This article is from page 108 of the 2009-03-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 108 JPG
AN action packed 94 minutes of football produced nine goals; one red card and perhaps the most dramatic victory Tulla United are likely to ex- perience this season.
Denis Murphy pounced in the 93 minute to score the winning goal for Tulla on Sunday morning after Her- mitage looked to have snatched an unlikely share of the spouls.
The home side looked done for when Tulla stormed into a 3-0 lead after 30 minutes. Hermitage, howev- er, staged a thrilling comeback and the sides were level 3-3 by the 66th minute.
Tulla didn’t stay in shock for too long and regained the lead courtesy
of Alan Brigdale’s diving header. David Moloney’s free kick looked to have earned the “Tage a point but thanks to Murphy, there was one fi- nal twist in this engrossing tale. Such a finale looked a distant and remote possibility after Tulla, aided and abetted by some slack “Tage de- fending, dominated the first half. The visitors took the lead in the 13th minute when Paudge Vaughan rose unopposed to head home Ricky Collins’ corner. Tulla’s pacy front men were asking plenty of questions of the “Tage defence and the second goal arrived on the half hour mark. Again, “Tage were found wanting from set plays. Collins’ deep free kick bounced around the 18 yard box before Shane Mason took charge by
rifling ball to the back of the net.
Seconds after the re-start, Alan Brigdale picked up the ball, un- marked and 25 yards out from goal. The striker blasted home a shot that left Tage goalie David Phillips rooted to the spot to give Tulla a 3-0 lead.
‘Tage were handed a lifeline when Tommy Leahy nodded Barry McNa- mara’s free of a Tulla defender and into the net.
Then they were a side transformed after the break. Leahy deftly flicked a looping header over Tulla goalie Trevor McInerney in the 48th minute to reduce Tulla’s lead to a goal
Alan Brigdale went close with a bullet header soon after before a re- surgent “Tage earned the eqauliser their efforts deserved.
Brendan Dobbin, who along with Declan Callinan and Seanie McGee, was at the heart of the Tage come- back, beat two defenders before ex- pertly curling home the equaliser.
Tulla lost McInerney to injury but regained the lead in the 71st minute when Colin Mason’s inviting cross was met by the diving head of Alan Brigdale.
“Tage again summoned an equal- iser when Moloney walloped home an 84th minute freekick.
The drama wasn’t yet done. Mur- phy beat Phillips to a loose ball in the 93rd minute to give Tulla the lead. The goal was hotly disputed by “Tage who claimed Phillips had been fouled.
Moloney was sent off for a second
yellow card in the ensuing protest. Remarkably, “Tage created one more chance but Callinan’s touch was too heavy, four yards out from goal.