Furlong makes the Shels pay penalty with winner
IT WAS an afternoon when the men from the south required both a performance and a result, and they delivered both as a Mark Furlong 59th-minute goal from a penalty enabled St. Anne’s to fashion a dramatic late victory over Shelmaliers in this Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship Group A game in Innovate Wexford Park on Sunday.
St. Anne’s needed a first victory following two disappointing displays, and while it took a late surge to ensure both points, they still had put in a huge grind over the 60 minutes to see off a sluggish Shelmaliers who, apart from brief bursts, failed to bring their usual tempo to the game.
Indeed, had Mark Furlong not shot three scoreable frees wide, the Anne’s would not have had to depend on that late surge that produced the winning goal to collect their victory.
While this was a sink or swim game and could define both sides’ championship run-in, it failed to produce a decent flow. As in past meetings between these sides, it turned into a torrid contest as both struggled for supremacy.
The close nature of the exchanges was always going to lead to a late surge for victory from one team or the other, and it was St. Anne’s who struck at the crucial moment.
David Kavanagh pointed St. Anne’s in front after four minutes, but the Shels - with the advantage of the breeze blowing into the town goal - responded with points from Liam Rockett and Ciarán O’Shaughnessy.
Mark Furlong (two frees), Joe Kelly (free) and Liam Og McGovern split the posts to leave the Anne’s with a 0-4 to 0-3 lead after twelve minutes.
The sides continued to trade points but the Shels finished off the half with three unanswered points through Rockett, O’Shaughnessy and a Kelly free.
In between Anne’s ’keeper Paddy Miskella saved splendidly from Stephen Banville, but the Over The Water side still led by 0-8 to 0-5 at the interval.
St. Anne’s started the second-half brightly with points from a Furlong free along with a Redmond Barry effort, while just five minutes into the second period a Furlong long-range free brought the sides level (0-8 each).
Then Furlong shot wide from a free, after which two Joe Kelly pointed frees restored his side’s lead after 41 minutes.
With the Shels unable to build on this lead, still just a point separated the sides (0-11 to 0-10) when they struck for the game’s opening goal.
Midfielder Glen Malone successfully beat the overcarrying rule to send the ball across the face of the goal for Conor Hearne to power first-time to the net, giving his side a 1-11 to 0-10 lead moving into the closing eight minutes.
Two Furlong pointed frees kept St. Anne’s in touch before their last-minute surge saw Liam Og McGovern field a high ball and lay it off into the path of substitute Michael O’Brien who was taken out of the game by advancing ’keeper Brian Murphy.
Murphy was yellow carded for his attempt, while Mark Furlong slotted the penalty home for what proved the winning score, although in the final action, Joe Kelly had a long free drop short which was ultimately cleared to safety.
St. Anne’s: Paddy Miskella; Páraic O’Keeffe, Tomás Cullen, Seán Gaul; Kevin Hannigan, Cian McGovern, Kenny Cloney; Seamus Mythen (01), Mark Furlong (1-8, 0-8 frees, 1-0 pen.); Redmond Barry (0-1), David O’Connor, Diarmuid O’Keeffe; Joe O’Connor, David Kavanagh (0-1), Liam Og McGovern (0-1). Sub. - Michael O’Brien for D. O’Connor.
Shelmaliers: Brian Murphy; Andre O’Brien, Conor Walsh, Ciarán Walsh; Aidan Cash, Eoin Doyle, Simon Donohoe (0-1); Glen Malone, Arnie Murphy; Joe Kelly (0-5 frees), Ciarán O’Shaughnessy (0-2), Conor Hearne (1-1); Liam Rockett (0-2), Stephen Banville, Jody Donohoe.
Referee: Damien Donohoe (Volunteers).