Bunclody have a little bit extra to take Div. 3 crown
HWH-BUNCLODY needed extra-time to outscore a brave Shelmaliers side in the Enniscorthy Electrical Wholesale and Plumbing ACHL Division 3 final in St. Patrick’s Park.
The sides went hand in hand in two very different halves of hurling before Bunclody tapped into a more substantial energy reserve in extra-time to get over the finish line and lift the trophy.
The first-half can only be described as end to end, with 22 minors being scored in total. HWH-Bunclody, who never went longer than four minutes in the first period without a score, raced into a 0-9 to 0-3 lead.
Jason Cowman was the standout player, creating and scoring four superb points, with Seán Kenny, Peter Atkinson and Ronan Roberts also on target.
With the game already slipping away, the Over The Water side surged into life. Scoring seven of the next ten points, they fought their way back into contention. With Joe Kelly and Ronan Kavanagh dominating the scoring, the Shels entered the break just two points down (0-12 to 0-10).
After the interval, the contest was equally tight. As the sides began to cancel each other out, the scoring rate dramatically decreased, with just four scores in the opening 20 minutes.
Crucially, one of these scores was the game’s only goal. Coming in the 42nd minute, Shelmaliers built the ball out from back to front spectacularly, passing short and moving to receive again.
The exquisite move was finished sweetly into the top right corner by Kelly, giving the Shels the lead for the first time.
Three further Kelly points pushed Curracloe to the edge of glory but late minors from Cathal Doyle and Podge Kehoe forced the game into extra-time.
HWH-Bunclody won the contest in the opening period of extra-time. Outscoring their opponents by five to two, they created a lead which Shelmaliers simply didn’t have the legs to recover (0-22 to 1-16). These winning minors were shared among Kenny, Atkinson, Eoin Kelly and a brace from captain Colm Farrell.
While Conor Byrne added three frees in the second-half of extra-time, these were cancelled out by Farrell, Cowman and Kelly as HWH-Bunclody dug deep to take home the Enniscorthy Electrical Wholesale and Plumbing ACHL Division 3 trophy.
HWH-Bunclody: Art O’Neill; Martin O’Connor, Colm Farrell (capt., 0-2), David Reck; Diarmuid Crean, John Dunne, James Moorhead; Seán Kenny (0-3), John Atkinson; Peter Atkinson (0-2), Jason Cowman (0-5), Niall Kelly (0-1); Eoin Kelly (0-7, 4 frees, 1 ‘65), Ronan Roberts (0-1), Conor Hendrick. Subs. - Edward Dunbar for Hendrick (22), Matthew Byrne for Moorhead (39), Enda Slevin for Crean (48), Cathal Doyle (0-1) for Kelly (52), Podge Kehoe (0-2) for Roberts (52), Thomas O’Neill for Dunne (61), also Jamie Farrell, Michael Connors, Josh Martin, Paddy Dunbar, Aidan Nolan, Billy Kelly, Conor Crean, Kevin Dunne, Darren Kehoe.
Shelmaliers: Adam Howlin; Cian Manley, Kevin O’Leary, Eoghan Fitzgerald (capt.); Emmet O’Leary, James Cash (0-1), Craig Parker (0-1); Denis Kelly, Eoin O’Leary; Joe Kelly (1-10, 0-4 frees), Conor Byrne (0-4, 3 frees), Jody Donohoe; Ronan Kavanagh (0-3), Michael Kelly, Kyle Roche. Subs. - Graham Staples for D. Kelly (31), Michael Feeney for M. Kelly (31), Seán Keane-Carroll for E. O’Leary (31), Johnny Campbell for Roche (50), Chris Gordon for Feeney (58), also Aodhán Foley, Paul Roche, Barry O’Connor, Dan Campbell, Chris Cowman, Stephen Whelan, Mark Power.
Referee: Shane Quinn (Ballygarrett)