Reserve
League Round 2 2005
Reserve
League Match Report
St.Brendan’s
(0-17)
Tara
(1-7)
St.Brendan’s
clocked up their second win of the Reserve
league with a seven point victory over Tara on
Wednesday night in Greenford. Despite the
apparent comfortable winning margin, this was
a close affair right up until the final ten
minutes when the superior fitness levels of
the St.Brendan’s team took its toll on the
Tara players. The game itself started brightly
with both teams deciding to take the game to
their opponents. Tara had the better of the
early exchanges and were soon in the lead
courtesy of a fine left footed effort from the
veteran Joe Harte. St.Brendan’s replied with
a point from full forward Brian Close before
Simon Cullen gave them the lead with a
fourteen yard free following a foul on Brian
McIntyre. Tara immediately bounced back and
following some good support play out of their
defence, Ross Higgins put them back on level
terms with a superb point after going on a
mazy run down the sideline before cutting in
and tapping over from twenty yards out. Tara
were playing well at this stage and this was
rewarded with two more points, one from play
and one from a free from the boot of Andreas
Redican. The St.Brendan’s ship was then
steadied and following good approach play from
Shane O’Hare and Martin Gillespie, they were
soon back on level terms with points from
Simon Cullen again and Eddie Young. As the
first half drew to a close, further points
were exchanged between Brian Close and Ross
Higgins to send the teams in all square.
Half
Time: St.Brendan’s 0-6 Tara 0-6
The
second half began with St.Brendan’s very
much showing the clearer urgency and this
early pressure was rewarded a brace of frees
which were coolly converted by Simon Cullen.
Andreas Redican helped relieve some of the
pressure for Tara with a point in the tenth
minute but further points were added to the
St.Brendan’s tally from the boots of
Cullen(2), Niall Barry and Martin Gillespie to
open up a six point gap between the teams
going into the last twelve minutes. At this
stage, St.Brendan’s were very much in the
ascendancy and in substitutes Paddy Bowles and
Paul Maguire the men in green and white always
had the better attacking options. However,
Tara threw themselves a lifeline in the
fifty-fifth minute when they scrambled a goal
following some confusion in the Brendan’s
defence to leave just three points in it.
However, this ended the comeback and further
points from Eddie Young (2) and Paddy Bowles
ensured that St.Brendan’s went home with the
two points. On the night, St.Brendan’s were
well served by Niall Barry, Martin Gillespie,
Simon Cullen, Cathal Smyth, Eddie Young and
Brian McIntyre whilst Tara will have taken
positives from the performances of Ross
Higgins, Andreas Redican, Joe Harte and James
McNulty.
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