Dwyers on fire as they secure U15 final berth

UNDER-15 ‘A’ HURLING SEMI-FINALS AND LEINSTER SEMI-FINAL

MICHAEL DWYERS TOMACORK 4-15 1-2

MICHAEL DWYERS ran out comfortable winners over Tomacork in this under-15 hurling semi-final played in Ballinakill on Wednesday night last.

While both teams had a mixture of players who were in their final year of eligibility for under-15 supplemented by smaller younger players, the westerners had a noticeable advantage of bigger, stronger, skillful lads spread all over the field.

There can be no doubt that size does matter in underage hurling. Tomacork battled hard in the first half with full-back Maurice Sheils, centre back Liam O’Neill and midfielders Thomas Collins and Shane Byrne holding their own in the early stages.

Dwyers’ tall, rangy midfielder Rory Martin soloed through after ten minutes and set up Matt Miley for the opening point of the game.

Thomas Collins equalised almost immediately but it proved to be the Tomacork lads’ only score of the first half.

Rory Martin got the Dwyers second point to be followed by two points from skillful full-forward Eoin Sheridan. Centre forward Eoin Byrne scored point number five from a free while the second midfielder Ben Burke brought the first half scoring to a close when he pointed just before the half-time whistle.

Tomacork had battled hard to keep Dwyers in check and it was clear that in the early minutes of the second half Tomacork needed to get back into the game.

However, a first minute pointed free from Eoin Byrne followed a minute later by Dwyers first goal from Rory Martin began to put distance between the two sides.

Tomacork briefly rallied and had a goal from wing forward Richard Green followed by a Don Redmond pointed free.

However, this was as good as it got for Tomacork and from here on Michael Dwyers got very much on top.

Their strong central spine of the team from full-back Mark Murtagh, centre back Jack Reid, midfield Ben Burke and Rory Martin, centre forward Eoin Byrne and dangerous full-forwards Matt Miley and Eoin Sheridan began to play with confidence and gradually the scores mounted.

Matt Miley got goal number two, Eoin Byrne netted the third from a penalty and Matt Miley again notched his second goal just before the end.

The goals were certainly not the fault of Tomacork goalie Will Molloy who had a fine second half and finished the game with a string of excellent saves to his credit.

However, the points mounted also, and Michael Dwyers ran out very comfortable winners on a score line of 4-15 to 1-2.

Scorers: Michael Dwyers: Matt Miley 2-1, Rory Martin 1-2, Eoin Byrne 1-5, Eoin Sheridan 0-3, Charley Chambley 0-2, Ben Burke 0-2.

Tomacork: Richard Green 1-0, Tommy Collins 0-1, Don Redmond 0-1.

Michael Cleary; Charlie Chambley, Mark Murtagh, Willie Eager; Austin Brennan, Jack Reid, Ciaran Harman; Ben Burke, Rory Martin; Conor Gilligan, Eoin Byrne, Ciaran Coyne; Matt Miley, Eoin Sheridan, Adam Williamson. Subs: Conor Richardson, Jack O’Toole.

Will Molloy; Jock Keogh, Maurice Sheils, Cillian Doyle; Dylan Farrell, Liam O’Neill, Calum Patterson; Thomas Collins, Shane Byrne; Jack Deegan, Jake O’Dwyer, Richard Green; Darragh Rawson, Shay Guilfoyle, Dan Redmond. Chris Canavan (Avoca)