Byrne guides Shels home
SHELMALIERS HORESWOOD 2-11 1-10 CONOR BYRNE scored 0-10 as he drove a Shelmaliers second-half recovery, enabling them to emerge with a hard-earned four-point victory over Horeswood in this Junior hurling championship Group A game in Taghmon on Friday.
It was a struggle at times against a battling Horeswood outfit, but the Over The Water crew turned in a much-improved second-half performance, with Byrne being the driving force both in general play and from frees as they managed to turn a four-point interval deficit into a four-point victory.
Horeswood looked to be edging towards a surprise victory with a fine first-half performance, but the fact that they only managed four second-half points proved crucial as it was not sufficient to help them gain two crucial points to keep their championship pros- pects very much alive. They will be heartened with their first-half display but disappointed with their second 30 minutes, a period when they failed miserably up front.
Declan Murphy, who was to have a fine game in midfield, scored two early points, before a Byrne pointed free opened his side’s account after six minutes. Three minutes later John Bradley reacted quickest to a breaking ball to send a ground shot to the net, giving his side a 1-2 to 0-1 lead.
Byrne contributed his side’s four remaining first-half points from frees, but Declan Murphy and Michael O’Hanlon points helped Horeswood to a 1-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
Shelmaliers responded to the challenge with a Byrne pointed free within one minute of the restart, while five minutes later Brian Doyle shot through a crowded goalmouth to the net, reducing the deficit to the minimum (1-7 to 1-6).
The sides continued to exchange points, with Michael O’Hanlon and Seán Stafford on target for Horeswood. After Shane Griffith and Declan Murphy exchanged points to leave Horeswood with a 1-10 to 1-9 lead eight minutes from the end, a Brian Doyle goal with seven minutes remaining followed by two Byrne points (’65 and play) ensured the Shels took the points to maintain their championship challenge.
Shelmaliers: Feargal Hynes; Eoin O’Leary, Kevin O’Leary, Eoghan Fitzgerald; Aaron O’Neill, Barry O’Connor, Niall Murphy; Denis Kelly, Graham Staples; Brian Doyle (2-0), Conor Byrne (0-10, 8 frees, 1 ’65), James Gordon; Michael Feeney, Stephen Whelan, Johnny Campbell. Subs. - Aodhán Foley for Feeney, Cian Manley for Kelly, Chris Gordon for Campbell, Shane Griffith (0-1) for Whelan.
Horeswood: Eoin Mythen; Cian Gleeson, Gavin Murphy, Damien Hearn; Brian Kehoe, Barry Hearn, Johnny Keating; Declan Murphy (05), Craig Murphy; Kevin Rowe (0-1), Michael O’Hanlon (0-3, 2 frees), Seán Stafford (0-1); Jim Wall, John Bradley (1-0), Eoin Murphy. Sub. - Paddy Roche for Kehoe.
Referee: Derek Murphy (St. Martin’s).