SENIOR HURLING: Austin Stacks 1-16; Crotta O’Neills 2-13.
Our 4th and final round game of the Co. League against Crotta, played in ideal conditions in Connolly Park on this Friday evening (4th July), ended all square after a very entertaining contest with some brilliant passages of hurling by both sides. No more than three points separated the teams at any time during the game, with the sides level on six different occasions as well, including at half time (0-10 to 2-4) and at full time.
Thirteen of our 17 scores came from play with arguably two of the best points coming from one of John McCarthy’s efforts (John scored 1-4 in total, and on his birthday day as well) and the one scored by Kieran McCaughley from an acute angle in the 56th minute.
That score brought us to within two points of Crotta and then three minutes later came the score that put us back in the driving seat. It came after a brilliant run by Aaron Barry who was brought down in the square. Ronan Gilsenan’s well taken penalty was saved but John McCarthy was on hand to scramble the rebound to the net.
From the puck out Michael O’Leary won possession and put over to increase our lead to two. But in the two minutes of added time Crotta added two to level the game.
Like all the games this season our defence was superb and when you consider the high scores that this Crotta team (with a lot of youth and some household names from their senior ranks of yester years still wielding the camán) have been achieving in the League to date – 6-13 to 0-4 against Duagh; 3-17 to 0-4 against St. Pats – this was indeed a super display by our lads.
It’s an amazing stat, and we don’t think it has happened before, but this was our third draw in three games which means we have ended the League on 5 points having got two points from the Duagh game which they conceded.
So with one more round to be played (we have a bye in this round) and one back game outstanding also, it’s still not 100% clear as to who will go through to the final stages. However it looks that we have every chance of getting a semi final berth at least.
Team: Peter Doyle, Damien McCarthy, Peter O’Regan, Paudie Bradley, Seán King, Jim McCarthy (0-1), Andrew Morrissey, Michael O’Leary (0-1), Breandán Caball, Aaron Barry, Danny Maguire (Capt) (0-3), Eddie Barry, Ronan Gilsenan (0-6 – 4 frees), John McCarthy (1-4), Brian Meehan.
Subs used: Shane Fitzgerald (ht), Kieran McCaughley (41m) (0-1), Pádraig Lynch (59m)