Tannian leads Ardrahan to easy victory

Date Published: {J}

Ardrahan 0-19Carnmore 1-11

STEPHEN GLENNONAT KENNY PARK

ARDRAHAN sharpshooter Iarla Tannian gave Galway hurlers a timely boost ahead of the Tribesmen’s Leinster championship clash against Wexford when tallying five superb points from play against Carnmore in this mediocre senior championship tie at Kenny Park on Sunday.Lining out at midfield, Tannian picked off his scores with consummate ease and no small amount of skill. No doubt, he was more than a handful for a Carnmore side that has become a pale shadow of their former selves.

Ardrahan led this game from start to finish. By the eighth minute, they had raced into a five-point to no score lead, with Joe O’Leary (free), the impish Jonathan Glynn, Gerard Hennelly, the excellent Richard Mullins and Tannian all registering neat scores.

That said, Ardrahan suffered a big blow in that productive opening spell when the talented Hennelly sustained a shoulder injury that forced him out of the contest. Manager Mick Brennan will hope he can bounce back for those vital remaining group games against Liam Mellows and Mullagh.

In any event, Ardrahan looked to be cruising to a facile victory at this stage, but, curiously, in the remaining 22 minutes of the first period they only hit two more points – those through Tannian on 10 minutes and substitute Aonghus Fahy on 24 minutes.

For Carnmore’s part, it took them nine minutes to launch their very first attack; full-forward George Hanley collecting a Declan O’Brien free and firing over. Carnmore did add three more scores before the break, but all of these came from converted placed balls from freetaker Barry Hanley and they, otherwise, created very few other scoring opportunities. Yet, they only trailed by three points at the interval, 0-4 to 0-7.

For more, read this week's Connacht Tribune.