Geraldines looking good
IT’S HARD to recall the last time Geraldine O’Hanrahans put in such a vibrant, clinical display as they completely swept aside the feeble challenge of Our Lady’s Island on the way to recording a 0-24 to 1-8 second round win in the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship Group B at a sunny Oylegate on Saturday.
Buoyed on by claiming a deserved draw right at the death against Liam Mellows six days earlier, the New Ross town men built on that reprieve with some confident shooting, particularly in a spell before half-time that left them in front by 0-12 to 1-4 at the interval.
They weren’t even duly concerned by the concession of a sloppy goal on six minutes which gave Our Lady’s Island a 1-0 to 0-1 lead, and instead pumped ball regularly inside for their forwards to repeatedly run amok.
That Island goal was bundled to the net by Noel Dempsey, who pounced after Darragh Sinnott’s under-hit shot was fumbled in the square.
But Dylan Egan flicked the ball over an opponent’s head on the run before swiping over a brilliant point on eleven minutes, and also added two frees as the Geraldines turned the tables by 0-8 to 1-3 by the 21st minute.
Dean Maloney pegged a point back for the Island, but the victors hit four excellent points from play, three from the prospering Stephen Somers, including two from almost the identical spot at an acute angle in the shadow of the stand, to establish that relatively comfortable interval advantage.
Although Quinn Saunders pointed only 16 seconds after the re-start, and Maloney added two frees shortly after, the next ten points came from the Geraldines without reply as they coasted to the finish line.
Two more points from Somers brought the captain’s personal tally to 0-6, while Egan’s seventh came from a third assist in a row from the hard-working Brian Haberlin.
Egan made it a double-scores game with a 47th-minute free, and Haberlin split the posts as the gap inflated to 0-22 to 1-7 with ten minutes remaining, with Michael Cleere and Egan completed an impressive performance.
Of course, they won’t be able to built on this momentum as it’s anyone’s guess when the championship will re-commence after the mid-season break.
Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Brandon Gardiner; Diarmuid Kehoe, Conor Cleere, Pádraig Bailey; Barry Kelly (0-1 free), Enda Kelly, Tony Murphy; Jack Foran (0-2), Michael Cleere (0-1); Eoin Kelly (0-1), Dylan Egan (0-9, 5 frees), Brian Haberlin (0-2); Ned Connors, Stephen Somers (capt., 0-6), Barry Roche (0-2). Subs. - Kyle Grangel for Connors (54), Dylan Wickham for Roche (54).
Our Lady’s Island: David Pettit; Josh Burke, Eoin Kinsella, Davy Corish; Aaron Corish, Cathal Devereux, Colm Kinsella (0-1); Joey Murphy, Dean Corish; Quinn Saunders (0-1), Dean Maloney (capt., 0-5, 2 frees, 1 ‘65), Alan Kinsella; Darragh Sinnott, Noel Dempsey (1-1), Eoin Wright. Subs. - Jason Devereux for C. Kinsella, inj. (15), Brian Moore for E. Kinsella, inj. (31), Nicky Keane for Wright (42), Adam Mullins for A. Kinsella (47).
Referee: Brendan Holohan (Rathgarogue-Cushinstown).