Pat’s pounce for late point
Doyle defies game GOH
ST. PATRICK’S GER. O’HANRAHANS 1-17 1-16 A POINT six minutes into injury time from prolific marksman John Doyle earned St. Patrick’s a dramatic win in Group B of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship in St. Patrick’s Park on Sunday.
It was far from a gimme when the accurate free-taker stood over the placed ball deep inside his own half with 65 minutes on the clock, but he showed nerves of steel to steer the ball high and handsome over the black spot.
It was tough on Geraldine O’Hanrahans, who thought they had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat when Barry Kelly grabbed a goal as the clock ticked into time added on, but two injury time frees from Doyle turned the tie back St. Patrick’s way.
When Kelly scored that three-pointer on the hour mark it was the first time the New Ross outfit led, but just when it looked like they had timed their sprint finish to perfection, Doyle’s double stopped them in their tracks.
When reflecting on where it went wrong, Geraldine O’Hanrahans need look no further than the concession of too many cheap frees in scoreable positions, and with a sharp-shooter like John Doyle in the opposition’s ranks the indiscretions were always likely to be punished.
St. Patrick’s held a 1-4 to 0-2 advantage by the ninth minute but any time they built up a head of steam and threatened to pull away, back came Geraldine O’Hanrahans with a scoring spurt of their own.
The goal came in the fourth minute when, after goalkeeper Mark Purcell had reacted well to twice stop efforts from Andrew Doyle, Niall O’Brien applied the finishing touch.
The New Ross men dragged themselves back on level terms by the 20th minute, scoring five points on the trot, with Eanna Martin helping himself to three of those and Eoin Kelly and Dylan Egan also getting in on the act.
Like a willing racehorse, St. Patrick’s found more when they felt their rivals breathing down their necks and Tommy Dunne halted the scoring drought when he fired over, although Eanna Martin showed his class with a great catch and point at the other end.
The Gorey District side stuck their necks out again with John Doyle (free) and Tommy Dunne splitting the posts before Martin did likewise to leave it 1-7 to 0-9 at the break.
St. Patrick’s began the second-half like a five furlong sprinter darting from the stalls. John Doyle notched the first three points of the half, with a beauty from the right sideline the pick of the bunch.
However, similar to the first-half they just couldn’t put distance between themselves and their opponents with Jack Foran, Dylan Egan and Gary Hill all finding the range.
St. Patrick’s simply put the heads down again and thanks to Doyle’s accurate free-taking were 1-15 to 0-14 ahead with five minutes remaining and the finishing line in sight.
Geraldine O’Hanrahans bravely battled back though and points from Anthony Purcell and Eanna Martin (free) put them in a position where they were ready to pounce as the game entered injury time.
Ronan Carroll then sent in a long delivery which was batted back across goal by David Crowdle and Barry Kelly bundled the ball over the line to get their noses in front for the first time.
However, St. Patrick’s rallied once more and two points from thoroughbred free-taker Doyle got them past the line in front.
St. Patrick’s: Stuart Quinn; Tynan Flynn, Michael O’Brien, James Cousins; Hughie Doyle, Dermot O’Leary, Daryl Murphy; Tommy Dunne (0-2), Richie Flood; Tommy Morris, John Doyle (0-15, 11 frees, 1 ‘65), Shane Finn; Andrew Doyle, Niall O’Brien (10), Tomás Morris. Sub. - Peter Roche for Cousins.
Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Mark Purcell; Enda Kelly, Tony Murphy, James Ryan; Eoin Kelly (0-1), Conor Cleere, Ronan Carroll; Anthony Purcell (0-1), Matt Crowdle (0-1); Dylan Egan (0-2), Gary Hill (0-1), Jack Foran (0-1); Barry Kelly (1-1), Eanna Martin (0-8, 4 frees), David Crowdle.
Referee: Brian O’Leary (Crossabeg-Ballymurn).