Bennettsbridge 3-14 Dunnamaggin 1-10.
A glorious sunny Sunday morning in Callan was the setting for the battle of the titans of the Duggan Steel Roinn B Hurling County Final. With two evenly matched on form teams and perfect conditions for hurling, this game was set to be an exhibition of underage hurling. From the throw in the high pace at which this game would flow was set. Dunnamaggin drew first blood, with Ross O’Neill slotting over two points from play within the first two minutes. Then I was the turn of The Bridge to open their account with three unanswered points. By the 13th minute of the first half it was Dunnamaggin’s turn to hit a purple patch with a superb hard fought goal from play from Killian Tallon seeing the sides once again level. With points from Cathal Walsh (65), Cathal Buckley & Ciaran Hickey the half time score line read 1-8 to 0-10 in favour of Dunnamaggin. With a long ball in from a free from Tim Kelly finding its way into the back of the net Bennettsbridge found themselves in the lead again in the first minute of the second half. Another 7 minutes of high intensity play from both teams ensued before honours were again even with a superb free from the middle of the field slotted sweetly between the posts by Cathal Walsh to bring the score line to 1-10 a piece. In a hard fought battle on an unseasonably hot September Sunday morning both teams were glad of a second half water break with Bennettsbridge going into the break with a two point advantage. With the pain of defeat from last Sunday fresh in their minds the Bennetsbridge boys came out in force for the last quarter set on revenge. With goals from Charlie Fitzgerald and another late goal from a goal mouth melee in the 5th last minute there was no way back for the Dunnamaggin boys. Bennettsbridge ran out deserved winners in what everyone can agree was a truly entertaining game of hurling. Glenmore 2-10 1-11 Fenians This Duggan Steel U-15 Roinn C County Final played at MW Hire Dunmore was a fierce contest with a lot of skill on show the ultimately was of a higher level than the C status it was played under. One could not but feel sympathy for Fenians as they contested an underage final for the first time in a number of years with 16 player but will admit over the 60 minutes their southern conquers deserved the win. The key moment of the game arrived in the 47th minute when after Pauric Cody broke through on goal his shot was excellently saved by a superb Craig Bowe, one of 5 over the hour, but David Walsh was quickest to react and he sent the ball to the roof of the net to put the difference out to four (2-9, 1-8). Glenmore started the stronger with a burst of four points with Walsh firing the sliothar between the sticks after James Reid had found him with a neat pass. Pauric Cody added two soon after, one from a placed ball whilst Patrick O’Connor got his first point out on the far sideline. It took until the 11th minute for Fenians to get their first score of the afternoon with Darragh McCormack pointing after a cross field pass from Donagh Maher. McCormack closed out the quarter with a monster of his point from just inside his own half. Again Glenmore made the better start after the water break in fact they managed to get the first for each new quarter and had points from James Connolly & O’Connor before McCormack & Cody swapped points. In the run up to half time Rory Garrett fired over a free but again McCormack showed his class to point but Glenmore had the advantage 0-7 to 0-5. The southerners started the half with menace as O’Connor got his third point of the afternoon before bringing Bowe into to with a superb save with Oisin Mullally flicking the rebound home. A searing solo run saw Connolly add a point as Glenmore threatened to run riot. A bit of luck came Fenians way when after a goal mouth scramble Jack Walsh flicked the ball to the back of the net. It was down to the minimum by the water break as Garrett showed accuracy with two pointed frees and McCormack landed one from distance. Bowe must have reckoned he ran over a sack of black cats on the way to the match as again another excellent save Walsh got the green flag waving but Garret responded with a fine point from play. Again Cody snuck the difference out to four only for McCormack to instantly respond with a point and still the Fenians battled on until the 66th minute when McCormack with a 21metre free went to rattle the back of the net but the shot flew over the bar and it ensured the trophy was heading back down the motorway south. Glenmore: Paul Brophy, Rowan Halligan, ShaneTelford, Jack Dollard, Declan Murphy, Darragh Vereker, Shane Duhig, Pauric Cody, Cathal Sheehan, Patrick O Connor, James Reid, James Connolly, Jason Cody, David Walsh, Luke Aylward. Sub: Oisin Mullally Fenians: Craig Bowe (Joint Capt), Matty McEvoy, Darragh O’Grady, Colin O’Brien (Joint Capt), Sam Murphy, Darragh McCormack, Evan Ryan, Eoghan Sumner, Jerry Henderson, Donagh Maher, Rory Garrett, Niall Mackey, Cillian Purcell, Patrick Cullen, Jack Walsh U-13 Roinn AIn ideal conditions in Palmerstown O’Loughlin Gael’s had full use of the wind as the gave as good as they got to get to half time all level with James Stephens at 0-7 each. The game changer arrived in the 42nd minute when Ed McDermott hammered the ball to the roof of the net to put the Village 1-10 to 0-10. They bossed the last quarter with Daniel Power adding the gloss to the scoreboard with a fine goal to 2-15 to 0-11. They’ll meet Dicksboro in the final as they had an epic encounter with Erins Own who lost out by the odd goal in nine 5-10 to 4-8. Meanwhile at a sunny Ballyragget St Lachtains landed the U-13 Roinn C county Final.
A very tough game went right down to the wire but the St Lachtains men pulled through in the end with 2 late goals to win out by three points in the end on a score line against Conahy Shamrocks 2-9 to 3-9.
By Mary Morgan Mon 21st Sep
