Gusserane hit six
GUSSERANE 6-14 GER. O’HANRAHANS 3-13 HOSTS GUSSERANE enhanced their credential as the dark-horses in the Under-21 hurling Roinn 1 championship with a strong victory over Geraldine O’Hanrahans in the New Ross District semi-final on Monday.
The victors have a strong, young team on paper, and achieved this victory without three likely starters in Seán ‘Mini’ Ryan, John Roche and Gavin Sheehan.
That said, the players they did have put in a storming performance, right from one to 15, as everyone made a stellar contribution to a fantastic team victory.
The tone for the evening was set when the excellent Sam Wall finished off a superb team move with an audacious flick from over his head to the net.
The New Ross town club hit back almost immediately when Dylan Egan found a way past Micheál Ryan in the Gusserane goal. The first quarter continued to ebb and flow, one way, then the other.
Adrian Redmond scored a nice point, while Mark Rossiter and Sam Wall hit frees and added a couple from play, either side of Mark O’Neill’s opening goal to give the hosts a 2-5 to 2-3 lead.
O’Neill was tremendous at number 11 and he netted twice more in the space of a few minutes to break the game open. With Dylan Wickham unerring from frees, the Geraldines kept themselves in the match until the interval (4-5 to 2-9).
Yet, if anything, Gusserane were even better in the second-half than they were before the break. Rossiter, O’Neill and Sam Wall were on target as they moved 4-8 to 2-11 ahead.
When Wall’s second major followed shortly after, it broke the visitors. Redmond fired over, as did Wall, O’Neill and Seán O’Connor as the Gusserane boys began to enjoy their superiority.
It was left to Adrian Redmond to put the seal on victory with a late sixth goal, which sends Gusserane into the decider full of confidence, relishing the opportunity at hand.
In the final they will meet Rathgarogue-Cushinstown, who dethroned Adamstown.
Gusserane: Micheál Ryan; Donal Kinsella, Ciarán Conway, Eoin Foran; Jack Burford, Mark Rossiter (0-2 frees), Jason Sutton; Adrian Redmond (1-2), Martin Fitzharris; Seán O’Connor (01), Mark O’Neill (3-3), Jack Culleton; Oisín Foran, Sam Wall (2-6, 0-2 frees), Donal Kiely.
Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Brandon Gardiner; Adam Fitzgerald, Jerry Cash, Ciarán St. Ledger; Enda Kelly (0-1), Liam Walsh, Michael Cleere; Michael Cullen (0-1), Jack Foran (0-1); Ned Connors, Dylan Wickham (0-7, 6 frees), Tommy Doran; Kyle Grangel (1-0), Dylan Egan (2-3), Martin Doran. Sub. - Jack Power for Cullen.
Referee: Eric Molloy (St. James’).