Monageer clear masters
MONAGEER-BOOLAVOGUE had two much firepower for Bannow-Ballymitty as they cruised to a comfortable victory in their Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship Group A encounter in Bree on Saturday.
That said, had the New Ross District outfit taken their chances in the first-half it could have been an altogether closer contest, as they hit ten wides in the opening period and went in 1-9 to 0-5 behind at the interval.
Monageer-Boolavogue were far more economical in front of the posts and two Peter Mernagh frees, added to two instinctive efforts from Damien Fenlon, helped them to a 0-4 to 0-1 advantage by the 17th minute.
Gary Jordan (free) and Rob Cogley pared two points off that lead, but after the impressive Fenlon added his third from long range, Monageer-Boolavogue got a massive boost when Bryan Dwyer finished to the net in the 25th minute after Colm O’Loughlin helped the ball into his path.
Mernagh continued his deadeyed accuracy from placed balls as his side built up a seven-point half-time advantage, while a fine Mark Wallace point and a Gary Jordan free just about kept Bannow-Ballymitty in the contest.
Their hopes were all but over by the midway point in the second-half though, with four Mernagh placed balls and a Niall O’Loughlin point stretching the lead to 1-14 to 0-6.
And although they did manage to score three of the next four scores through Rob Cogley frees, they were never going to bridge the gap.
Monageer-Boolavogue got back in the scoring groove late on, with Paddy Walsh, Bryan Dwyer and Stephen Murphy all contributing sweet points.
Bannow-Ballymitty kept battling away until the end, with Mark Wallace helping himself to a trio of scores and Art Sweetman knocking over a booming point but, having avoided the drop by the skin of their teeth last year, it looks like they could be embroiled in a relegation dogfight again this time around.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Seán O’Leary, Tomás O’Leary, James Donohoe; Paddy Walsh (0-1), Ray O’Brien, Shane Kehoe; Stephen Murphy (0-2), Damien Fenlon (capt., 0-3); Dean Fenlon, David Breen, Niall O’Loughlin (0-1); Peter Mernagh (0-12, 10 frees, 2 ‘65s), Colm O’Loughlin, Bryan Dwyer (1-1). Subs. - James Gahan for D. Fenlon (43), James Sweeney for N. O’Loughlin (49).
Bannow-Ballymitty: Seán McCormack; John Mernagh, John O’Leary, David White; David Currid, Mark Wallace (capt., 0-4), Pádraig McCormack, Conor Furlong, Art Sweetman (0-1); Gary Morton, Mark Colfer, Rob Cogley (0-4, 3 frees); James Crosbie, Micheál Murphy, Gary Jordan (0-4 frees). Subs. - Jaydee Cahill for O’Leary, temp. (21), Leon Galvin for O’Leary, inj. (HT), Niall Harney for Crosbie (HT), Jack Farragher for Jordan (40), Cahill for Colfer (51).
Referee: Brian O’Leary (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).