Glynn call all the shots
GLYNN-BARNTOWN called all the shots at a chilly St. Patrick’s Park as their Junior hurlers gave Buffers Alley a second-half roasting in Group A of the Permanent TSB championship on Sunday.
A tightly contested opening period was followed by a landslide as the Gorey District side failed to make any constructive use of the northerly breeze.
J.J. Doyle led the way for the victors, practically monopolising their scoring up to the break. Then by the end of a drizzly, grey afternoon, all of the starting front six had at least a point to their name.
In contrast, the Alley hit squad had twice the number of wides (a dirty dozen) to their credit than they had scores over the hour.
Free-taker J.J. Doyle enjoyed a dream start to proceedings as he had Glynn-Barntown 1-4 to 0-1 ahead after 15 minutes.
He made the most of a couple of ‘65s during this mesmeric spell, sending the first over and the second fortuitously to the net.
Team-mate Michael Moran-Curran showed that he too was capable of striking a nice ball with a point from around halfway.
But otherwise it was Doyle who dominated against opponents who eventually opened their account through Jamie DempseyDoyle and Jim Hughes.
Dempsey-Doyle clearly felt that the point he blazed high should have been kept low and drilled past Tommy Kehoe, but he eventually beat the veteran ‘keeper on 22 minutes.
The Glynn-Barnotwn defence, otherwise excellent throughout, dithered for once and the corner-forward swished it home as they failed to clear the ball.
A mere 1-6 to 1-2 behind at the changeover, with use of the wind to come, the Alley men had every reason to believe that they were still in the hunt for the points.
This notion was quickly knocked on the head by a slick move started deep in defence by the excellent Shane Codd and finished to the net by Ian Moran.
It appeared that the more the Alley laboured the less return they extracted for their efforts from ample possession.
A nice point from Walter Gahan and a couple of Jim Hughes frees was all they added after the break.
Meanwhile, their rivals – with former Alley favourite Tom Dempsey directing operations – picked off 1-6 in the closing quarter, the goal falling to Cormac Cooney after wing-back Matthew Banville sallied forward.
Glynn-Barntown: Tommy Kehoe; Conor Graydon, P.J. Carley, David Roche; Matthew Banville, Shane Codd, Shane Doyle; Darragh Nolan (0-1), Pádraic Wafer; Cormac Cooney (1-0), Michael Moran-Curran (0-1), Jack Brazill (0-1); Matthew Joyce (03), J.J. Doyle 1-8, 0-6 frees, 1-1 ‘65s), Ian Moran (1-0).
Buffers Alley: Darren O’Brien; Myles O’Connor, Alan Doyle, Paudie Kinsella; Adam Byrne, Domhnall McArdle, Thomas Dempsey; Leonard Lacey, Conor Kenny; John Furlong, Jim Hughes (0-3 frees), Colm Óg Doran; Oisín Fortune, Walter Gahan (0-1), Jamie Dempsey-Doyle (1-1). Subs. - Ben Murphy for Kenny (59), Martin Keane for Doran (60).
Referee: Matty Kinnaird (Rapparees).