Former All Star Fallon among try scorers as Tuam sweep to Junior 2 Connacht League Title

Tuam 20OLBC 14

Rob Murphy at the Sportsground

TUAM are Junior 2 league champions for the third time in four years after Sunday's league final victory over OLBC at a sundrenched Sportsground. A third quarter blitz of three tries sealed the win for the North Galway men, although they had to withstand a late fight back from the city side in the closing stages. 

Former Galway All Star, Ja Fallon was among the scorers during that second half flurry, his mazy run saw him fend off three tackles for a memorable score that proved to be the matchwinner in the end.

At half time, the score was just 3-0 with Kieran Comer's penalty for Tuam the only difference between the sides in a tight and finely balanced contest. OLBC had no less than seven Castlegar hurlers in their side, including the talented Ger Farragher at outside centre.

The contest swung in Tuam's favour early in the second half with Noel Fahy's brilliant try after a sweeping forty metre move along the sideline from the men in red and blue. Five minutes later, they scored again in similar fashion with opposite winger Colin Hergarty getting the touchdown this time before Fallon's try made it 20-0.

Two tries in two minutes right at the end, however, gave Boys Club hope of an unlikely triumph. Eamon Dowling got the first before Stephen Casserly scored a minute later with Dan McManus kicking his second conversion. Suddenly, they were within a converted try of winning it.

OLBC had one more sweeping break as well with Ger Farragher's pass to Damien O'Brien just behind the winger – had it gone to hand, there was a chance of another score on but Tuam were worthy winners despite the late jitters and will be favourites now to retain their Ard na Cregg Cup crown in April.

OLBC: N Farragher; D O'Brien, G Farragher, K O'Brien, J Curran; D O'Flaherty, E Dowling; P Curran, J Grealish, J Barry; P Feeney, T Mannion; S Mulryan, S Casserly, D White. Replacements: R O'Neill, M Hughes, D Keady, E O'Flaharta, D McManus. Tuam: K Comer; N Fahy, J Maughan, O Lydon, C Hegarty; K Tighe, E Sharkey; J Tierney, E Hegarty, C Dempsey; S O'Neill, A Finnerty; N. Tierney, A Lane, M O'Connor. Replacements: Ja Fallon, D. Noone, M. Burke and A. Kane.

Referee: Kieron White.