St. Marys Minors reach Quarter Final of Div 1 Championship after titanic struggle with near neighbours Tyrrellspass
August 24th 2011
St. Mary’s minors travelled the short distance on Wed last to take on near neighbours Tyrrellspass in the last game of phase 1 of the championship. Victory on this occasion would ensure that St. Marys would reach the quarter  final of the Div 1 minor championship.

            This game was always going to be a tight and tense affair as revenge would be sweet for Tyrrellspass since St. Marys had already a victory under their belt from a previous encounter a month earlier in the league. Both teams traded points early but the Bridge boys dominated the first quarter and raced into a 6pts to 3 lead. Tyrrellspass  upped  the ante and got a crucial goal from Ciaran Daly their ever dangerous  corner forward that changed the course of the first half and were now playing with a swagger which left them two points up at the break. Half time score St. Marys 0:7 Tyrrellspass 1:6.

Both teams again traded scores after the interval, but St. Marys upped the tempo and drew level with points from Joe Guiden, Paul Metcalfe and Ian Hyland after Tyrrellspass had converted a long range point from Dean McNicholas. But like most good local derbies tension was high and the boys in blue responded with a purple patch to dominate the middle period of the second half to race ahead by four points with only ten minutes left on the clock. The large number of spectators did witness the true fighting spirit of this minor team when as it seamed that the game was slipping out of their grasp our midfield pairing of Dermot Judge and Joe Guiden with the help of Lenny Gavin took total control of this sector and supplied the  forwards with the ammunition that they needed.. Ian Hyland converted a rebound off the crossbar to the corner of the net and followed with a converted free to tie up the match. With just minutes remaining   Niall Cully  crashed the ball off the woodwork but followed up by disposing   the Tyrrellspass defender who collected the rebound , then  soloed  in a long the end line  and fisted the ball over the bar from an  nearly impossible  angle  for a “wonder” point to edge St. Marys ahead. Tyrrellspass did have the last attack up the field but  our backs defended stoutly to end  a pulsating match . Great credit must go to Tyrrellspass who lifted their performance from the previous encounter in the league. This is the sole of the GAA as many of these players on the opposing teams are the best of buddies of field. This leaves St. Marys in the quarter final of the Div 1 championship with much sterner opposition ahead.

Final score : St. Marys  1:14 ,  Tyrrellspass 1:13

Panel: Liam McCarthy, Cathal Taylor, Stephen Keegan, Dan Plant, Connor Grennan, Luke Gallagher,  Brian O’Sullivan,  Joe Guiden, Dermot Judge, Paul Metcalfe Kienan Gill, Arron Byrne, Niall Cully Lenny Gavin Ian Hyland, Ian Keelan and Garry Morgan