Boys in blue take honours
Blackwater beaten in final
OYLEGATE-G’BRIEN 1-15 BLACKWATER 1-12
A RESOLUTE performance saw Oylegate-Glenbrien take the silverware in the EEW All-County Hurling League Division 6 final as they saw off a stiff Blackwater challenge in Monamolin on Sunday.
This was a competitive affair throughout with the eventual victors slightly stronger, but they were pushed all the way by a typically stubborn Blackwater who were never too far behind.
It was tit-for-tat in the opening exchanges, with Oylegate-Glenbrien just a point ahead midway through the half, as Barry Dunne and Jake Nobbs proved accurate for their respective sides.
Brian Doran and Anthony Doyle swapped points with James Dooley and Ben Redmond before Doyle set up Barry Dunne with an excellently placed long ball for the latter to finish to the net.
This swung the advantage greatly in Oylegate-Glenbrien’s favour as the sides swapped scores on three more occasions to leave five points in it at the break.
When the Dunne brothers, Barry and Joe, hit points immediately after the re-start, it looked like the game was going to become one-sided.
But the eventual winners didn’t score for the next 15 minutes in a period that was completely dominated by Blackwater.
Nobbs hit two quick frees which were added to by Wayne O’Connor before Nobbs came agonisingly close to goaling, only to see his shot come off the post.
This acted like a wake-up call for Oylegate-Glenbrien who eventually began to hit scores again.
When a long delivery was excellently met by Lar Leacy and hit the roof of the net there was only three between them going into stoppage time.
But with Kevin Cosgrave keeping danger at bay in goal and Peter Rowley authoritative in defence, Oylegate-Glenbrien stood firm and held on to bring the cup home.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Kevin Cos- grave; Aidan Murphy, Pádraig O’Connor, Lee Kehoe; Gary Conroy, Daithí O’Mahoney, Peter Rowley (0-1); Brian Doran (0-1 free), Anthony Doyle (0-1); Barry Dunne (1-7, 0-5 frees, 0-1 ’65), Patrick Cullen, Fiachra Hourihane (0-1); Barry Doyle (0-1), Conor Nolan (0-1), Joe Dunne (0-1). Subs. - Adrian Nolan for Cullen, Jack Reck (0-1) for B. Doyle, Eoghan Herlihy for Hourihane, also Marty Kelly, Ryan Hill, Evan Kelly, Pierce Murphy, John Lambert, Conor Hill, Davy Phillips, Eoin O’Mahoney, Peter Nolan, Niall Parker, Kevin Reck, Tomás Cosgrave, Richard Murphy, Eddie Mernagh.
Blackwater: Robert O’Leary; Brian Dooley, Kevin Purcell, Darragh Walsh; Gavin O’Toole, Aaron Culleton, Paddy Cullen; Kieran Roche, Seánie Purcell (0-1); Ben Redmond (0-2), Wayne O’Connor (0-1 ’65), Jake Nobbs (0-6 frees); James Dooley (0-1), Lar Leacy (1-1), Paul Murphy. Subs. - Darragh Doyle for Walsh, Shane Butler for Doyle, also Mark Donoghue, James Roche, Eoin Buttle, Declan O’Leary, Michael Byrne, M.J. Kelly, Caolan O’Reilly, Harley Dunne, Johnny Mooney, Ger Lynch.
Referee: James Flood (St. Mary’s, Maudlintown).