Tullow was the venue for the meeting of Clonmore and the Fighting Cocks on Sunday evening last, in what was definitely a game of two halves. An early free from Gavin Byrne got Clonmore off the mark with the Cocks soon settling down with a point from Matty Dowling.
Former O’Hanrahan’s player, Alan Quigley then converted a free kick which was the first of four points he was to score in the first half with two from play. Clonmore, although not having the greatest of starts to a game still plugged away with points from Coleman, Walsh and Mulvany, when on 25 mins, with the score level at four points each, the Cocks were awarded a controversial penalty, which wing forward Colin Quigley duely converted. Their tails were now up and went ahead to score another couple of points before the break leaving them on 1-7. Niall Humphries got Clonmore’s remaining score of the half leaving them five behind at half time.
Eleven seconds into the second half saw a point from Coleman. Two points from Quigley one either side of a point from Mulvany was to lead on to a good 15 minute spell by the Clonmore men with six unanswered points, to put them back in front by one. These came from Gavin Byrne, Willie Rooney, David Mulvany, a converted 45 from Con Murphy and two more from Owen Coleman.
Quigley pulled it back to level with 5 mins remaining. Clonmore then scored a point each from Coleman and Mulvany to put them two up entering the closing few minutes of the game and looking good for victory. But it was not to be as a point from Dowling and another from a disputed late fee from Quigley left the game level at the final whistle.
Both teams are to be complimented on a good, clean competitive game of football.
Clonmore: Colin McGrath, Willie Rooney (0-1), Colin Doyle, John Kelly, James Doyle, Bobby Rooney, Shane Murphy, Ronan Doyle, Con Murphy(0-1, 45), Jamie Walsh (0-1), Enda McGrath, Gavin Byrne (0-2,2f), Owen Coleman (0-5), David Mulvany (0-4), Niall Humphries (0-1). Sub John McGrath for C. Murphy.
Fighting Cocks: S. O’Neill, P. Hickey, D. McDonald, Jim Byrne, James Byrne, L. Byrne, R. Davies, K. Garvey, L. Sheppard, M. Dowling (0-3),G. Nolan, C. Quigley (1-1), M. Brown, A. Quigley (0-8), S. Quirke.
Ref: Paud O’Dwyer (Palatine)
