Ballygarrett finish on high
BALLYGARRETT CAME out on top after a frantic finish to this Enniscorthy Guardian Juvenile hurling Roinn 1 shield final in Gorey.
With four minutes remaining Liam Mellows, trailing by 0-10 to 0-9, scored what looked like might be a game-winning goal. Liam Coleman’s long free into the goalmouth fell to substitute Michael Morrissey and he found the net.
However, their 1-9 to 0-10 lead lasted just a few moments as Ballygarrett star Brendan Corcoran drove a free from inside his own half all the way to the Liam Mellows net.
He then added a pointed dead-ball to make the lead two heading into added time.
Coleman again reduced the gap to one but despite fighting until the bitter end, Liam Mellows couldn’t find an equaliser and Ballygarrett sealed victory with a booming 62nd-minute Aaron Hall free. It ended a gripping, tough encounter between two evenly-matched sides.
Liam Mellows spread the scoring around a little more than their opponents but with Corcoran in red hot form there was no stopping Ballygarrett.
The match started in quieter fashion. Corcoran clipped over from an acute angle to open the scoring, only for Liam Coleman to reply in kind a minute later.
A Darragh Canavan raised white flag put the Coolgreany boys ahead by 0-2 to 0-1 but Tom Hobbs cancelled out that point.
A brace from Corcoran gave Ballygarrett a 0-4 to 0-2 lead after twelve minutes but they wouldn’t score again until the second period.
A Mark Boyle double and a Coleman free meant Liam Mellows went in one point ahead at the interval. Every time Corcoran drew his side level a Liam Mellows point followed.
Joe Barrett nabbed one, Coleman added another free and Canavan registered. When Seán Óg Stafford scored in the 45th minute his side moved 0-9 to 0-7 clear. Yet the victory would go to Ballygarrett as the dead-ball skills of Corcoran won the day.
Ballygarrett: Aaron Hall (0-1 free); James Lawless, Johnny Sinnott (caot.), Brian Lee; Ciarán Dunne, Seán Weafer, Conor Doyle; Adam Fleming, Killian Doyle; Joe Burke, John Higgins, Brendan Corcoran (1-10, 1-8 frees); Seán Newens, Martin O’Loughlin, Tom Hobbs (0-1). Subs. - Kyle Kavanagh for Hobbs, Seán Neary for Newens, Richard Conroy for Dunne, also Eoin Canavan, Jamie Doyle, Aaron Earle.
Liam Mellows: Dylan Farrell; Mike Fenlon, Dylan Goland, Joseph Roche; Kevin Cleary, Sam Cody, David Byrne; Liam Coleman (0-4, 3 frees), Ciarán Power; Seán Og Stafford (0-1), Joe Barrett (0-1), Darragh Canavan (0-2); Mark Boyle (0-2), Frank Kavanagh, Alex Murphy. Subs. - Michael Morrissey (1-0) for Boyle, also Darragh Heffernan, Chris Callanan, Brian O’Leary, Seán O’Loughlin, Mark Doyle, Niall Roche, Andy Kinsella.
Referee: David O’Leary (Rathnure).