Maloney hits the target
OUR LADY’S ISLAND 4-17 M’TOWN-C’RELL 0-9
FULL-FORWARD Dean Maloney was to the fore as he threaded the important scores to save Our Lady’s Island’s status with an eventual comfortable victory over a disappointing Marshalstown-Castledockrell side in this Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship relegation final in Oylegate on Sunday.
The winning margin was 20 points which was no surprise given the second-half dominance of the eventual winners, when even playing into the wind.
They reserved probably their most impressive display of the campaign for their final game, and such was their attacking instinct that the final result was a foregone conclusion even before the interval.
It was a disappointing day for Marshalstown-Castledockrell whose Parish Priest, Fr. Danny McDonald, was celebrating the 40th anniversary of his ordination. But there was to be no celebration on the playing field as they were hopelessly outclassed over the 60 minutes.
Three quickfire points had the Island in front, with Maloney crashing home the opening goal after eight minutes.
When Noel Dempsey added the second after 22 minutes, it helped the south county side into an eventual 2-10 to nil lead.
Diarmuid Doyle had his side’s opening point just on the break, while Johnny Frayne added a second in additional time, but a Maloney pointed free gave the eventual winners a comfortable 2-11 to 0-2 interval lead.
Our Lady’s Island continued to produce some fine hurling on the resumption, with the only response from a disappointing opposition coming in the form of Diarmuid Doyle pointed frees.
Just to demonstrate their total dominance, the Island finished with goals from Fintan Mullins and Maloney to end their campaign on a high, salvaging their status in the process, while sending their opponents crashing down to Junior ranks next season.
Our Lady’s Island: Alan Kinsella; Davy Corish, Eoin Kinsella, Rory Reville; Aaron Corish, Cathal Devereux, Dylan Murphy; Liam Kinsella (0-2 ‘65s), Joey Murphy; Darragh Sinnott, Nicky Keane (0-1), Quinn Saunders (0-6); Fintan Mullins (1-1), Noel Dempsey (1-0), Dean Maloney (2-6, 0-5 frees). Subs. - Cian Meyler for Sinnott, Dean Corish for Dempsey, David Pettit (0-1) for Mullins, Josh Burke for Davy Corish.
Marshalstown/Castledockrell: Mark Quigley; Josh Quigley, Michael Kelly, Ken Doyle; Eoghan Ryan, Colm Bennett, Eoin Bennett (0-1); John Cullen (0-1), Johnny Frayne (0-1); Michael Kinsella, Michael Morris, James Farrell; Micheál Jordan, James Finn, Diarmuid Doyle (0-5 frees). Subs. - Mark Brennan for M. Quigley, inj., Joe Kelly for Kinsella (temp.), Kelly for Jordan, Colm Quigley (0-1) for Finn, Tomás Bennett for Kinsella.
Referee: Shane Quinn (Ballygarrett).