Naomh Eanna take the spoils
Gorey men see off Harriers
NAOMH EANNA FAYTHE HARRIERS 1-16 0-13
NAOMH EANNA ended Faythe Harriers season after a second-half comeback during their Group ‘B’ game in the Pettits Senior Hurling Championship in St. Patricks Park on Sunday.
In truth, the game was heavily influenced by a strong wind and the winners were always going to be the team that used the breeze to their advantage better.
The Wexford town team started with the environmental advantage and raced into an eight point to two lead inside the opening 20 minutes. Lee Chin was responsible for over half of his side’s early scores as persistent Gorey fouling allowed the Wexford man numerous dead ball opportunities which, utilising the fierce wind, he wasn’t shy of putting away.
Johnny Bridges, Mikey Hanrahan and Wayne Mallon all pointed impressively to add to Chin’s tally and with a reply of just two minors from Padraig Doyle and Conor McDonald, the Harriers appeared to be utilising the wind well.
Another Harriers burst in the final ten minutes with the wind on their side would have made Gorey’s second-half task all the more difficult, but the Faythe appeared to ease off at this vital time.
The final third of the half was tied at three points apiece as Naomh Eanna found some fight. Doyle fired over a brace and Gearoid Cullen found McDonald who pointed. Chin added another in injury time for the town side as Bridges and Podge Farrell were on target, giving the Harriers a 0-11 to 0-5 lead at the break.
It didn’t take Gorey long with the wind to narrow the deficit. Doyle and McDonald pointed early before the latter saw an effort at goal pop up off the ground and deflect over off of goalkeeper Ian Scallan’s helmet.
They had levelled it up by the 45th minute as The Faythe were still looking for their first score of the half. Darragh Hughes’ only point was backed up by one more each for McDonald and Doyle.
Doyle and Conor Hughes had Gorey ahead but two Chin frees answered initial Naomh Eanna attempts to run away with the game.
The Harriers were architects of their own downfall in many ways in the second half and nothing represents that fact more than the only goal of the game.
A misplaced puck-out was seized by McDonald and rightfully punished by the full-forward as he finished low into the bottom right corner.
As much as they tried, the Harriers never looked like recovering from that killer goal. They floated balls inside the 21 metre line but Gorey defended well and countered with purpose. Doyle added his seventh before a brace of fine McDonald points from distance capped off the win.
After this vital victory, Naomh Eanna will advance to a place the championship quarter-finals opposite Oylegate-Glenbrien.
NAOMH EANNA: Barry Kinsella; Pedro Travers, Brendan Travers (capt.), Eoin Molloy; Jack Cullen, Sean Doyle, Gary Molloy; Aodhan Doyle, Conor Hughes (0-1); Darragh Hughes (0-1), Padraig Doyle (0-7), Eoin Conroy; Gearoid Cullen, Conor McDonald (1-7), David O’Brien. Subs: William Cullen for Gearoid Cullen (52), Charlie McGuckin for O’Brien (59), Lee Kinsella for Conroy (63).
FAYTHE HARRIERS: Ian Scallan; Cormac Byrne, Colm Heffernan, Richie Kehoe; Brendan Mulligan (capt.), Ross Lynch, Jim Berry; Mikey Hanrahan (0-1), Alex Lynch; Wayne Mallon (0-1), Lee Chin (0-8, 7 frees, 1 65’), Johnny Bridges (0-2); David Mooney, Podge Farrell (0-1), Rhys Clarke. Subs: Kevin Gore for Berry (49).
REFEREE: Justin Heffernan (Blackwater).