Juniors complete dream weekend with convincing success
GLYNN-BARNTOWN 3-16 MONAGEER-BOOLAVOGUE 0-14
THERE WILL be a real buzz in training down in Killurin this week as Glynn-Barntown’s second string followed the example set by their first team in advancing to the semi-final of the Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship after a comfortable 3-16 to 0-14 win over Monageer-Boolavogue in Saturday’s quarter-final in a gloriously sunny Oylegate.
Less than 24 hours after their Seniors dethroned St. Martin’s at Chadwicks Wexford Park, they made the short spin up the N11 in high spirits, and ultimately the dynamism and pace of Kevin Mahoney and Cormac Cooney made a telling impact against a Monageer-Boolavogue side not lacking in effort.
The eventual victors built up an early head of steam through Aaron Kehoe’s free after a minute, while his bouncer inside allowed Michael Laffan to double their tally by four minutes.
Colm Moore picked off their third point soon after, but Monageer-Boolavogue sprung to life with the next three scores to level proceedings by the tenth minute.
Ronan O’Leary pointed from an unlikely angle on seven minutes, Niall Finn floated over after finding space, and the former converted a free tight to the stand sideline as they started to ask questions of Glynn-Barntown.
Finn was delegated a free role around the half-forward line by his mentors, and was picked out in the pocket from Seán
Murphy’s puck-out to give his side their sole taste of the lead after the first-half water break.
O’Leary made it 0-5 to 0-3 from another free, and when he added one more five minutes before half-time, they remained narrowly in front.
However, the game turned on 28 minutes when some brave defending from Barry Doyle earned a free out for Glynn-Barntown, and the ball eventually was transferred up to Laffan, who in turn supplied Mahoney to swipe to the net and ensure things remained deadlocked at 1-4 to 0-7 at half-time.
Cooney really impressed for Glynn-Barntown in the third quarter, scoring a nifty point just 29 seconds into the new half, and utilising a burst of speed before finding the range again in their next attack.
Craig Doyle was a calming influence off the bench too, and he combined cleverly with Laffan to slip in Cooney before the youngster finished low to the net with a precision strike.
And Kehoe (free), Mahoney, Pádraic Wafer and Craig Doyle, from an assist by fellow substitute Ian Moran, pushed Glynn-Barntown 2-10 to 0-9 in front by the 38th minute.
Monageer-Boolavogue kept plugging away though, and Finn’s fourth, along with Seán McCabe, Damien Fenlon and goalkeeper Murphy, who had initially seen a gamble from a close-in free well saved, brought them to within 2-16 to 0-14 with time rapidly depleting.
However, by the time Murphy made his way back to goal, Mahoney had drilled low to the corner of the net to book a deserved ticket to the last four for a club riding the crest of a wave.
Glynn-Barntown: P.J. Carley; Shane Doyle, Murtagh Joyce, Barry Doyle; Thomas Doyle, Shane Codd (capt.), Matthew Banville (0-2); Pádraic Wafer (0-1), Colm Moore (0-1); Kevin Mahoney (2-2), Cormac Rowe, Aaron Kehoe (0-4, 3 frees); J.J. Doyle, Michael Laffan (0-2), Cormac Cooney (1-2). Subs. - Craig Doyle (0-2) for Rowe (HT), Ian Moran for J.J. Doyle (HT).
Monageer-Boolavogue: Seán Murphy (01); Seán O’Leary, Ray O’Brien, Liam Gahan; Paddy Walsh, Shane Kehoe (capt.), James Donohoe; Ian Hawkins, Damien Fenlon (0-2); Conor Dolan, Seán McCabe (0-1), Morgan Gahan; Niall Finn (0-4), Colm O’Loughlin, Ronan O’Leary (0-6, 5 frees). Subs. - David Breen for O’Loughlin, inj. (17), Paddy Breen for Dolan (HT), Ryan Farrell-Kenna for M. Gahan (49), Ciarán Rochford for L.Gahan, inj. (56).
Referee: Ian Plunkett (Marshalstown-Castledockrell).