Bragging rights for Rocks

TARA ROCKS 0-20 LIAM MELLOWS 1-11

TARA ROCKS earned the local bragging rights as they outgunned keen rivals Liam Mellows in Group B of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.

After a tardy enough start, which saw them trailing by 0-4 to 0-2 after twelve minutes, the Rocks assumed control, picking off a succession of points to ease them into an eight-point lead by the interval (0-14 to 0-6).

A fortuitous goal from the impressive Colin Kennedy with ten minutes remaining did briefly raise hopes of a Liam Mellows revival, but they couldn’t bridge the gap any further against their determined opponents.

Mellows began brightly with Colin Kennedy (two), Joe Gardiner and Richard Farrell slotting over points, but scores seemed to come easier for Tara Rocks once they found their feet.

The losers were also guilty of coughing up too many scoreable frees, with six of Dean O’Toole’s seven first-half points coming from placed balls, while Tommy Boland also chipped in with a couple of nice points from play.

Liam Mellows briefly rallied after the interval, with Colin Kennedy scoring three of the first four points, but Tara Rocks were soon back into their stride, with Niall Hughes popping over a couple of nice points from play to add to one in the first-half.

Substitute Bobby Hughes and Peter Hughes also claimed scores to help them to a 0-19 to 0-11 lead.

Liam Mellows then got the break they desperately craved when Colin Kennedy’s long ball into the danger zone deceived goalkeeper Tom Hughes and trickled into the net to bring them back to within touching distance (0-19 to 1-11).

However, they couldn’t build on their good fortune and a free from Dean O’Toole sealed the deal for Tara Rocks.

Tara Rocks: Tom Hughes; Aidan Jones, Edward Hughes, Cillian O’Toole; Niall Hughes (0-3), Brendan Hobbs, Mossy Owley; Niall Breen (01), Mark Boland; Peter Hughes (0-2), Tommy Boland (0-2), Richard Hughes (0-1); Dean O’Toole (0-9, 7 frees), Joe Bolger (0-1), Fionn Doyle. Subs. - Bobby Hughes (0-1) for T. Boland, Jim Hughes for Owley.

Liam Mellows: Darragh Murphy; Frank Roche, Conor Cleary, Risteárd Kinsella; Marc Halpin, Andy Merrigan, Aaron Condren; Colin Kennedy (1-8, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65, 0-1 line ball), Danny Gardiner; Stephen Maloney, Joe Gardiner (0-1), Colm Morris; Ross Cody, Richard Farrell (0-2), Conor Carty. Subs. - Seán Roche for Morris, Pádraig Byrne for Condren, Stephen Gardiner for Cody, Stephen O’Rafferty for Cody.

Referee: Barry Redmond

(Clonard).