This article is from page 56 of the 2011-10-18 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 56 JPG
Tulla Utd 3 – Avenue United 3 at The Cragg, Tulla
A SIX-GOAL thriller at The Cragg entertained the spectators on Sunday morning as Tulla United deservedly picked up their first point of the campaign when grabbing an injury time equaliser against the bluebloods from the county capital.
You could say that Denis Corry’s charges struck early and late to ensure that they got a share of the spoils against an Avenue side that were hoping to build on their thumping Premier Division opener when they thumped Mountshannon Celtic by 5-1.
However, on this day there was to be no double against east Clare opposition as a resilient Tulla side more than put it up to their opponents.
Indeed, they bossed this game for the first 20 minutes after getting the dream start of a goal inside the first minute. In many ways it was a gift from the visitors, after a comedy of errors in defence was ruthlessly punished by Colin Nelson who found the net past John Healy.
From there Tulla, who were very unlucky to be go down to Lifford in their opening league game four weeks previously, gained real confidence and had much the better of the exchanges against their illustrious opponents with Darragh Corry showing really well in the midfield exchanges.
However, a set-piece play got Avenue back into the game when left winger David Smith beautifully floated a free kick from outside the area into the top corner of the net after 25 minutes.
This changed the game – Avenue’s early jitters and hesitancy was cast away and they grew into the task at hand and had the better of the exchanges for the rest of the half, albeit they failed to press this home on the scoreboard.
The sides were deadlocked 1-1 at the break, but 15 minutes in the tie seemed to turn decisively in Avenue’s favour when Tulla defender Denis Murphy was adjudged to have fouled Mikey Mahony in the box.
From the resultant penalty David Russell drove to the net to put Avenue ahead 2-1, a lead they looked like holding onto as the tie drifted into the final ten minutes. However, after 81 minutes a long free kick from midfield was miss-judged by Alex and Niall Whelan nipped in with a header for the equaliser.
But, the drama was only beginning because back came the Avenue and they seemed ot have kept their 100 per cent start to the season intact when influential midfielder David McCarthy beat Shane Collins in the Tulla goal.
But credit Tulla – they never said die and in the last minute, Denis Murphy atoned for giving away the penalty when he got the final touch after another route one delivery from a free and beat John Healy to bring the drama to a close.
Both sides went home happy.
Tulla United
Shane Collins, David McInerney, Denis Murphy, Niall Whelan, Paul O’Malley, Darragh Corry, Shane
Mason, Brian Hehir,Tommy McKeown,Trevor Corbett, Colin Nelson.
Subs
Ger Hanrahan for Corbett, PadraigVaughan for Hehir, Sunny Jay for Nelson.
Avenue United
John Healy, Simon Cuddy, Mattie Nugent, David Russell,Alex, Con Collins, Gary Flynn, Dave McCarthy, Sean Corry, David Smith, Mickey Mahony.
Sub
Darren O’Meara for Flynn.
Man of the Match
Darragh Corry (Tulla United)