Neasden hit by Gael force
TIR CHONAILL GAELS 1-11
NEASDEN GAELS 2-3
 By
LARRY COONEY
League Champions Tir Chonaill Gaels continued where they left off last
year with a comprehensive victory over Neasden on Saturday afternoon.
The hosts were anything but flattered by the final winning margin and
should have won by more but poor accuracy in front of goal offered Neasden
a lifeline throughout the fixture in Greenford.
Although Scott Doran made a welcome return to the Neasden Gaels colours,
the former Wexford star had little opportunity to shine due to dogged
Tir Chonaill marking. The hosts were still on a high after running All-Ireland
champions Salthill Knocknacara so close last season and took the opportunity
to give some of their rising talents an opportunity to impress.
The game got off to an explosive start when Tir Chonaill Gaels midfielder
Gary Kane gave his side a third-minute lead with a well executed goal.
However the sides were level two minutes later when Neasden corner-forward
Steve Maguire hit an unstoppable shot past Brian McBrearty in the Tir
Chonaill goal after good work from Emmet Killeen.
Despite the two early strikes, the game soon degenerated into a midfield
stalemate though the hosts were beginning to dominate in the middle towards
the end of the first quarter. Midway through the first- half Jonny McLaughlin
and Daniel Elliot pointed to give Tir Chonaill a two-point lead. However
the home side were guilty of missing some easily scorable chances throughout
the half.
In a rare first-half Neasden attack Gearoid Clancy narrowed the gap to
a point in the 22nd minute before Steve Maguire picked up his second goal
of the game after a Neasden break-away to give the visitors a surprising
two point lead approaching the break.
The hosts were stunned into action and after being guilty of some wasteful
shooting Andy Gallagher finally got on the scoresheet with a point just
before the interval to leave the half-time score Neasden Gaels 2-1 Tir
Chonaill Gaels 1-3.
The second-half belonged to Maurice Carr’s troops though as Neasden's
luck began to ebb.
Within a minute of the resumption Tir Chonaill Gaels were level through
a Jonny McLaughlin free. By the end of the third-quarter further points
from Steve Kane, Tommy Moriarty (3) and an Eoin Brosnan ’45 had
opened up a deserved five point lead for the hosts.
At the final whistle the result was well justified. Tir Chonaill Gaels
had racked up a tally of 18 wides but were without a number of high-class
players who were away on inter-county duty with London.
Elsewhere in the Conway Cup the games between Tara and Parnells as well
as Moindearg and St. Brendans were postponed while Garryowen recorded
a slender one point victory in an entertaining tussle with St. Kiernans
on a scoreline of 1-9 to 1-8.
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