Burke's goal propels Tang to surprise victory over Killucan

Tang 1-9 Killucan 0-8

Tang blew the battle for finishing positions in Section ‘B’ of the Westmeath SFC wide open when they inflicted a first defeat on Killucan at Páirc Chiaráin in Athlone last Saturday evening.

Tang held a one-point lead at half time and in a low scoring second half restricted Killucan to just two points as they won by four points at the finish. Two fine blocks from goalkeeper Owen Coughlan proved crucial to the outcome, as the men in maroon gave themselves a major boost in their pursuit of knockout football later in the year.

Second behind Tyrrellspass on the table, Killucan had their future destiny in their own hands and knew that a win would send them top overnight at least. Tang, though, had not read the script, and were full value for the victory which leaves them in third position alongside Athlone.

There was no indication early on that a shock was in store with Stephen Morley’s men looking confident in possession as they looked to conjure up an opening score.

The scoring duly got underway when Devin Hill popped over a second minute free kick. Shane Keenan quickly levelled for Tang but a ’45’ from Aron Kiernan restored the Killucan lead. It proved to be their last score though until after the water break.

In the meantime, Tang hit form with four points to lead by 1-2 to 0-2 after the first quarter. Jack Keenan drew the teams level with a tenth minute point and the green flag was raised for the only time in the contest five minutes later. Martin Rock set up Darragh Burke and his shot to the net left the keeper wrong footed.

A fisted point from Kiernan reduced the deficit to two points but the next two points scored were to fall in Tang’s way. Keenan and Burke followed up their earlier scores with quick-fire efforts. The point from the centre forward however was to be Tang’s last of the opening half, as three unanswered scores from Killucan left just a single point between the teams at the half-time break.

A free and a point from play by Hill, together with a stoppage time point from Killian Doyle, left it delicately balanced at 1-4 to 0-6 in Tang’s favour on a hot evening in Athlone. Neither team had played particularly well, and this was reflected in the narrow one-point margin.

It was all to play for then when the second half got underway, but Killucan will be very disappointed at their performance. Just seven scores were recorded after the break as the game never reached the expected heights.

The losers were especially disappointed as they only got off the mark again with 20 minutes gone. Two goal chances that were not put away only added to the misery for Morley’s men, who never replicated their early season form.

Shane Coughlan sent over a point in the first minute to stretch the lead to two points and a further score from Martin Rock left a goal between the teams. A major turning point occurred after 37 minutes when Killucan were denied their first green flag, as goalkeeper Coughlan blocked a shot from Devin Hill.

It was hoped that the second water break would allow both teams to up their game, but the response was less than satisfactory. A Shane Keenan point for Tang after 19 minutes stretched the lead to four, and it stayed that way to the finish, as both teams then exchanged two points.

Killucan’s first score of the half came on 50 minutes through substitute Frank Boyle. A further score from another sub, Sami Clarke, raised hopes of a grandstand finish as Tang held on to their 1-7 to 0-8 lead. Clarke’s point however was Killucan’s last of the game, as the men in maroon finished on a high note.

A Jack Keenan free kick and a point from play by Shane Keenan, both in stoppage time, saw Tang over the line. Killucan could have cut the lead to just a single point from the last action of the half but once more, the Tang keeper kept a clean sheet as he blocked a goalbound effort from Doyle.

It ended a frustrating evening for the previously unbeaten Killucan side. Tang have now made it two wins in a row having lost their first two games by small margins. Any fears that the step-up from the intermediate ranks would be beyond them have now been erased.

Scorers – Tang: D Burke 1-1, J Keenan (2f) and S Keenan 0-3 each, S Coughlan and M Rock 0-1 each. Killucan: D Hill 0-3 (2f), A Kiernan 0-2 (1 ’45’), K Doyle, F Boyle and S Clarke 0-1 each.

Tang: Owen Coughlan; Conall McKiernan, Kieran Duncan, Thomas Lennon; John Rock, Jason Coughlan, Robert English; Ciaran Clear, Ronan Hanly; Jack Keenan, Darragh Burke, Shane Keenan; Shane Coughlan, Martin Rock, Shane Hanley. Subs used: John Tumelty for Hanley (45), Aidan Burke for M Rock (51), Ciaran Hanley for English (57).

Killucan: David Bryan; Andrew Flood, Sam Smyth, Luke Darby; Sean Quinn, Joey Boyle, Cormac Boyle; Killian Doyle, Sean Leech; Robbie Greville, Rory Keyes, Eoin Keyes; Aron Kiernan, Darren Finn, Devin Hill. Subs: Frank Boyle for Darby (41), Conor McKeogh for J Boyle (44), Ciaran Doyle for R Keyes (53), Sami Clarke for Kiernan (53), Eamonn Cunneen for Flood (57).

Ref: Barry Pierce (St Mary’s, Rochfortbridge).