It took a while to happen (due to Covid 19) and there were a few frayed nerves at the end, but St Vincent's were finally crowned the 2020 Tailteann Cup champions.
Tailteann Cup (Final)
Played in Pairc Tailteann – 27/7/2020
Report by Meath Chronicle
The Ardcath side looked set to coast to the title when they led by six points on the approach to the second water break, but Carnaross hit four points in succession to set up a tense finish.
However, just as St Vincent's appeared to be losing their shape up stepped Nigel Hand to fire the insurance point and cap a superb individual display that ensured his side recovered from a slow start to run out deserving winners.
This contest started at a scintillating pace with both sides creating plenty of opportunities, but it was Carnaross's direct running that caused the early problems with Niall McDonnell and Cormac Yorke both winning frees which were converted by Yore.
Once St Vincent's settled they cut through Carnaross like a hot knife through butter for a spell. In the fifth minute Adam Tuite forced Shane McNiffe into the first of three outstanding first-half saves and a minute later McNiffe parried Hand's shot out to Paddy Arnold who opened the Ardcath men's account.
Hand tormented the Carnaross rearguard with his pace and incessant running and in the seventh minute he restored parity. St Vincent's won the subsequent kickout and released Leo Corry on a lung-bursting run which ended with him planting the ball beyond McNiffe for a fine goal.
Hand added his second point to make it 1-3 to 0-2 and he repeated that trick in the 11th minute to stretch the lead to five points.Darragh O'Reilly ended Carnaross's nine-minute barren spell with a brilliant point and after a bit of argy-bargy over a '45' O'Reilly added his second to make it a one-score game. Tuite responded with a point from a mark to extend St Vincent's lead to 1-5 to 0-4 at the water break.
When play resumed scores became scarce as McDonnell and Hand traded scores, while McNiffe made a super save to deny Tuite to leave the gap at 0-5 to 1-6 at half-time.
After a slow second quarter the contest took off again after the interval with frees from half-time substitute Frank O'Reilly and Paddy McDermott sandwiching a score from Hand to close the gap to three points again.
However St Vincent's kept doing enough to hold Carnaross at arms length as another superb score from Arnold was followed by a massive point from almost 50 metres from captain Robert Tallon and a free from Hand making it 1-10 to 0-7.
McDermott narrowed the deficit to five points at the second water break, but St Vincent's looked comfortable. However, Carnaross refused to surrender and with McDermott lofting over another score and O'Reilly converting his second free the deficit was closed to 0-10 to 1-10 again.
When St Vincent's lost Corry to an injury-time black card and Darragh O'Reilly pointed to make it 0-11 to 1-10 the Carnaross comeback looked on. However, it was Hand who settled the Ardcath men's nerves and ensured they claimed the silverware.
SCORERS
St Vincent's - Nigel Hand 0-7 two frees; Leo Corry 1-0; Paddy Arnold 0-2; Adam Tuite 0-1 mark; Robert Tallon 0-1.
Carnaross - Paddy McDermott 0-3 two frees; Darragh O'Reilly 0-3; Frank O'Reilly 0-2 frees; Cormac Yore 0-2 frees; Niall McDonnell 0-1.
TEAMS
St Vincent's - Evan Connor; Conor White, David Tallon, Mark Crawley; Gary Tuite, Conor Harford, Leo Corry; Robert Tallon, Stefan O'Neill; Eoghan Corry, Eric Callaghan, Paddy Arnold; Adam Tuite, Niall Tallon, Nigel Hand. Subs - Jack Byrne for A Tuite 40 mins, Tommy Field for Arnold 51m.
Carnaross - Shane McNiffe; Jack Roche, Sean Carpenter, Ian Donoghue; Odhran Farrelly, James O'Connor, Cian O'Reilly; Tomas Plunkett, Cian McGlynn; Darragh O'Reilly, Dillon Fox, Shane O'Reilly; Cormac Yore, Niall McDonnell, Paddy McDermott. Subs - Frank O'Reilly for Carpenter half-time, Shane Yore for Fox, Sam Reynolds for Plunkett both 54m, Fox for McGlynn 61m.
Referee - Joey Curley (Moynalty)
