Ballygarrett blitz Anne’s

BALLYGARRETT ST. ANNE’S 2-17 2-8

A LIGHTNING start from Ballygarrett paved the way for a comfortable win over St. Anne’s in Group A of The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship in St. Patrick’s Park on Saturday.

The Gorey District side got two early goals on the board through Jack Hobbs and Cathal Dunbar, helping them to a 2-7 to 0-2 lead on 18 minutes, and try as they might St. Anne’s never really looked like dragging themselves back into the game thereafter.

After Mikey Fogarty plundered the opening point with just 20 seconds on the clock, a fired-up Ballygarrett took the game by the scruff of the neck, scoring 2-2 without reply.

The opening goal arrived in the seventh minute when Stephen Redmond boomed a delivery into the danger zone and Jack Hobbs fired a ground stroke to the net, and the celebrations had barely died down when the green flag was waving again.

Cathal Dunbar gathered possession and hared forward with intent, before unleashing an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net.

Ballygarrett continued to outbattle their opponents, and with Jack Hobbs accurate from placed balls, an inspirational 19th-minute effort from Tom Sinnott stretched their lead out to eleven.

St. Anne’s gave themselves a semblance of hope on 21 minutes when Diarmuid O’Keeffe dropped in a free and Jonathan Fogarty got the final touch to help the ball past Shane Quinn.

However, they couldn’t bridge that gap any further before the interval, with points from Jess Codd, Seamus Mythen and Mark Furlong cancelled out by Jack Hobbs (two) and Cathal Dunbar.

St. Anne’s began the second-half with a bit of fire in their bellies and had a sniff of a goal chance just 30 seconds in, but Jonathan Fogarty blazed his shot narrowly over the bar after being found by Diarmuid O’Keeffe.

Ballygarrett were far from fazed though, with Jack Hobbs continuing to punish any indiscretions, and when Colm Kennelly fired over a point on 58 minutes it gave them a double scores advantage (2-16 to 1-8).

St. Anne’s grabbed a consolation goal just after the watch had ticked into injury time, when Diarmuid O’Keeffe gathered a pass from Tomás Cullen and angled a rasping drive to the far corner of the net.

However, it was fitting that Jack Hobbs had the final say, arrowing over a free in the fourth minute of time added on to bring his personal tally to 1-13.

Ballygarrett: Shane Quinn; Eddie Redmond, John Doyle, Aidan Murphy; Tom Sinnott (0-1), Stephen Redmond, Darren Morris; Colm Kennelly (0-1), Eoin Corcoran; Kevin Jordan, Seamus Doyle, Cathal Dunbar (1-2); Jimmy Murphy, Colm Cosgrave, Jack Hobbs (1-13, 0-11 frees, 0-1 ‘65). Subs. - Oisín Dunbar for Cosgrave, Patrick Fleming for Corcoran, Seán O’Brien for Dunbar.

St. Anne’s: Redmond Barry; Kevin White, Tomás Cullen, Kenny Cloney; Páraic O’Keeffe, Diarmuid O’Keeffe (1-0), Aidan Rochford; Mark Furlong (0-3 frees), Seamus Mythen (0-1); Brian Kavanagh (0-1), Jonathan Fogarty (1-1), Jess Codd (0-1); Andy Kennedy, Liam Rochford, Mikey Fogarty (0-1). Sub. - Ben Moore for J. Fogarty.

Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).