Mellows coast to victory
LIAM MELLOWS M’TOWN-C’RELL 3-16 1-5 LIAM MELLOWS look good for a place in the quarter-finals of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship after overwhelming Marshalstown-Castledockrell in this Group A tie in Monamolin on Sunday.
The greatest weapon that the Coolgreany side possessed was their vastly superior athleticism. The teams might have had comparable hurling skills but the victors simply did everything at a much quicker tempo.
The tone for the first-half was set in the opening minute when Brendan Halpin’s handpass across goal was whipped to the net by Colm Morris.
While John Cullen replied with a point in the fifth minute, Liam Mellows went on to score nine on the bounce, five of which came from the dead-ball prowess of Stephen O’Rafferty.
Marshalstown-Castledockrell gave themselves a glimmer of hope on the stroke of half-time when Frank Kelly swept home a breaking ball. However, his side still trailed by 1-9 to 1-1 at the change-around.
Michael Kelly, playing in attack after the break, had a chance to bookend the interval for Marshalstown-Castledockrell with a pair of majors but Seán Roche made a superb low save from his 31st-minute penalty.
While they would still add four second-half points, the Farmleigh side would never really trouble Liam Mellows. Substitute Micheál O Scanall pulled home their second goal to make it 2-13 to 1-3 with eleven minutes remaining.
That goal came just after John Cullen was dismissed but before Johnny Frayne got his marching orders as Marshalstown-Castledockrell lost their discipline. Shane Halpin squeezed in a third goal at the near post from a tight angle in injury time as the victors ended with a flourish.
Liam Mellows look good for a place in the last eight, and they will guarantee it with a draw or better against Ballyfad in their final game but they will likely progress regardless. Marshalstown-Castledockrell will be just happy to avoid a relegation final at this stage.
Liam Mellows: Seán Roche; Stephen Moloney, Conor Cleary, Joe Gardiner; Colin Kennedy, Danny Gardiner, Andy Merrigan; Aaron Condren (0-1), Risteárd Kinsella; Marc Halpin (0-1), Colm Morris (1-0), Gavin Stamp (0-2); Brendan Halpin (0-4), Richard Farrell, Stephen O’Rafferty (0-8 frees). Subs. - Shane Halpin (1-0) for Kinsella, inj. (37), Micheál Ó Scanall (1-0) for Farrell, inj. (43), Liam Condren for Stamp, inj. (57).
Marshalstown-Castledockrell: Michael Kelly; Michael Hughes, David O’Connor, Tomás Bennett; Joe Kelly, Johnny Frayne, Jack Quigley; Mick Kehoe, John Cullen (0-1); Colm Bennett (0-3, 2 ‘65s, 1 free), Michael Morris, Mitch Jordan (0-1); Eoin Bennett, Andrew Quigley, Frank Kelly (1-0). Subs. - P.J. O’Brien for T. Bennett (18), Darragh Kehoe for J. Kelly (31), Mark Kehoe (Milehouse) for Quigley (31).
Referee: Derek Murphy (St. Martin’s).