Goals key for Monageer
M’GEER-B’VOGUE 3-14 R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 1-13
THREE GOALS in the opening half fired Monageer-Boolavogue to their first Group A win in The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship, as they pushed Rathgarogue-Cushinstown aside with a dominant display in Hollymount on Sunday.
Having struggled in their opening rounds, both sides were in search of a first win and drama was inevitable.
But it was the eventual winners that provided all the drama as they came tearing out of the traps, bagging two goals inside six minutes and going in at the break with a twelve-point lead that they were never going to lose.
They got off to a flyer as Micheál Gahan hit the net in the first minute, after latching on to the ball as it broke inside the defence.
Scores were traded evenly before Mick Sweeney’s perfect- ly-placed pass found Cathal Walsh whose first-time pull hit the net to give the eventual winners an early five-point lead.
Daire Bolger replied for Rathgarogue-Cushinstown but Monageer-Boolavogue’s superior workrate saw them take over proceedings for the remainder of the half as they scuppered their opponents’ every attempt.
Pádraig Flynn suddenly began to pick off points at his ease, hitting 1-6 without reply, with the goal coming from a penalty as the game approached half-time.
Rathgarogue-Cushintown were completely overwhelmed, and they needed a good start to the new half to have any hope.
But it was Monageer-Boolavogue who hit three without reply shortly after half-time, and it was evident then who the eventual winner would be.
To their credit, the New Ross District side gave a good account of themselves for the remainder of the half, outscoring their opponents and creating a couple of goal chances before eventually striking one late in play to make the scoreboard a little better dressed.
But the boys in red were never going to be troubled as they took their first two points, leaving Rathgarogue-Cushinstown needing two wins from their last two games to have a chance at qualification and, more to the point, avoiding relegation trouble.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Seán Murphy; Shane Gahan, Chris Daly, Liam Gahan; Seán McCabe, Stephen Murphy (0-2), Niall O’Reilly; Larry Murphy (0-1), Ian Hawkins; Damien Fenlon (0-2), Pádraig Flynn (1-9, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen., 0-1 ’65), Micheál Gahan (1-0); Mick Sweeney, Cathal Walsh (1-0), Matthew Dunne. Subs. - Diarmuid Fenlon for McCabe, Mark Gahan for Walsh.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Ollie Bolger; Peadar Cody, Paudie McGrath, Ricky McGrath; Jason Dunne (0-1), Danny Martin Carroll (1-0), Bryan Cody; Matthew Cody (0-3, 2 frees), Robert Murphy; Patrick Murphy (0-1), Brian O’Neill (0-1), Bernard Furlong (02); Tadhg Cody (0-2), Eoin Porter (0-1), Daire Bolger (0-2 frees). Sub. - Liam O’Shea for B. Cody.
Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).