McCusker goal is the difference

Editorial Department • Published 29 Jul 2010 16:00 0 Comments

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Belcoo 0-12; Tempo 1-10;

LEAGUE leaders Belcoo fell to a second defeat of the season after a poor performance against a hungrier Tempo team.

It was Belcoo's first defeat at home this season on a scoreline of 1-10 to 0-12 in favour of the visiting Tempo side.

The win lifts Tempo further up the table while the defeat sees the gap close on Belcoo as the top to two points.

Playing with the wind the home side started quicker out of the blocks and went two points up after five minutes with the scores coming from Ronan Ferguson and Ciarán Flaherty.

Daryl Keenan got Tempo off the mark with a point to reduce the margin but Paul McGrath kept Belcoo clear with an angled point from the right.

Tempo half back Aidan Breen got up to register his first point of the game with the outside of his boot before Belcoo's full back Niall McGovern drove forward to send over a score from distance.

Corner forward Ryan Keenan reduced the deficit again but points from a Paul McGrath free and a superb score from Flaherty after he caught the ball from a kick-out made sure that Belcoo were in the driving seat going into the final ten minutes of the half.

A Keenan free and another point from Breen, which was almost identical to his first, always meant Tempo were in touching distance coming to the end of the half but a Ferguson free meant Belcoo went in at the break 0-07 to 0-05 ahead.

The visitors got the first score of the second half from Cathal McCaffrey after a long ball in on top of the forward.

This score was quickly followed by the goal which was to remain the difference between the two sides for the rest of the half.

Another long ball in was broken down to Niall McCusker and he made no mistake in planting the ball firmly into the top corner of the net while Brian Jackson added a point from a free to put three between the sides.

Paul McGrath got the home side up and running in the second half with a point but a good score from the older Keenan sibling made sure the goal still separated the teams.

A free from Flaherty after he was pulled back while straight through on goal reduced the arrears again and a 45 from McGrath made it a one point game.

However Tempo still could add on a score this time from the goalscorer McCusker.

Then there came a goal for Belcoo but it was harshly ruled out for square ball even though it seemed the player made a run in to the square. A high ball was launched in on top of the Tempo goal and midfielder Seamus Conlon rose highest to punch to the net only to hear the referee's whistle disallow it.

Half back Declan Leonard got on the score sheet for Belcoo to make it a one point game again but a long range score by Damian Kelly put two in it once more as the last five minutes approached.

Belcoo did get the last score of the match after another high ball in around the square was broken down to McGrath who saw his shot go narrowly over the crossbar.

The home side had one last attack to try and salvage a draw but it was smothered by the Tempo defence who held on for their victory.

A poor performance by the home side and they will have to pick things up with Championship just around the corner.

For Tempo it was a hard earned victory with Johnny Gilmurray in defence and Ryan Keenan to the fore.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 29 Jul 10

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