Surge seals Gusserane win
A FINAL quarter surge enabled Gusserane to emerge with an eight-point victory over Faythe Harriers in this Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship Group B game in Taghmon.
Both sides were competitive right through the 60 minutes, but Gusserane opened brightly to move into a 1-3 to 0-1 lead by the fifth minute when a Gary O’Grady 30-metre free ended in the corner of the net.
The town side, pushed on by Senior player Jim Berry, who missed out on their win over Rapparees through a suspension carried over from last year, hauled his side back into contention with pointed frees, while his 19th-minute goal from a 25-metre free edged his side in front by 1-5 to 1-4. The sides continued to trade points, going in level (1-7 each) at the break.
Gusserane looked the better prepared side for a battle, with Gary O’Grady and Fintan Ryan points leaving them leading by 1-12 to 1-8 by the end of the third quarter.
With Mark Rossiter and Sam Wall picking off some excellent points, they gradually edged further in front despite having Seán Kinsella straight red-carded nine minutes from the end, having pulled the helmet off an opposing player during a brief skirmish.
Four minutes from the end a Paul Gannon goal reduced the deficit to four points (1-16 to 2-9), but Gusserane - with points from Wall and Mark Rossiter - closed out the game for a well-deserved victory.
Gusserane: Micheál Ryan; Robert Browne, Paul Wall, Jack O’Connor; Liam Dillon, Shane Cullen, Gavin Sheehan; Mark Rossiter (0-4 frees), Páraic Conway (0-1); Mark O’Neill (0-2), Graeme Cullen, Gary O’Grady (1-6, 1-4 frees); Seán Ryan (0-2), John Roche (0-1), Sam Wall (0-5, 3 frees). Sub. - Seán Kinsella for O’Grady, inj. (45).
Faythe Harriers: Adam McDaid; Seán Banville, Seán Walsh, Cillian Lawlor; Jason O’Dowd, Emmet Keeling, Danny Walsh; Alan Lynch, Ben O’Brien; Eoin Roche, Shane Howard (0-2), Conor Halligan; Jack O’Leary (0-1), Jim Berry (1-6, 1-4 frees), Paul Gannon (1-1). Subs. - Damien Roche for Banville, inj. (15), John Cummins for Roche (45), Nicky Murphy for Halligan, inj. (50).
Referee: Lar Doyle (Taghmon-Camross).