Durable Duffry win
Rovers wear down their game rivals
DUFFRY ROVERS 4-10 R’GAROGUE-C’TOWN 1-12
WHEN DUFFRY Rovers went in at the interval leading this Enniscorthy Guardian Under-15 hurling Roinn 1 shield decider by the minimum, there was very little to suggest that the second-half would be anything other than a huge battle.
In truth, the Coolree side should have considered themselves a little fortunate to hold that advantage in St. Patrick’s Park, Enniscorthy, recently.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown had played some lovely hurling in the period, scoring 1-9, but they were struggling to keep the ball out of their own net.
Rovers had 3-4 on the board and, unbeknown to the gathered crowd, they had displayed the exact qualities that would push them to success.
There was no secret to what they wanted to do, as the Duffry were strong and physical and it wore down their more sprightly opposition.
There is nobody that epitomises this Duffry team more than Ciarán Doyle. He is the kind of inspirational figure that lifts this whole 15, and when Doyle started to motor his side responded.
They were magnificent in the second-half, almost completely dominant.
After a quiet start, Doyle pulled a long Dylan Purcell ball past Brian Dillon to the net.
Purcell and Jason Sheridan added points to give the Duffry a 1-2 to nil lead after 13 minutes, but Rathgarogue-Cushinstown soon took over.
With Matthew Murphy knocking over frees and midfielders James
Quinn and Oisín Mac Eochaidh on target too, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown moved 0-7 to 1-2 ahead.
They looked in complete control when Quinn’s long ball broke off Seán O’Brien to Mac Eochaidh and he found the net.
However, Purcell and Doyle both goaled in the final five minutes of the half to give their side a 3-4 to 1-9 lead.
After scoring the last two points of the period through Niall Kehoe and Murphy, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown got the first two after the break from Ryan O’Connor and Murphy to regain the lead.
Yet they managed just one more score as the Duffry took complete control. Purcell got the critical fourth goal in the 40th minute from Seán O’Brien’s pass, and they continued to tack on points throughout the half to snag the shield with plenty to spare.
Duffry Rovers: Michael Murphy; Liam Redmond, Pádraig Walters,
Callum Boyce; David Nolan, Joshua Doyle (joint capt.), Danny Fitzhenry; Cathal O’Gorman, Dawit Bakale; Dylan Purcell (joint capt., 2-5, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65), Robbie Chapman, Jason Sheridan (0-3); James Lawless, Ciarán Doyle (2-2), Jacques Neville. Subs. - Mervyn Rogan for Neville (31), also Noel Cowman, Ryan Purcell, Luke Jordan, Dylan Cooper, John Kavanagh, Cillian Hanrahan, Tomás Walsh.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: Brian Dillon; Conor Kavanagh, Brian Whitty, Seán Barry; Jess Keevey, Luke O’Dwyer, Oisín Heaphy; James Quinn (0-1 free), Oisín Mac Eochaidh (1-1); Richard Murphy, Niall Kehoe (0-2), Peter McGrath; Matthew Murphy (0-7, 5 frees), Seán O’Brien, Ryan O’Connor (0-1). Subs. - James Kehoe for R. Murphy (31), also Oisín McAuliffe, Shane Clifford, Cael Colfer, Bobby McGrath, Charlie McGrath, Jamie Sinnott, Cormac O’Neill, Ben Myers, Conor Rossiter, Liam O’Neill.
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).