Early barrage was vital
T’MON-C’ROSS M’TOWN-C’RELL 2-18 2-9 A TEN-MINUTE barrage in the opening quarter proved to be the decisive period of this Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship Group A game, as Taghmon-Camross secured an easy win over Marshalstown-Castledockrell in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.
Both sides had endured mixed fortunes going into the game, but the New Ross District outfit seemed to have a lot more freshness about them, hitting the field with an energetic style of play that their opponents simply couldn’t match.
After an Ian Carty point was sandwiched by points from Eoin and Colm Bennett in the opening minutes, Barry O’Gorman sweetly struck over a sideline cut which was the beginning of a romp which saw Taghmon-Camross add 2-5 without reply, giving them a ten-point lead midway through the half.
The O’Gormans and Cartys were instrumental in this period as Barry O’Gorman added a long-range effort, and Ian Carty finished a well-worked move to the top corner of the net.
Stephen O’Gorman set up Mick O’Gorman for his side’s second goal, before the latter picked out Darren Carty for a point.
Marshalstown-Castledockrell were well rattled at this stage and, after the eventual losers managed to grab a goal from Michael Morris and points from ‘Mitch’ Jordan and Colm Bennett, Taghmon-Camross didn’t let up and added five scores before the break with both Cartys adding to their tally along with Shane Doyle.
If Marshalstown-Castledockrell were to have any hope of a comeback they needed to get the first scores of the new half, but Taghmon-Camross grabbed five points by the end of the third quarter before their rivals eventually resumed scoring in the 50th minute.
They did outscore Taghmon-Camross in the final ten minutes but by that stage it was just formalities, and the winner of the game was never in any doubt.
Taghmon-Camross: Jack Dunne; David O’Keeffe, Robert Nolan, Stephen O’Keeffe; Adam Winters, Alan Nolan, Pat Nolan; Barry O’Gorman (0-2, 1 line ball), Darren Carty (0-6); Ian Carty (1-5, 0-2 frees), Luke Sinnott (0-2, 1 free), Shane Doyle (0-2); T.J. Codd, Stephen O’Gorman (0-1), Mick O’Gorman (1-0).
M’town-Castledockrell: Michael Kelly; Jack Quigley, David O’Connor, Michael Hughes; Tom Bennett, Joe Kelly, John Ormonde; P.J. O’Brien, Eoin Bennett (0-1); Colm Bennett (05, 4 frees), Michael Morris (2-1), John Frayne; Adam Harte, Michael Jordan (0-1), Frank Kelly. Subs. - Michael Kehoe for Ormonde, Mark Brennan for E. Bennett, Mark Kehoe (0-1) for Jordan, Darragh Kehoe for O’Brien.
Referee: Philip Murphy (Faythe Harriers).