Hurlers Through to Co. League Final

Senior Hurling Co. League Semi Final
Austin Stacks 4-14 Kilgarvan 4-7
Trailing by five points after 15m we eventually won this Co. League semi final replay by seven points after another tough encounter against Kilgarvan at a sunny Lewis Road on this Sunday afternoon (2^nd Sept). Kilgarvan has two wides inside the first minute before they opened the scoring with a 3^rd minute point. A minute later we equalized when a free by goalkeeper Bella found Michael O’Leary who placed Paul Daly and from an acute angle Paul pointed. Although we were playing well, the opposition were getting the 50/50 breaks and by the end of the first quarter had added 1-2.

We dominated the next ten minutes which culminated in points by Paul Daly (2) and Danny Maguire, and then in the 25^th minute we went ahead for the first time in the game when good work by Sean King and Paul ended with a Danny Maguire goal. However our lead was short-lived when the opposition were back in front again three minutes later with a goal of their own.

But then on the stroke of half time we got a slice of luck when Paul Daly’s well-taken sixty five went all the way to the net to leave us ahead by one at the interval (2-4 to 2-3).

As it turned out we never relinquished that lead for the rest of the game. Ten minutes after the resumption we found ourselves ahead by nine (4-10 to 3-4) with two goals by Trevor Barrett and points by Paul Daly (3), Joe Brennan, Danny Maguire and John McCarthy.

In the final twenty minutes Kilgarvan kept battling away but, even though they get through for a further 1-3, our defence held solid and with further points by Joe Brennan, Ronan Doherty (good to see Ronan back again after an absence through injury), Michael O’Leary and Paul Daly we closed out the game to reach our first Co. League Final since 2000.

Team: Peter Doyle, Kevin O’Leary, George Jordan, Brian Shanahan, Paudie Bradley. Peter O’Regan, Andrew Morrissey (Capt), Ronan Gilsenan, Joe Brennan (0-2), Kieran McCaughley, Sean King, Michael O’Leary (0-1), Paul Daly (1-7 – goal from 65; 2 frees), Danny Maguire (1-2), Trevor Barrett (2-0).

Subs used: John McCarthy (21m) (0-1), Ronan Doherty (40m) (0-1), Francie McLoughlin (51m).

We now await a date and venue for our Co. League Final clash against Lixnaw.