Tansey Cup April 19

Strokestown 0-7, Elphin 0-7.

Last Saturday evening Strokestown took on neighbours Elphin in the Tansey Cup in Farnbeg. After many cancellations the black and amber finally got to take to the field for some much needed game time.

Strokestown took to the field with a nice mix of youth and experience with wise heads such as Donal Hanly, Emmet Collins and Colin Dowd guiding up and coming players such as Rory Geoghan and Gerd Collins throughthe game.

Playing into a very strong wind in the first half Strokestown were very competitive from the off. Utilising the pace of strong runners Daniel Rogers, Niall Brogan and Enda Molloy, Strokestown managed to break inside the Elphin '45 on numerous occasions. However it was a lack of compusere inside the Elphin '45 in the first half that saw the town turn over to much pocession.

From these counter attacks Elphin managed to race into a 3 point lead. Town hit back to register their first score from a Gerd Collins effort from play and then narrowed the gap to one when Enda Molloy pointed a 14 yard free. Town could have taken the lead soon after when an elphin defender was harshly judged to have picked the ball off the ground in the small square but Molloy dragged the resultant penalty wide of the keepers right hand post. Town should have had a second penalty minutes later when a brilliant move involving Niall Brogan, Ciaran O'Reilly, Daniel Rogers, Gooch Daly ended with Paddy Gaynor being blatantly shouldered in the back when a goal seemed the only outcome. However the referee didn't give the decision and from here Elphin managed to kick on to stretch their lead to 3 points after points from Matty Hynes and Niall Travers. Elphin could have had some more scores were it not for some resolute defending from the black and amber with Cian Crosbie putting in an outstanding first half performance. Strokestown managed to pick of another score from a Molloy free to narrow the gap to 2 points at half time, 5-3, and with the benefit of the strong wind to come it looked like town were in the driving seat.

The second half began with Elphin stretching their lead to 3 points. But from here town began to pick up the pace and were really penetrating through the centre of the Elphin defence. With Seamus Collins having being relocated to the edge of the square town began to deploy the long ball into the Elphin square. This tactic bore fruit early on with scores coming off breaking ball from Seamus with Thomas Shanagher and Gerd Collins on target. However the quality of delivery into the full forward line soon slowed up and Collins was moved back out the field to help secure pocession around the middle of the field. Elphin had by this stage registered their final score to take a 7-5 lead with 10 minutes remaining. However Strokestown showed that never say die attitude and managed to come back strongly at Elphin in the final 10 minutes with Daniel Rogers and Bull O'Reilly driving Strokestown forward. In fact a rare point from Bull closed the gap to the minimum with 5 minutes to play and soon after Daniel Rogers sent over a wonderful effort from 30 yards after a barnstorming run through the middle of the Elphin defence. This left the sides tied on 7 a piece going into injury time. One sensed another score would surely proove the winner for either team. In fact both teams through everything at each other for the win. Town could have snatched it but a Molloy free 30 yards out to the left of the goals just drifted to the right and went narrowly wide. Then it looked like Elphin were going to snatch victory but the home defence stood firm and Philip Duignan in particular put in a heroic block to prevent Elphin snatching the win.

In the end a draw was probably the fairest result. Despite alot of pocession Town really lacked a killer instinct inside the Elphin 45 yard line. However considering this was the first game for the lads in over a month they put in a battling performance. This outing will no doubt do the team good and some much needed game time was got by some players. The full back line for town were outstanding all game and it was great to see Cian Crosbie back in the black and amber and putting in such an outsatnding performance. The town need players like Cian to return and help younger players coming through to help the younger players make the jump from juvenile football. In fact this is probably what cost town and manager Colm Dowd a victory today as they had no options on the bench. Elphin were capable of introducing 3/4 subs but Town had to rely on reintroducing Andrew Duignan who himself was carrying an injurry. With so many players visibly tiring in the closing stages fresh legs were needed but were not to be had. Seeing this I myself am imploring all lads who are able to tog out to come out to trianing and help the Town in the league and championship. In the year we will say goodbye to Farnbeg it would be nice to see all players making that special effort.

Team: Donal Hanly, Rory Geoghan, Emmet Collins, Cian Crosbie, Niall Brogan, Philip Duignan, Colin Dowd, Seamus Collins, Daniel Rogers, Gerd Collins, Enda Molloy, Andrew Duignan, Paul 'Gooch' Daly, Thomas Shanagher, Paddy Gaynor.

Subs: Ciaran 'Bull' O'Reilly for A. Duignan, A. Duignan for P. Gaynor

Elphin: M. Byrne, K. Beirne, K. Byrne, M. Brady, D. Neary, M. Travers, M. Kielty, N. Travers, B. Neary, M. McCaffrey, M. Callery, M. Cregg, L. Taylor, M. Hynes, P. McKeon

Subs: G. Cregg, K. Brady, G. Brady