Tummery Athletic 1-2 Strathroy Harps

Tummery dropped their first points since the opening day of the league season as they went down 2-1 to local rivals Strathroy Harps.  

Harps had taken an early lead through Aaron Behan but Tummery equalised just after the hour when Barry Goodwin scored.  

It appeared the league leaders would go on to win the game when they won a penalty with 15 minutes remaining, but Blain Campbell missed his spot kick and Harps took full advantage, Behan scoring the winner three minutes later.

 “It was a bad day at the office,” admitted Tummery boss Kevin McAleer.  

“We weren’t at the races at all. We didn’t win first balls, we didn’t win second balls.

"They wanted it more than us and I have no excuses. The better team on the day won. I was really disappointed in the performance.

"The fight and the work rate just wasn’t there.  We have been fantastic the last few weeks, and there was going to be a dip at some point.

"It’s just a pity it was on Saturday against a local rival. We missed a penalty at one all and I think if we had scored it I think we would have won the game.

"In spells, we did well and that is probably one of the more frustrating parts about it. We could play well, and we had chances, but didn’t capitalise on them.” 

The defeat ended a seven-game winning streak that had carried Tummery to the top of the Division One table, but they went into the Harps contest with a number of experienced players missing.

Ciaran Beacom, Declan McNulty, Malachy McLaughlin and Gary Duffy all missed out, and the manager felt the lack of experience in his side proved costly.

“We had changes in our squad and with some of the younger lads, I don’t think they really understood the fixture, what it meant and what it takes in a game like that,” he said.  

“Form means nothing in this type of game. It is literally who wants it more on the day.

"A few of the older players understood that, but I was absolutely obliterated with injuries during the week and I had to make five changes that I had no say over.” 

After a tense goalless first half Harps took the lead through Behan at the start of the second period, but ten minutes later Tummery hit back.

A cross into the visitor’s penalty area was only partially cleared and the ball dropped to Barry Goodwin twenty yards out, and he took a touch before drilling a low shot into the corner of the net. 

Moments after the equaliser Emmet McNabb came off Tummery’s substitutes bench and immediately posed a threat on the wing, and it was one of his bursts forward that earned Tummery a penalty kick when he was brought down inside the box.

Blain Campbell stepped up to take the spot kick, but Jamie McClenaghan made the save.  

Harps responded with a penalty of their own three minutes later when Tommy Mullin’s late challenge on Matthew Ballard was penalised, and captain Behan made no mistake from 12 yards to score the winning goal.