, Trevor Vaughan, Aidan Lynch with a class score and David McInerney put over like scores.

Tulla badly needed to up their game after half-time but it was Tubber who retained the initiative. Fergal O’Grady burst out from their full-back line and was fouled late, allowing Blaine Earley to point his side 1-10 to 0-7 ahead.

Pat O’Connor added a 65’ to extend Tubber’s lead before Eamon Taaffe struck for his sides second goal, which put clear distance between the teams.

Taaffe drifted inside the Tulla defence and picked up a lovely pass from David O’Donoghue. Clive Earley added an immediate point from half way and Tubber were coasting, 2-12 to 0-10 ahead.

In the last 15 minutes, Tulla played their best hurling with Trevor Vaughan, Andrew Quinn and Cathal Dinan pointing. Ten minutes from full-time, Darragh Corry was fouled for a penalty. However, Aidan Lynch’s shot was saved and eventually cleared by Clive Earley. Had that gone in, the momentum would have been with Tulla and perhaps would have been enough to win it.

A couple of minutes later, Lynch was shown his second yellow card and sent off by Damien Fox. Two minutes from the end of normal time, Andrew Quinn netted for Tulla, leaving just four points in it, 2-15 to 1-14. However, an excellent long range Pat O’Connor free sealed the win for Tubber, who goaled again with the second last puck, when Blaine Earley found the net and picked up a knock in the process, when he collided with Tulla goalkeeper Kieran Brennan.

The Tulla management were not enamoured with the referees display but their own team were simply not at championship pitch while Tubber were ready, willing and able.

Tubber: Ronan Taaffe; Paul Fogarty, Gerard Brohan, Fergal O’Grady; Mark Earley, Conor Earley, Francis McCormack; Pat O’Connor, Clive Earley; David O’Donoghue, Eamon Taaffe, Justin McMahon (captain); Blaine Earley, Shane O’Connor, Darragh O’Connor.
Scorers: Blaine Earley (1-5, 4f), Pat O’Connor (0-5, 3f, 2 65s), Eamon Taaffe, Darragh O’Connor (1-1 each), David O’Donoghue, Shane O’Connor, Clive Earley (0-1 each).
Wides: 10; frees: 18; 65s: 3
Yellow card: Blaine Earley
Tulla: Kieran Brennan; Eugene Cooney, Seán Torpey, John Fahy; Cian McInerney, John Brennan, Paul Lynch; Niall Bolton, David McInerney; Trevor Vaughan, Philip Brennan (captain), Darragh Corry; Aidan Lynch, Andrew Quinn, Mark Lynch.
Subs: Cathal Dinan for Cian McInerney (36).
Scorers: Andrew Quinn (1-2), Trevor Vaughan (0-5, 3f), Aidan Lynch (0-2), Niall Bolton, David McInerney, Cathal Dinan, Mark Lynch (0-1 each).
Wides: 9; frees: 10; 65s: 0.
Yellow cards: Philip Brennan, Seán Torpey, Aidan Lynch.
Red card: Aidan Lynch.
Referee: Damien Fox.