Tara…1-09
Ardbraccan…0-06
A sparkling performance from Tara midfielder Eoin Harkin was the main talking point from this dour Brady’s Skoda Regional Football Championship clash at Dunganny on Tuesday evening.
The Dunsany player was one of a number very harshly defenestrated from the Meath panel prior to the commencement of the championship but his fine effort here should serve as a timely reminder to Colm O’Rourke of what the versatile Harkin could bring to the table as he sets about assembling his panel for the forthcoming season.
As with the other game in Ballinlough, weather conditions weren’t conducive to good quality football but the men representing the Hill made light of the disagreeable elements to leave their Meath Central opponents on a winless streak which now stretches to a handful of games over the two incarnations of the Richie Barry Cup.
The Bective GFC duo of Mark Dowdall and Con Smith were two of the players who impressed this observer most in the inaugural staging of the Regional Championships and the action thus far this season has done nothing to dissuade those feelings. Both are prolific scorers – Dowdall from wing back – that was again in evidence last night but it was a neat interchange of passes between Smith and Harkin – resulting in the latter burying a brilliant goal – which was ultimately the deciding factor.
Tara – Niall Flynn (Dunsany); Pauric Burke (Dunsany), Matthew Cully (Bective), Jack Grant (Bective); Conor Harkin (Dunsany), Sean Ryan (St Peter’s), Ciaran McCarrick (Dunshaughlin); James Cahill (Dunsany), Eoin Harkin (Dunsany 1-2); Paul Kelly (Blackhall Gaels 0-1), Con Smith (Bective 0-3, two frees), Mark Dowdall (Bective 0-1); Cathal Murphy (Dunsany 0-1 free), Pierre Fox (Dunsany), Luke Mitchell (Dunshaughlin 0-1 mark). Subs – Declan Smyth (Dunsany) for Mitchell 15 mins, Neil Dowdall (Bective) for Grant, Mark O’Brien (Bective) for M Dowdall both 40m, Shane Whitty (Blackhall Gaels) for Fox 41m, Luke Jennings (Blackhall Gaels) for Murphy 52m, Finn Murray (Bective) for Kelly 58m.
Ardbraccan – Colm McGearty (Cortown); Darragh Murphy (Navan O’Mahony’s), Sean Traynor (Dunderry), Declan Ball (St Ultan’s); Simon Carty (Dunderry), Brian Dillon (Navan O’Mahonys), Aodhan Mallon (Navan O’Mahonys); Cian McBride (St Ultan’s), Conor Finnegan (Navan O’Mahonys); Hugh Staunton (Cortown), Evan Coffey (Navan O’Mahony’s 0-1), Dermot Kelly (Dunderry); Craig Munnelly O’Toole (Navan O’Mahonys 0-2, one free, one mark), Stephen Coogan (Dunderry 0-1 mark), Ruairí Buchanan (St Ultan’s 0-1). Subs – Paddy Dillon (Navan O’Mahonys) for Staunton half-time, Adam Kelly (Dunderry 0-1) for Coogan 34 mins, Donagh Ó Laoire (Dunderry) for D Kelly 37m, Daragh Smith (Cortown) for P Dillon 41m, Tommy Buchanan (St Ultan’s) for R Buchanan 45m.
Referee – Keith Sheerin (Drumconrath).
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