This was a game in which both teams failed to make use of a very strong wind with both playing their best hurling against the swirling conditions in a highly competitive league encounter.
We had the wind advantage in the first half, but it was the Hannahstown side who stamped their authority on the game early on racing into a 1-4 to 0-1 (Donn Whelan free) lead. We created many scoring opportunities but were guilty of some wayward shooting and as such the more proficient scoring accuracy from the Hannahstown men saw them extend their lead, which included their second major, to take a nine-point lead with our only response an excellent long-range point from Deaglan Mooney. We tagged on points from Stephen McGivern and two long range points, from inside his own half, from Chris Gallagher but Lamh Dhearg responded with 2 points and then what proved to be a crucial goal just on the half time whistle to lead 3-7 to 0-5 at the break.
We faced a real uphill battle in the second half if we were to get anything from the game, but as with the first half this time the strong wind appeared to be more of a hinderance to Lamh Dhearg, and we began to get a foothold in the game. We played some nice hurling through the lines and were more accurate with our shooting and gradually clawed our way back into the game. Scores form Anthony Rowntree (0-2) and Chris Gallagher (1-5) reduced the deficit to five, but when Caoimhin Rainey raced through the Lamhs defence and cracked the sliotar to the net, with three minutes remaining, it was all to play for. We pressed hard but conceded two frees in quick succession which were duly converted to leave us four in arrears with the final point of the game from Colm McKee to see us go down by a goal 3-13 to 2-13.
Click here for scores of the game.
Scorers: Donn Whelan 0-1, Deaglan Mooney 0-1, Stephen McGivern 0-1, Chris Gallagher 1-9, Anthony Rowntree 0-2, Caoimhin Rainey 1-0 and Colm McKee 0-1
