Tara Rocks tops in goal-fest
Wednesday August 25 2010
THERE WAS a clear contrast in Monageer on Saturday last as Tara Rocks earned a place in the Junior football 'B' championship final with a high-scoring win over District rivals Castletown.
While the other semi-final on the double bill was a low-scoring bore, this was a lively affair full of inventive attacking play as Rocks trainer Colm Morris saw his charges account for the club he plays for at Senior level.
He will get a chance to make it up to the Castletown contingent when he assists them in their forthcoming Senior football championship semi-final against Adamstown.
Martin Hempenstall and Pádraig Byrne fired home early Castletown goals, but a James Mordaunt major at the other end reduced the gap to 2-1 to 1-2 by the eleventh minute.
And the goals didn't stop there, with Hempenstall adding two more from the penalty spot to complete his hat-trick before half-time, sending both into the right-hand corner.
Paddy Phelan had replied with a Tara Rocks goal in between, meaning that last year's Junior 'C' champions trailed by 4-2 to 2-3 at half-time.
And they got into a powerful groove on the re-start with five points on the trot to draw level, only for Castletown to edge two clear once more.
A Brendan Breen goal was crucial as Tara Rocks never looked back, adding five points on the trot before another goal late on, from David Conway, put the icing on the cake. They will take on HWH-Bunclody in the final.
