The fairytale journey continues for An Tóchar after they put the defending champions to the sword in the Boom & Platform Senior Football Championship quarter-final in a damp Aughrim on Saturday afternoon.
Last year’s Intermediate champions were full value for the victory over Blessington with Jonathan Daniels’ men failing to get the grips with the Roundwood side’s exciting and dynamic style of football while also suffering from the loss of key figures such as Kevin Quinn, Patrick O’Connor and David Boothman among others from last year’s championship winning team.
Goals at the right time were vital
An Tóchar’s growing confidence in this game, with Niall Sheehan roofing just before the break after Blessington had pulled a point clear while Conor Fee’s rocket to the top corner of Mikey O’Toole’s net five minutes into the second half proved to be a fuel injection to the An Tóchar tank that saw them power on to a fully deserved five-point win and a place in the semi-finals.
Lots of improvement still needed by Liam Cullen’s men, however. Their shot selection in the last 10 minutes left plenty to be desired but they were more than entitled to their celebrations at the end given that they had just toppled the defending champions having lost Brendan Kennedy to injury after just 17 minutes.
All over the field An Tóchar had willing soldiers.
Jordan Brady was excellent, as was Matt Nolan and Conor Davis among others. The Roundwood attack were always threatening and looked to be the only side capable of scoring majors over the course of this game, while Ger Byrne put in a massive shift, bringing some much-needed physicality to the affair.
Blessington started strongly in very damp conditions while shooting towards the Rednagh Hill end, opening up a 0-2 to 0-0 lead through two points from a lively Mikey O’Connor as An Tóchar struggled to hold possession against what looked to be a physically superior outfit.
Eventually, the physicality in the Blessington tackle began to earn An Tóchar frees and Darragh Free profited from one such placed ball when it dropped short to Mikey O’Toole who punched it clear to Fee who split the posts with seven gone.
A dreamy effort from the outside of Niall Sheehan’s boot followed as An Tóchar started to find their rhythm and play that intelligent, patient and tasty brand of football but they were playing the county champions and frees from Mikey O’Connor and Anto McLoughlin, both won by O’Connor off An Tóchar’s Luke Kenny, opened up a 0-4 to 0-2 lead for Jonathan Daniels’ men.
This was a very good game of football to watch as it moved up
And down the field with some lovely attacking play and determined defensive displays.
Conor Fee, surely one of the best men to win a ball out in front of his man in the county at the moment, swung over a sweet free after13 for a foul on JP Nolan but a big drive up through the middle of the field from Eoin Keogh gave the Blessington faithful plenty to shout about after 16 when the powerful footballer stroked the ball over the bar.
An Tochar’s Brendan Kennedy had gone down moments beforehand, clutching what looked to be his hamstring, and he was replaced by Stephen O’Connor after 17 minutes.
The reaction to this blow to Liam Cullen’s side was mature and calm. They kept to their process of seeking the man in the best position. Conor Fee missed the first chance they had but James Cardiff collected a breaking ball from a high grenade he launched seconds earlier to make it 0-5 to 0-4 in favour of the Blues.
An Tochar’s tails were up. Darragh Free
Conor Fee stroked over two beauties with Conor Davis and Niall Sheehan playing supporting roles.
Blessington were attacking regularly but coming up against a disciplined and very fit An Tóchar defence. Curtis Geraghty was sent in for Dean Siney after 25 and Paul McLoughlin lofted over the leveler off his left.
A Conor Fee free was followed by a double for Blessington
The first from Brian Bohan, the second from Paul McLoughlin after the Blues won the An Tóchar restart but An Tóchar would land a major blow right before the break when a JP Noan free looked to be drifting wide only for Ger Byrne to keep it in, recycle to Niall Sheehan and the ball was fired like a missile to the roof of Mikey O’Toole’s net.
A perfect goal at a perfect time.
Blessington attacked early doors in the second but Conor Davis, Jamie Salley and the classy Matt Nolan all intercepted consecutive moves while Gavin Fogarty drifted over a magical score off his left having been found by Jordan Brady.
Mikey O’Connor, tightly marked by Luke Kenny throughout, fired over off his right but then the killer blow arrived. A long Peter Byrne restart was gathered by Niall Sheehan. He found Darragh Fee who went long to Conor Fee who left his marker for dead, rampaged down on the Blessington goal and unleashed a monster to the top corner across the goal.
Confidence, class, clinical.
Blessington’s reaction was healthy, Craig Maguire lofting over after good work from Curtis Geraghty, but JP Nolan replied with a converted free for An Tóchar after a foul by Steven Bohan on Gavin Fogarty.
This period saw the An Tóchar attack hunt Blessington defenders in packs, but the Blues moved up a gear in response only to register a wide from Geraghty and a goal chance from Kevin Hanlon saved by Peter Byrne, Anto McLoughlin providing the ball.
Eoin Keogh hoisted up a preposterously high effort that eventually dropped over the bar. The beards on some of the men in the crowd had grown noticeably longer in the time the ball took to fall from the heavens.
A wasteful spell followed with a wide from each before Brian Bohan collected a ball from Mikey O’Connor to make it 2-9 to 0-12 after 18
A double substitution followed for Blessinton, Austin Brennan and Jack Cotter entering the fray in place of Kevin Hanlon and Steven Bohan.
JP Nolan sold a ridiculous dummy after 23 to buy him space in front of goal but fisted his effort wide and the An Tóchar decision making in front of goal started to really fall in quality for a period.
An Anto McLoughlin free and Jordan McGarr from play made it a one-score game but An Tóchar finished this game like bosses, two JP Nolan frees pushing them five clear while Blessington’s hunt for a life-saving major or two proved unsuccessful and Stephen Fagan’s final whistle brought relief and celebration to the An Tochar players, management and supporters.
As stated before, improvements needed but Liam Cullen’s men are there, and they have the footballing skills to torment anyone if they get the time and space.
Blessington:
Mikey O’Toole; Jack Gilligan, Wayne Callaghan, Barry Finan; Kevin Hanlon, Brian Bohan (0-2), Jordan McGarr; Craig Maguire (0-1), Paul McLoughlin (0-2); Eoin Keogh (0-2), Anto McLoughlin (0-2, 2f), Stephen Carroll (0-1); Steven Bohan, Dean Siney, Mikey O’Connor (0-4, 1f). Subs: Curtis Geraghty for D Siney (25, inj), Dan Cooney for B Finan (40), Austin Brennan for K Hanlon (51), Jack Cotter for S Bohan (51), Kevin John Rogers for D Cooney (25), Dan Silke Fetherstone for S Carroll (60).
An Tóchar: Peter Byrne; Luke Kenny, Gavin Kenny, Jordan Brady; James Cardiff (0-1), Matt Nolan, Gavin Fogarty (0-1); Jamie Salley, Conor Davis; Brendan Kennedy, Ger Byrne, Darragh Fee (0-2); Conor Fee (1-4, 2f), Niall Sheehan (1-2), JP Nolan (0-3, 2f, 1 45). Subs: Stephen Connor for B Kennedy (17, inj), Ciaran Murphy for C Davis (57), Eoin Murphy for J Brady (60+3, inj).
