McEvoy nets hat-trick as Tullamore continue good form with win over Portumna
Portumna 1 Tullamore Town 4
The Tullamore boys' extraordinary renaissance in the Combined Counties Football League Under-17 Division continued unabated last Saturday with this fine win over a very good Portumna side.
Playing with a strong breeze in the first half, they laid siege to the home goal from the outset and went close on ten minutes when Eoghan Coffey's pinpoint cross picked out John McEvoy, who saw his effort clip the left hand post. McEvoy and Alan Heffernan then combined to create a chance for Declan Cuskelly, but Niall Royston saved well. Then David Doyle got on the end of a searching Gareth Byrne cross, but his fine header flew narrowly over.
As they continued to press Eoghan Coffey fired over from 30 yards, but with 25 minutes on the clock, they broke the deadlock. Byrne picked out Coffey on the left and he crossed for McEvoy to fire a terrific shot into the roof of the net to put his side in front.
Good play between McEvoy and Alan Heffernan created an opening for Cuskelly but his effort flew outside the far post, but with 30 minutes gone they increased their lead in somewhat fortuitous circumstances. John McEvoy picked the ball up 20 yards out and his curling shot completely deceived the Portumna keeper, who allowed it to slip from his grasp and into the net.
The home side nearly reduced the arrears when a right wing cross was fired over from close range while, at the other end, Heffernan found Cuskelly and his fine effort was tipped around the post by Royston and, from the resultant corner, Ken Hogan had his header well saved.
With 40 minutes on the clock, Portumna reduced the arrears when Tullamore failed to clear their lines and Ronan O'Meara fired home from close range. Early in the second half, Portumna demonstrated just how dangerous they could be when Ronan O'Meara won possession 25 yards out and his goalbound drive was superbly saved by Charlie Ward. With 55 minutes gone, Tullamore were again indebted to their goalkeeper when O'Meara fired in a tremendous shot from 30 yards, but Ward threw himself to his right to brilliantly tip the ball over the bar.
With Kevin Fletcher and Ken Hogan outstanding at the heart of the Town defence, they held firm and the introduction of Austin Davis on the hour saw them wrest back control of midfield. He was immediately into the action when he sen Coffey clear on the left but his effort was well saved by Royston. As they continued to press, Dean Mills and Alan Heffernan combined to send David Doyle free, but his effort flew narrowly wide.
Tullamore thought they had restored their two-goal advantage when Davis picked out Alan Heffernan on the left and his cross was finished to the net by Declan Cuskelly, but he was adjudged to have been offside. But with ten minutes remaining the visitors made the game safe with the goal of the game. Good play on the left between Davis and Coffey picked out Cuskelly who laid the ball back to Derek Walsh and, from 25 yards, he rifled it into the top left hand corner of the net.
As Tullamore went back on the attack, Coffey picked out David Geraghty, but his fine effort was deflected over and then Davis played a lovely ball through to McEvoy who crossed to Coffey on the edge of the area, but his well struck shot was brilliantly saved by Royston.
With minutes remaining, Gareth Byrne picked the ball up deep in his own half and set off on a weaving run that took him the length of the pitch before firing in a pinpoint cross to John McEvoy, and the Tullamore captain made no mistake from close range to complete a fine hat-trick.
This was a wonderful battling display by the Tullamore boys and, after a shaky start to the season, they are now developing into a team to be reckoned with. There were excellent contributions from Charlie Ward, Kevin Fletcher, Ken Hogan, Eoghan Coffey and John McEvoy, but the man of the match award went to their outstanding attacking defender, Gareth Byrne.
Tullamore: Charlie Ward, Dean Mills, Kevin Fletcher, Ken Hogan, Gareth Byrne, David Doyle, Aaron McDermott, Alan Heffernan, Eoghan Coffey, Declan Cuskelly, John McEvoy. Subs: Austin Davis, Derek Walsh and David Geraghty.
