HWH-Bunclody run riot
HWH-BUNCLODY ST. ANNE’S 5-18 1-3 HWH-BUNCLODY secured by far their biggest win of this season’s Enniscorthy Farm Systems Junior ‘A’ football championship, romping past St. Anne’s and into the final in St. Patrick’s Park on Friday.
As the score would suggest, the victors completely bossed the game, building a 3-10 to 0-1 interval lead before cantering over the finish line in the second-half.
Despite losing both group games to the semi-finalists on the other side of the draw, this is notice well and truly served on St. Martin’s, with the upcoming final set to be a fascinating contest.
A glance through the Bunclody teamsheet shows that this result was no fluke.
They are laced with talented players and with the likes of Darren Kehoe available to come off the bench, they will give their final opponents all they can handle.
Mickey ‘Baldy’ Connors scored a superbly-taken goal with just over a minute on the clock, a mere indication of what was to come. It was 1-3 to nil in the eleveth minute when the goalscorer turned provider for the excellent Jamie John Murphy to net with a clinical low finish.
A misplaced Niall Roche kickout sent John ‘Jotty’ Connors driving at the St. Anne’s defence in the 18th minute. He was clever, picking the perfect time to play Diarmuid Crean into the clear and the Bunclody wing-forward smashed to the net.
Five of the six starting Bunclody forwards were on the scoresheet by the time St. Anne’s picked off their first point in injury time. It was a rare foray into their opponents’ half that ended with Graham Holmes hitting the target from Roy Nunn’s pass (3-10 to 0-1 at the break).
With Holmes and Niall Gilbane involved in the build-up, Conor Hannigan scored a well-taken major early in the second-half. However, little changed and Half Way House remained completely dominant.
‘Baldy’ Connors registered a long-range, floated, dipping goal in the 42nd minute to make it 4-13 to 1-2.
Towards the end Mickey Con- nors - only on the field a couple of minutes - was fouled. Christopher Atkinson stepped up and fired the resulting penalty past Roche to wrap up a really impressive Bunclody win.
HWH-Bunclody: John Byrne; Paul Jackman, Fergal Kelly, Conor Hendrick (0-1); Paddy Dunbar, Thomas O’Neill, Seán Nolan; James Taylor, Christopher Atkinson (1-1, 1-0 pen.); Jamie John Murphy (1-4), Timmy Bolger, Diarmuid Crean (1-1); John ‘Jotty’ Connors (03), Mickey ‘Baldy’ Connors (2-1), David Reck (0-6, 1 free). Subs. - Gearóid Roberts for J. Connors (35), Darren Murphy for Crean (40), Adam Sadler for Hendrick (43), Darren Kehoe (0-1) for Bolger (45), Seán Taylor for Kelly (48), Mickey Connors for ‘Baldy’ Connors (52).
St. Anne’s: Niall Roche; Gavin O’Brien, Thomas Byrne, Seán Redmond; Vincent Carroll, Joe O’Connor, Paul McDonnell; Graham Holmes (0-3, 2 frees), Jess Codd; Roy Nunn, Conor Hannigan (1-0), Jim Dwyer; Gavin Howlett, Davy Kelly, Kevin Redmond. Subs. - Wayne Hayes for Howlett (31), Niall Gilbane for Kelly (31), Diarmuid Kelly for Dwyer (31), Dwyer for Redmond (39), Howlett for Codd (41), Kelly for Dwyer (58).
Referee: Shane Quinn (Réalt na Mara).