By Irishexaminer.com,Murt Murphy Austin Stack Park

Copyright irishexaminer

The game looked destined for extra time when Barry O’Neill levelled the contest in the 56th minute with a scrambled goal. But Beale then lost possession in the final passage of play and when the lion-hearted former All-Ireland medal winner Shane Enright was fouled, Tarbert got the bonus of Beale not retreating quickly enough to allow Enright to take a solo and go.

All Shaun Wren had to do was tap it over and with that Tarbert had done enough to claim a win they’d been chasing for three years, after being beaten in finals by Reenard and Duagh over the past two years.

While young starlets David Mulvihill and Wren proved to be Tarbert heroes, the joy on the face of Enright who has given everything to his club for over 18 years without a county title, proved what it meant to the 2015 All-Star who was Tarbert’s spiritual leader, despite playing with a heavily strapped left thigh.

The sides were involved in a dramatic opening 10 minutes with four goals being scored as both sides appeared to make nervous starts. Playing with the wind, Tarbert made the worst possible start when they conceded a goal in the third minute with Barry O’ Neill linking up with Daithí Keane Tyrell and planting that ball in the Tarbert net.

From the kickout Tarbert responded in similar fashion with John Coolihan finishing to the Beale net. Wren then added a point but at the other end Beale were soon on the attack and when centre forward Conor Toomey raced through the middle, he found Ian Mannix in space who finished clinically past Gavin Breen.

From a free Rob Stack pushed Beale ahead but, from this point on, the first half was dominated by Tarbert. Shane Enright was a huge factor and was on hand to find the Beale net in the 13th minute to level matters. Tarbert, with Conor Egan and David Mulvihill to the fore, kicked on and added points from John Coolihan, Paudie Finucane and Wren who then added a two-point free.

But in the 23rd minute came controversy when Wren landed what was signaled a two-pointer but looked to be inside the arc.

Rob Stack from a free had Beale’s sole reply as Tarbert thought they had retired 2-8 to 2-2 in front at the break. But during half time the match officials had a rethink and the two-pointer was correctly changed to a one. The scoreboard was duly changed before the start of the second half to read 2-7 to 2-2.

Tarbert started the second half with a brace of points from Coolihan and Wren to move seven clear but Beale who were now picking up breaks around midfield with Diarmuid O’Mahony, Barry O’Neill and Conor Toomey impressing and begining to eat into the Tarbert lead.

Rob Stack landed a two-pointer, and points from Eric Daly and a brace for the exciting Daithi Keane Tyrell reduced the deficit to two after 40 minutes (2-9 to 2-7). Wren pushed Tarbert three clear but Keane Tyrell was on fire and fired over two on the bounce.

Then a black card after an earlier yellow saw Beale reduced to 14 as Ian Mannix had to leave the field. Wren and John Coolihan pushed Tarbert three clear and in sight of the winning line.

But then came Barry O’Neill’s equalising goal, followed by that late drama and a Wren gift that saw Tarbert over the line to leave their long suffering supporters were singing in the rain.

Scorers for Tarbert: S Wren (0-9, 1x2pf, 4fs), J Coolihan (1-1), S Enright (1-0), D Foley, P Finucane and M Coolihan (0-1 each) Scorers for Beale: D Keane Tyrell (1-4), R Stack (0-4, 12pf), B O’Neill and I Blake (1-0 each), E Daly (0-1).

TARBERT: G Breen; T Finucane, K Enright, C Egan; M Coolihan, S Enright, S Stack, O’Gorman; D Wren, M Heaphy; D Stack, J Coolihan, P Finucane; D Mulvihill, S Wren, D Foley

Subs: M Normile for D Stack, 37, S Carrig for T Finucane, 26, B Sheehan for D Foley, 46

BEALE: J Downey; F Toomey, J Finch, F Buckley; P Blake, S O’Sullivan, D O’Mahony; R Stack, D Toomey; O Tydings, C Toomey, B O’Neill; I Mannix, E Daly, D Keane Tyrell.

Subs: John Griffin for E Tydings, 36, Jack O’Sullivan for F Toomey, 54, Shane O’Connor for P Blake, 54, Temp: John Griffin for F Buckley, 10-11

Referee; E Ó Muircheartaigh (Dingle)