Oylegate-Glenbrien edge it
A more clinical Oylegate-Glenbrien side with the help of five first half points disposed of a determined Our Lady’s Island/St. Fintan’s challenge in this excellent New Ross Standard Under-14 hurling Division 4 final played at Killurin on Saturday last.
It was quite an extraordinary game given the conditions, for the heavy pre-match rain along with the strong wind made for difficult conditions for both sides, but credit to the respective players they still managed to serve up fifty minutes of excellent play, with only the superior finishing power of the eventual winners prevailing in the end.
Oylegate-Glenbrien got the cushion they needed with five excellent first half points, but still their opponents went down fighting, having trailed by that five points at the interval.
Their late surge that produced a goal one minute from the end of normal time came ever so close to forcing this game into extra time, but credit to the winners their defence held firm, while the attack was clinical given the difficult conditions which made it a nightmare when it came to finishing, but both James Moulton and Sean Rowley showed tremendous finishing skills and stick work throughout for the eventual winners.
One would have to praise the character of Oylegate-Glenbrien.
Wind assisted in the first half they came under incessant pressure through the opening ten minutes but the defence in which Adam Roche, Adam Byrne and Conal Byrne were outstanding kept their composure, despite the opposition forwards Liam Crowley and Jamie Connick coming close with goal attempts during this opening spell of pressure. With James Moulton now picking up more possession around midfield, the Oylegate-Glenbrien boys managed to lift the siege with Sean Rowley picking off two excellent points after eleven and twelve minutes which settled the side.
James Moulton followed five minutes late with a long range point, while Rowley saw an effort for goal go across the face of the goalmouth and just wide.
In the lead up to the break Moulton shot over two fine long points, one free, to give his side a 0-5 to 0-0 interval lead, and this despite the fine defensive play of Dan Kelly and Mikey Cullen.
Midway through the opening half both sides were reduced to fourteen players when Joseph Whelan (Oylegate-Glenbrien) and Leigh Newport (OLI/St. Fintan’s) were dismissed on straight red cards following an off the ball incident.
On the resumption Rowley was once again prominent, having won possession out on the wing when blocking down an attempted clearance, he followed through with a neat run and point, pushing his side into a 0-6 to 0-0 lead within two minutes of the restart.
St. Fintan’s had to wait until the sixth minute of the half for their opening score a point from the excellent Liam Crowley, but James Moulton responded with a long range pointed free, while Sean Rowley saw an excellent effort for goal rebound off the crossbar before eventually being cleared to safety. When Jamie Connick and Ben Popplewell, who had a fine second half, shot over excellent long points it kept their side in touch, while one minute from the end of normal time, Liam Crowley crashed home a great goal, to leave the minimum separating the sides 0-7 to 1-3. While St. Fintan’s had a couple of efforts for the equaliser sail wide it was Oylegate-Glenbrien who deservedly prevailed in a tense finish. OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN: Conor Murphy; Andrew Fisthenry-Ryan, Adam Roche, Cian McCormack; Conal Byrne, Adam Byrne, Cameron Clarke; Joseph Whelan, Darragh Casey; Ryan Cullen, James Moulton (0-4, 0-2 frees), John Fortune; John Nolan, Nial Mernagh, Sean Rowley (0-3). Sub: Mikie doyle for fortune. Also: Adam Nolan, Richard Fortune, Paul Burns, Ned Maher. OUR LADY’S ISLAND/ST. FINTAN’S: David Myler; Quinlan Kelly, Mikey Cullen, Jordan Boggan; Dan Kelly, Jack O’Leary, Daniel Kearns; Leigh Newport, Ben Popplewell (0-1); Johnny Kelly, Liam Crowley (1-1), Aaron Busher; Conor Kehoe, Jamie Connick (0-1), Liam Kelly. Subs: Daniel Devereux for Kehoe; Kyle Rankin for Busher. Also: Cormac Lyons, Oisin Meyler, Cillican Doyle, Lee Kelly, Sean O’Reilly. REFEREE: George Dee (Taghmon-Camross).