Minor B Championship: Tulla V Clooney/Quinn

Tulla got the Minor B championship off to a winning start with a 1.19 (22) to 2.11(17) victory against near neighbors Clooney Quin.

 In an entertaining game played in Tulla the home team led from the start and maintained this status through out the game winning the first half 1.10 to 0.05 points.

 Tulla opened the scoring on 2 minutes with a point from play from Andrew Conheady followed by further points from play from Sean Cahill, William Halpin and another from Andrew Conheady to lead by 4 points after 9 minutes. Clooney Quin opened their scoring with 2 points in quick succession from Alan Culligan the first being from play followed by a placed ball. A further point was added from play by Eoghan O’Brien. However, this was as close as Clooney Quin were to be to the dominant Tulla team for the remainder of the first half.  

The game continued with a further 6 points from Tulla, one of which was scored by Ronan Molloy from well inside his own half, the others all from play where Austin McInerney claimed 3,  with one each from Conheady and Conor Murphy. These scores were interspersed with 2 points from Clooney Quin from placed balls. The Tulla defense, while busy, were in control with the half back line of Kearney, Molloy and Mc Sweeney soaking the pressure and most of the exchanges. However, Tulla conceded frees that in a tighter game would have proved problematic. The half finished with the best move of the game resulted in a goal from play scored by David Meehan from outside the 21-yard line

Clooney Quin were to win the second half but not by enough to overhaul Tulla’s first half lead. Clooney Quin opened strongly with a goal in the second minute from Shane Harrison. This was followed by 6 points comprising of 2 from open play credited to Cassidy and O’Brien and 4 from frees from Culligan. These scores were increased by a second goal in the 26th minutes scored by the Clooney Quin goalie Jack O’Grady on the 21-yard line. However, the 9 points that were scored by Tulla in the second half were to carry the day. Featuring prominently here was Austin Mc Inerney scoring 4 points evenly divided with 2 long range frees and 2 from play. Molloy also scored 2 long range frees with individual points from William Halpin, Murphy and Meehan. Frees conceded were similar with 9 conceded by Tulla against the 7 from Clooney Quin. The younger forwards being Jimmy O Gorman and Andrew Conheady showed great promise and more than able to hold their own. They will have benefitted greatly from this outing. Another of the younger brigade Paul Kelleher replaced Caufield during the second half and acquitted himself well.

While scoring was the order of the day for the second half,  the Tulla defense found themselves more involved in the second half where Mc Sweeney, Eddie Jennings, Sean O’Callaghan and Kevin Caulfield had vital interventions to remain ahead through the second half. Colm Mc Inerney and Cahill were noticeable in winning beyond their due of Tulla and opposition puck outs.

They now take on Scariff/Ogonnoloe in a home game this Friday evening, time TBC.