Cushe shines for Rocks

GRACEFIELD (LS) ARKLOW ROCKS 1-09 2-10

ARKLOW Rocks got off to a good start in Portarlington against a good Gracefield side in their opening Leinster hurling league clash of 2018.

Their adventure didn’t get off on the best foot when they conceded a very soft goal after a high ball somehow dribbled into the back of the net.

Both teams traded points after that and on a very soft pitch the scoring was low. At half-time the Rocks were trailing 1-03 to 0-03.

The second half began in the same fashion with Gracefield on the front foot, scoring three points to push six ahead.

The Rocks then upped their game and started to command the game and despite the best intentions of the home team and some very questionable home referee decisions, the Rocks got two goals through full-forward John Cushe whose hand was like a magnet to the sliothar.

The Rocks went three clear and young debutant Shane Mellon got the insurance point.

The game then came to life with a scrap reminesent of a battlefield which seen Gracefield reduced to 14.

The referee then made even more questionable decisions as he gave free after free to the home side as they tried to recover.

For good measure, he then awarded a penalty which the evergreen Bryan ‘Garfield’ O’Leary claimed redemption for an earlier mistake with a fine save.

The Rocks won by four with fine performances on the day from debutants Sean Somers and Shane Mellon, and also fine displays from Craig Kelly, Olagh Redmond and John Cushe.

Scorers: Jason Redmond 0-01, Paddy Mellon 0-02, John Cushe 2-00, Shane Mellon 0-01, Cormac Whitmore 0-01, TJ Byrne 0-04, Olagh Redmond 0-01.

Bryan ‘Garfield’ O’Leary; Sean Somers, Eamonn Doyle, Craig Kelly; Martin Gilbert, Tony Kinsella Olagh Redmond; Jason Redmond, Paddy Mellon; Jimmy Dignam, Conor Doyle, Shane Mellon; Cormac Whitmore, John Cushe, TJ Byrne.