Tulla fall agonisingly short against Cashel

Cashel 2-16 St Joseph’s Tulla 2-14

TULLA came bitterly close to advancing to the semi-final of the Corn Thomais Mhic Choilm in a pulsating game held in St Patricks GAA in Limerick this afternoon. Tulla took an early lead through a William Halpin free and the number 12 was to feature heavily in the contest, finishing with a grand total of 1-10, and the individual moment of the game – a screamer of a goal from 30 yards placed directly in the top right-hand corner.

Cashel’s own marksman, Aaron Burke, was also on point, registering 1-8 and making no mistakes from placed balls when called into action – which was often considering the charged and at time hot-headed of the contest. Burke registered the first goal of the game when Rian Quigley played a ball across the square and he made no mistake in punishing Tulla.

Quigley was a constant thorn in the Tulla full-back line’s side and was probably the difference maker on the day. The corner-forward won the world of ball, scoring a lovely goal of his own benefitting from a defensive error and scored three points from various angles to keep his side’s nose in front.

Tula did fight back when going behind and Halpin’s aforementioned highlight reel goal kept them within touching distance at half-time on a scoreline of 1-10 to 1-7.

Tulla were by far the more dominant team in the second half but often struggled to make their pressure pay. The Cashel full-back line deserve credit for their resolution in holding the onslaught from the Clare men at bay as often as they did. The referee had plenty to do in the second half and Halpin added five consecutive frees for Tulla to move them within two before two gorgeous points from Quigley and Burke gave Cashel breathing room once more.

Tulla were given a glimmer of hope when from a goalmouth scramble, James Vaughan was able to kick the sliotar into the net in the 57^th minute and bring his side to within a single point. Unfortunately for him, he would receive a straight red along with Cashel goalie Chris Geraghty, for their involvement in a goalmouth melee that followed the goal.

The game hung in the balance but Cashel dug in and held on for the win in an exciting game in which Tulla dug deep but just fell short.

Tulla: Liam O’Connor (Feakle); Ian O’Brien (Crusheen), Seán O’Callaghan (Tulla), Adam Hogan (Feakle); Colm McInerney (Tulla), Paddy Donnellan (Broadford), Eoin O’Connor (Feakle); Conor Murphy (Tulla), Oisin Clune (Feakle); Cian Mulqueen (Broadford), Eanna McMahon (Crusheen), William Halpin (Tulla); Murrough McMahon (Crusheen), James Vaughan (Broadford), Cormac Murphy (O’Callaghan’s Mills).

Sub: Andrew Conheady (Tulla) for Seán O’Callaghan (44 mins).

Scorers: William Halpin 1-10 (0-8f), James Vaughan 1-1, Eanna McMahon 0-2, Cormac Murphy 0-1.

Cashel: Chris Geraghty; Ben Luoghman, Tomas Burke, Jamie Duncan; Conor O’Dwyer, John Ryan, Brian Og O’Dwyer; Aaron Moloney, Lorcan Carr; Fearghal O’Donoghue, Stephen Bruce, Lee McGrath; Rian Quigley, Ben  Ryan, Aaron Burke.

Scorers: Aaron Burke 1-8 (0-6f), Rian Quigley 1-3, Ben Ryan 0-2, Aaron Moloney, Conor O’Dwyer, Stephen Bruce 0-1 each.

Eoghan Moloney