Holders Gorey make it two wins from two
NAOMH EANNA 2-19 GLYNN-BARNTOWN 0-19
HOLDERS NAOMH Eanna kept Glynn-Barntown comfortably at arm’s length in Bellefield on Saturday en route to claiming a second successive victory in Group B of the Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship.
The Gorey side made the brighter start and moved 1-3 to 0-1 clear in the seventh minute when the excellent Aodhán Doyle collected a handpass from Charlie McGuckin, broke through a tackle and soloed in before slamming a low shot to the far corner of Mark Fanning’s net.
Glynn-Barntown did respond to the urgings of manager Shane Carley to ‘keep chipping away’ at the deficit, and they reduced arrears to two points on a couple of occasions before the break.
However, after McGuckin pounced for the second Gorey goal in the 35th minute, the gap remained at a minimum of four for the remainder of the contest, with Glynn-Barntown only managing six points from play throughout.
Accurate free-taker Gary Moore ensured they always had something to play for but, apart from a couple of neat scores from promising youngster Conor Mahoney, they lacked a serious cutting edge up front.
Gorey got a huge return from their half-backs and midfielders in terms of workrate, and it was from this base that they prospered.
Mark Fanning had turned a goal attempt from county colleague Conor McDonald over the bar before Aodhán Doyle did beat the Wexford number one, and when the latter pointed in the 16th minute it was 1-5 to 0-5.
The respective number elevens, Pádraig Doyle and Gary Moore, continued to display accuracy from frees, and Glynn-Barntown reduced arrears to two points for the first time in the 26th minute after three-in-a-row from their captain (1-8 to 0-9).
It was 1-10 to 0-11 at the break, with Glynn-Barntown’s best goal chance foiled by a timely block from Jack Cullen in the 28th minute after Matt Doyle tried to tee up Conor Mahoney.
The Wexford District side needed a strong start to the second-half, but instead they conceded 1-1 in the first five minutes and couldn’t close the gap thereafter.
Aodhán Doyle brought his personal tally to 1-2 before the arrival of a superbly-crafted team goal.
Pádraig Doyle sent a deep cross from the right into the paw of David O’Brien, and he popped a handpass to Charlie McGuckin who arrived at speed, burst past a defender, and gave Mark Fanning no chance from close range (2-11 to 0-11).
The sides shared the 16 points that followed, but without Glynn-Barntown looking like they would launch a comeback.
Every time they scored, Naomh Eanna were capable of moving upfield and responding, while the winners’ full-back line of Peter and Brendan Travers plus Tom Stafford deserve credit for closing off all routes to goal.
Cathal Dunbar, quiet otherwise, sent over a sweet line ball from 60 metres in the 40th minute, before adding his sole point from play after Pádraig Doyle got his stick to a short Fanning puck-out.
Conor McDonald picked off three points from play and won a host of frees, while Glynn-Barntown saw a late chance for a consolation goal thwarted when Fanning’s 20-metre placed ball was turned around the post by a defender.
It was the second successive six-point victory for Naomh Eanna in this particular head-to-head, after last August’s 3-14 to 0-17 triumph at the same venue over the team which had pipped them by 1-15 to 0-17 in a group game in 2016.
Naomh Eanna: Barry Kinsella; Peter Travers, Brendan Travers (capt.), Tom Stafford; Jack Cullen, Seán Doyle, Eoin Molloy; Aodhán Doyle (1-2), Gary Molloy (0-1); Darragh Hughes (0-3, 2 frees), Pádraig Doyle (0-7, 6 frees), Charlie McGuckin (1-0); David O’Brien (0-1), Conor McDonald (0-3), Cathal Dunbar (0-2, 1 line ball). Subs. - Jack Cushe for McDonald, temp. (23-24), Cushe for Hughes (58).
Glynn-Barntown: Mark Fanning (0-3 frees); David Clarke, Jack Fenlon, Barry Doyle; Ger Dempsey, John Leacy (0-1), Shane Wilde; Alan Cowman, Frankie Hynes; Conor Mahoney (0-2), Rowan White (0-1), Gary Moore (capt., 0-11, 10 frees); Michael O’Regan, Matt Doyle, Brendan Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Fionn Cooney for Barry Doyle (53), Kevin Mahoney for M. Doyle (58).
Referee: James Owens (Askamore).