Strokestown V St. Joseph's - Tansey Cup March 21

Strokestown 4-4, St. Joseph's 2-7.

Strokestown Juniors secured their first win of the year with a hard earned victory over Kilteevan side St. Joseph's. In a game that ebbed and flowed either way it was Strokestown's ability to create and finish goal scoring opportunities which enabled the 'town to claim the 2 points on offer.

Playing against the wind in the first half Stroketown played some lovely football. Great support play at times helped the black and amber cut through the visitors back line. It was this great support play which allowed Strokestown to score 2 crucial goals which were clinically finished to the net by Niall Brogan and Thomas Shanagher respectively. St. Joseph's however kept in touch kicking 4 points of their own in the first half. The visitors could have had more were it not for the good handling of goalkeeper Francis Convey who was making his first appearance for a Strokestown adult team. Strokestown finished the half strongly by tagging on a further point from Thomas Shanagher who was proving himself a handful for the Joseph's defenders.

The second half started with both sides exchanging points with Rory Molloy getting the town's score. The next 15 minutes was then all St. Joseph's as the town struggled to get the ball into their full forward line. In this period Joseph's scored 2 goals and 3 points to pull level and then take the lead. It could have been more were it not for some heroic defending from the 'town defence with Cormac Hanly putting in one outstanding block in particular. In the final 10 minutes Strokestown began to regain their shape and composere and managed to get the scores they needed. A great diagonal ball from Rory Molloy found Shanagher who gathered Donaghyesque and fired over the bar from the 21. Then Shanagher scored his second goal after finding himself one on one with the goalkeeper. Seamus Collins then sent a goal bound effort thundering off the crossbar but got a point from the effort. Conor Silke had a good opportunity but his shot narrowly went the wrong side of the post. Finally it was left to John Hagan to finish off St. Joseph's when his shot looped over the Joseph's goalkeeper to find the net for Strokestown's fourth goal of the game. It must be said that it was a horrible attempt at a point but Hagan maintains that he was in fact going for goal.