Senior Hurling Div 3 League Final: Austin Stacks 3-11; Duagh 1-5.
Our Hurlers completed a very successful 2016 when they won their 4th title of the season at Connolly Park on this Saturday evening (22nd Oct). With wins already in the South Kerry JH Championship and SH League, as well as a win in the County JH Championship, the victory on this occasion was in the SH County League (Div 3).
After a very intense first half we led by 0-5 to 0-3 at the break, holding the opposition scoreless from play after another outstanding performance from a superb defence. Duagh did have a very good start, going into an early lead with a pointed free after just 38 seconds and a second from another free inside five minutes.
But once we started to match their intensity we put over four points in succession with three pointed frees from Paul Daly and one from play by Ian Moynihan in the 21st minute. Both sides had one each in the closing three minutes of the half, with ours coming from play by Ciarán Breen, to leave us two ahead at half time.
The first indication that this game was about to go our way came just two minutes after the resumption when corner forward Peter ‘Bella’ Doyle scored the first goal of the game, and it would take someone like the late Con Houlihan to adequately describe it. With the keeper already committed, most of us felt he would blast it to the net, but all Bella did was casually lob it over the advancing defender to nestle in the back of the net. Duagh’s first score from play came three minutes later. Then in the 10th minute Colm Ó Giollagáin’s long high free into the square was batted down by Ronan Gilsenan into the path of Cillian O’Riordan and Massey made no mistake for our second goal. Then a minute late Colm put over from play and five minutes later (45th minute) came our third goal. A long high ball into the square from a Paul Daly free deceived everyone, including the Duagh keeper, and ended up in the net. This left us eleven points ahead with the final quarter still to go. In the next ten minutes we added a further five points, with five different players on target – Peter Doyle, Michael O’Leary, Paul Daly (free), Colm Ó Giollagáin and Ciarán Breen.
With the game now in the bag we eased off in the closing minutes which left the visitors in for a goal and a point which put a little bit of respectability on the scoreboard.
Team: Seán Hartnett, Kevin O’Leary, Peter O’Regan, Seán King, Andrew Foley (Capt), Eoghan McKivergan, Andrew Morrissey, Ciarán Breen (0-2), Robert Byrne, Killian O’Riordan (1-0), Paul Daly (1-4 – 3 frees), Michael O’Leary (0-1), Peter Doyle (1-1), Ronan Gilsenan, Ian Moynihan (0-1).
Subs used: Colm Ó Giollagáin (ht) (0-2), Kieran McCaughley (41m), James Smullen (51m), Tadhg Meehan (55m), John Connelly (55m).
So great celebrations afterwards as Ger McCarthy, the Co. Board’s Hurling Officer, presented Team Captain, Andrew Foley with the Co. League Trophy. However there was also a little nostalgia as two great veterans of the game announced their retirements from the playing field after the game. Both John Connelly and Peter Doyle have been two of the Club’s great servants, both on and off the field. Both came to the Club from two great Hurling counties – John from Kilkenny in 2005 and four years later Peter coming from just across the border in Cork. John made his debut in a Co. League game against Lixnaw on the 2nd October 2005, Peter’s first game was also in the Co. League, against Crotta, on the 17th June 2009, Coincidently, both men played most of their games in goals, with Peter playing a lot in the forwards as well, including all forward play in his first three seasons. His final game today was also in the forwards, finishing on a high note with 1-1 to his credit. And what a coincidence – in his very first Club game, on that June Wednesday in 2009, Bella also scored 1-1 in the 2-10 to 2-9 win against Crotta.
So a big thank you to John and Peter, but knowing both men it wouldn’t surprise us if they were still involved with the Hurling set-up in some capacity in the future.
