Shels preserve unbeaten record
SHELMALIERS WILL go into the knockout stages of the Tom Doyle Supplies Senior football championship as the only side boasting a perfect record after they held off a Glynn-Barntown fightback in their Group B tie in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.
With top spot already assured, the Hollymount side would have been excused if they saw this as an opportunity to take their foot off the gas and coast, but there was no sign of that as they dominated the first-half, building an advantage that their opponents couldn’t bridge.
While not assured of qualification beforehand, Glynn-Barntown came into the game knowing there was almost no chance that both St. James’ and the winners of Gusserane/ Taghmon-Camross were going to overturn the huge score difference advantage they held.
However, being the side that had something more than pride to play for, it was slightly surprising that they went through the first period a little flat.
Conceivably previous matches, where they started full throttle and weakened as the game went on, came into play and they were looking to manage their performance a little better.
Mark Fanning opened the scoring with a second-minute free, but the fact that his side had neither himself nor Robert Dempsey on the field after the opening quarter was a big blow to their hopes of picking up the win.
The most important score of the game came as early as the third minute. A.J. Lehane burst through the Glynn-Barntown defence and brought a fine save from Matt Doyle, but Jody Donohoe followed up to knock home the rebound.
Eoghan Nolan and Brendan Doyle exchanged points before Conor Hearne pulverised the post with a ferocious drive that had Doyle well beaten.
Nolan notched his second point in the 13th minute, but James Stafford’s reply ensured there was just two in it at the end of the opening quarter (1-2 to 0-3).
However, Shelmaliers bossed the remainder of the half. Craig McCabe and Eoin Doyle added frees before Glen Malone, Lehane and Cian Manley all picked off classy scores.
Shane Wilde did have the last say of the half in added-time, but Glynn-Barntown looked a troubled team as they were down by 1-7 to 0-4.
To their credit, the second-half was much better from the Killurin side. Stafford and Lehane exchanged early points, but Shelmaliers were restricted to very few chances in the next 25 minutes as Glynn-Barntown chipped away at the advantage.
Nigel Usher and Fionn Cooney picked off points and a brace of Aaron Breen frees got his side within two with twelve minutes left (1-8 to 0-9).
Yet, ten minutes went by without another score and when Lehane got it, it broke the Glynn-Barntown resolve. Malone put four in it, meaning Breen’s injury-time free counted for little.
The reward for topping the group for Shelmaliers is a quarter-final against St. Anne’s, fourth place finisher in Group A.
Third spot in Group B means a hellish looking contest against St. Martin’s for Glynn-Barntown.
Shelmaliers: James Gordon; Andre O’Brien, Simon Donohoe, Ciarán O’Shaughnessy; Glen Malone (0-2), Aidan Cash, Cian Manley (0-1); Eoghan Nolan (0-2), Brian Malone; Jody Donohoe (1-0), Eoin Doyle (capt., 0-1 free), Ross Banville; Conor Hearne, Craig McCabe (0-1 free), A.J. Lehane (0-3, 1 free). Subs. - Páraic O’Leary for Banville (45), Liam Rockett for J. Donohoe (58).
Glynn-Barntown: Matt Doyle; David Clarke, Pádraig Donnelly, Rowan White; Nigel Usher (0-1), Jack Fenlon, James Stafford (0-2); Craig Doyle, Aaron Breen (0-3 frees); Gary Delaney, Barry Doyle, Rioghan Crosbie; Mark Fanning (0-1 free), Brendan Doyle (0-1), Robert Dempsey. Subs. - Fionn Cooney (0-1) for Dempsey (12), Shane Wilde (0-1) for Fanning, inj. (16), Michael Doyle for Delaney (31), Rob Tierney for Barry Doyle (31), Alan Cowman for Crosbie (43).
Referee: James Owens (Kilrush).