Cromane 1-12, Tuosist 0-14

Cromane and Tuosist played out an exciting game in Cromane on Saturday evening with the hosts squeaking through in the end by a point.  The game was played in glorious conditions and the visitors made a glorious start up 0-3 to 0-0 after ten minutes, the highlight being a fine effort from midfielder Peter O’Shea.  Cromane settled courtesy of a fortuitous goal that had its origins in a stray kick-out, which was finished to the net by impressive wing-forward

Darren Houlihan, giving Cromane a one-point lead 14 minutes in: 1-1 to 0-4.  It was a lead that they would never relinquish.   Tuosist managed to pull level four times. but could never get their noses in front.   Cromane ended the first half on top with fine points from Liam Walsh (2), Finbar Casey, and a lovely strike from Matt Colborne. Two frees from Mike Tim O’Sullivan and an injury-time effort from Marcus McNally left Cromane ahead 1-6 to 0-7 at the break.

Mikey Houlihan kicked a great point three minutes into the second half to give Cromane a three-point lead, but then Tuosist enjoyed their own, and Mike Tim O’Sullivan’s purple patch.  The Tuosist corner forward, who ended the day with 0-6 to his name, hit three points in as many minutes to level matters after 37 minutes: 1-7 to 0-10.  Tuosist had their chances, but couldn’t edge ahead.  Cromane countered again with Darren Houlihan and Paul Patrick O’Sullivan added two more points from placed balls. Tuosist weren’t easily shaken off, though, and another Mike Tim O’Sullivan point followed by a punched effort from Flór O’Sullivan had it all-square again: 1-9 to 0-12.  Cromane, to their credit, upped the ante again with Liam Walsh dominating at midfield.  Converted frees from Paul Patrick O’Sullivan and Darren Houlihan and a fine snapshot from substitute Cian O’Keeffe pushed them out

to another three-point lead with five left, 1-12 to 0-12.

It was all helter-skelter towards the end, as Tuosist pushed hard to get something out of the game, but they could only muster two points from play, courtesy of Flor O’Sullivan and Daragh Sugrue to end up one adrift of their hosts, 1-12 to 0-14.