Horeswood enjoy edge
HORESWOOD 2-16 BUFFERS ALLEY 2-10
TWO GOALS in the space of a minute gave Horeswood the advantage they needed to see off a game Buffers Alley side in this entertaining Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship Group A tie in Oylegate on Saturday.
While the eventual winners looked the stronger side throughout, they were made work for their victory by a typically stubborn Buffers Alley side who, after trailing for most of the game, managed to fight their way back to take the lead going into the final quarter.
But all their good work was undone in a flash when Horeswood replied with two quick majors, giving them the heart to finish off the game and, at the same time, taking the wind from the Alley’s sails.
In the early exchanges, Jim Hughes traded scores with Jamie Myler and Michael O’Hanlon before a profitable four-minute spell for Horeswood, midway through the half, saw them outscore their opponents by five points to one, with O’Hanlon and Seán Nolan looking deadly accurate.
Buffers Alley responded well however, largely thanks to the accuracy of Jim Hughes who hit three before the break, leaving Horeswood three in front at halftime after scores from Myler and Nolan.
Nolan, Myler and O’Hanlon resumed their form on the re-start, but then the Alley men began to turn things around.
Jim Hughes placed a penalty in the top corner before converting two frees, and when Paul Doyle rifled a shot to the net it looked like it would be the turning point.
However, the real turning point would actually come minutes later as Horeswood killed off their opponents with two swift blows from O’Hanlon and Eddie Breen, allowing them to drive on for their first win of the campaign.
Horeswood: Wayne Power; Brian Kehoe, Shane O’Hanlon, Eamonn O’Sullivan; Danny Byrne, Barry Hearn (0-1), David Murphy; Seán Stafford, Jamie Myler (0-3, 1 free); Eddie Breen (1-0), Eoin Murphy, Seán Nolan (0-5); John Bradley (0-1), Michael O’Hanlon (1-6, 0-4 frees), Gavin Murphy. Subs. - Dale Flynn for G. Murphy, Leigh O’Brien for E. Murphy, Damien Hearn for Kehoe, Mossy Kent for Byrne, Dylan Whitty for Bradley.
Buffers Alley: Tony Doran; Paudie Kinsella, Alan Doyle, Paul Furlong; Domhnall McArdle, Thomas Dempsey, Colm Óg Doran; Jim Hughes (1-7, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen., 0-1 ’65), Jamie Dempsey-Doyle (0-3); Tom O’Leary, Darragh Butler, Darragh Hammel; Paul Doyle (1-0), Keith Burke, Paul Doran. Subs. - Gavin O’Donovan for Furlong, Walter Gahan for O’Leary.
Referee: Brendan Holohan (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).