The senior hurlers were slow to get going in their opening game of this year’s Junior Hurling Championship at home to Loch Mór but a much improved second half performance saw them pull away for a convincing win.
Stephen McGivern opened the scoring straight from the throw in; Peter Carleton took possession, fed the sliotar to Stephen who pointed from just outside the 45-metre line. Matthew Jones replied from long range for the visitors, before Stephen McGivern added his second, taking a high catch from Antoin McLaughlin’s puck out, stepping onto his left and firing over the bar. (0-2 to 0-1). Loch Mór hit back when they turned the sliotar over, a handpass went loose and when the ball fell in front of the goal, it was pulled to the back of the net to give the visitors the lead (0-2 to 1-1). The next three points came from frees as Sean Smyth reduced the deficit to the minimum with a pointed free from out close to the right touch line (0-3 to 1-1), Darragh Turley pointed from a long range free to restore the two-point advantage (0-3 to 1-2) only for Sean Smyth to again reduce the lead (0-4 to 1-2). The sides were level after 13 minutes when Deaglan Mooney fielded a high catch, went on a solo run and calmy slotted over the bar. (0-5 to 1-2). The visitors then enjoyed a period of scoring as they reeled of 4 consecutive points, 2 from frees, a 65 and a well worked score from out on the right. (0-5 to 1-6). Both teams then exchanged a sequence of points with the reliable Sean Smyth accounting for three points, two from frees and we trailed by a goal (0-8 to 1-8). We finished the half strongly with another Sean Smyth point (0-9 to 1-8), and an excellent point from Marcas Toner after a pinpoint pass from Nathan Maginn (0-10 to 1-8). We then struck a decisive goal when Paul Reid kicked the sliotar to the back of the net to give us the lead at the break 1-10 to 1-8.
We extended our lead on the restart as we got into the scoring zone with three in a row from Sean Smyth, Caoimhin Rainey and a point from Chris Gallagher from inside his own half (1-13 to 1-8). A point from a converted free by Turley opened Loch Mór second half account (1-13 to 1-9). We then went on a scoring spree, Anthony Rowntree scored a nice goal (2-13 to 1-9), and we tagged on a further 4 points courtesy of Sean Smyth(0-2), Caoimhin Rainey and Chris Gallagher to lead 2-17 to 1-9 while Conor Jones tstruck over a consolation point for the visitors (2-17 to 1-10). Points from Sean Smyth and Deaglan Mooney brought proceedings to an end and after a somewhat sluggish start to the game we managed to see the game through for a 2-19 to 1-10 triumph.
Scorers: S Smyth 0-10, A Rowntree 1-0, P Reid 1-0, C Rainey 0-2, S McGivern 0-2, D Mooney 0-2, C Gallagher 0-2 and M Toner 0-1
Click here for further photos of the game.
