Adamstown pip 13 men
ADAMSTOWN 0-12 OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN 1-8
ADAMSTOWN SURVIVED a late Oylegate-Glenbrien rally in this Permanent TSB Junior ‘B’ hurling championship semi-final in Killurin on Sunday to march on to a meeting with Crossabeg-Ballymurn in the decider.
The New Ross District champions were the better side throughout but somehow found themselves only one point ahead with minutes remaining, after a late goal from the Enniscorthy District victors.
The opening quarter was a scrappy affair with neither side settling into the game as they would have liked, with Shane Bradley and Johnny Connors doing the honours for Adamstown and Barry Doyle replying for Oylegate-Glenbrien.
The pace went up a notch before half-time after Paul Cooper saved Brian Doran’s penalty, and minutes later Jack Reck’s goalbound effort went inches over the crossbar.
Connors was deadly accurate from placed balls and traded scores with Reck and Doran before he gave his side a two-point lead just minutes before the break.
Things got worse for Oylegate-Glenbrien moments later when Daithí O’Mahoney was shown a red card for a late slap on his direct opponent.
In the new half, it was all Adamstown as they brought Shane Bradley back to play a sweeping role, allowing his side to hold their opponents to just one point in the third quarter, while Connors and Vinny Doheny hit two points each along with a point from Paudge Kavanagh to put them six in front.
However, Oylegate-Glenbrien then began to chip away at the lead and, with two points from David O’Brien and a point from Pierce Murphy, the momentum began to swing in their favour.
It didn’t last, however, as David O’Brien was shown a red card with five minutes remaining, making it a real battle for scores.
Adamstown got what would be the insurance score through a wonderful strike from Doheny as Peter Nolan hit a late goal moments later to leave it a one-point game. After a frantic final minute, Adamstown held on for a deserved win and now face Crossabeg-Ballymurn in the final.
Adamstown: Paul Cooper; James Furlong, Colm Boland, J.P. Furlong; Michael Doran, Michael Curtis, Mosey Delaney; Paudge Wickham, Tomás Harrington; Adam French, Vinny Doheny (0-3), Tomás French; Paudge Kavanagh (0-1), Johnny Connors (0-7 frees), Shane Bradley (0-1). Sub. - Donal Cosgrave for T. French, inj.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Eddie Mernagh; Kieran Lambert, Aidan Murphy, David Phillips; Pádraig O’Connor, Dáithí O’Mahoney, Ciarán O’Brien; Jack Reck (0-2), Brian Doran (0-1); Ryan Hill, Peter Nolan (1-0), Evan Kelly; Barry Doyle (0-1), Stephen McCormack (0-1), Pierce Murphy (01). Subs. - John Reck for Kelly, David O’Brien (0-2 frees) for Hill, Hill for McCormack, Niall Kinsella for Doyle.
Referee: Stephen Burke (Volunteers).