by Plain of the Herbs » Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:26 pm
I saw two and a half Senior B matches at the weekend.
The second half of Shamrocks and Clodiagh Gaels was a drab affair. Don’t be fooled by the final scoreline – Shamrocks were always in control. Johnny O’Toole was decent for his side. And that’s about it.
Lusmagh led Ballinamere by a single point at half-time, having hurled with the east wind behind them in that half. They dropped too many shots short, or put them wide altogether, though they hurled much more positively than they did against Carrig a fortnight previously. Then two Lusmagh goals early in the second half turned the game on it’s head. The first when Eoin Quinlan’s pass opened the defence up for Shane Lanigan to burst through and rifle the ball to the net; the second when Paddy Byrne hassled the goalkeeper, forced him to concede possession and then turn the loose ball into the net.
Ballinamere came more into in, as Gerry Spollen and Phil McDermott began to get a supply of ball in. Paddy Murphy, the best hurler on the park, did pretty much everything for Ballinamere. He finished a loose ball to the net to bring them level. Both had chances to win it, Ballinamere moreso with some terrible wides. With the referee content to play for a draw, everyone went home reasonably relieved.
Scorers: Lusmagh: Shane Healy 0-6 (5 frees), Shane Lanigan & Paddy Byrne 1-0 each, Eimhin Kelly 0-2 (0-1 free), Niall Duffy 0-1, Damien Kelly 0-1 (line ball).
Ballinamere: Paddy Murphy 1-11 (0-9 frees), Brian Duignan 0-2.
There was a stark contrast between the sides in the Tullamore v Carrig & Riverstown game. This turned into a cracking game, full of pace, skill and intensity. The contrast was that Tullamore were superior in the air, whereas C&R won the majority of the contests on the deck. C&R started better, with the wind, but Shane Kelly’s goal, fired to the net from a first-time pull, saw C&R lose momentum. The outcome seemed a done deal when Tullamore led 1-5 to 0-7 at half-time.
C&R were full of positivity after the restart. They still had a decent share of possession, for the middle 15 minutes of the half they bucked a trend and won their own puckout. This enabled them run at Tullamore which drew the frees that Brendan Hoctor converted. It was only in the last five minutes that Tullamore pulled away, scorng the contest’s last five points to win 1-15 to 0-13.
For Tullamore, Nigel Bracken and Niall Houlihan were the best of the backs, Shane Kelly caused problems when in the full-forward line in the first half. Shane Dooley showed class, but intermittently. James Houlihan was good, so was Gareth Mann betimes. For C&R, Conor Fitzgerald, Ross Connaughton, Michael Keane and Aaron Dolan performed heroics in defence.
Scorers: Tullamore: Shane Dooley 0-8 (0-6 frees), Shane Kelly 1-1, James Houlihan 0-3, Nigel Bracken 0-2, Gareth Mann 0-1.
Carrig: Brendan Hoctor 0-6 frees, Mark O’Brien -3, Thomas Hough 0-2, Conor Freeman & Michael Kennedy 0-1 each.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.