Captain Kelly sets example
Monageer-Boolavogue master the Duffry after 2-7 haul
MONAGEER-BOOLAVOGUE DUFFRY ROVERS 3-11 2-2
DARREN KELLY played the consummate captain’s role as his personal salvo of 2-7 guided Monageer-Boolavogue to the New Ross Standard Under-14 hurling Division 4 championship title with an impressive 3-11 to 2-2 victory over District rivals Duffry Rovers in the county final in St. Patrick’s Park.
Monageer-Boolavogue set the initiative from the very first whistle, and hardly faltered from that high intensity throughout the entire first-half as they built up a virtually unassailable interval advantage.
In fact, Duffry Rovers had hardly familiarised themselves with the surroundings by the time Monageer-Boolavogue registered 1-6 without reply by the twelfth minute.
Patrick Redmond set out their stall with a nice opener on the run after only 50 seconds, and Eoin Gahan knocked over another soon after, while Redmond registered his second scarcely two minutes in.
Kelly showcased the first part of his arsenal with a mid-range point on four minutes, and a free on eleven, before he robbed possession in the corner and dispatched low to the far corner to extend Monageer-Boolavogue’s ascendancy to 1-5 to no score.
Lee Sludds (free) broke the Duffry’s duck after 14 minutes, but the eventual victors really strengthened their hand four minutes before the break when Kelly’s free dropped short and Jim Walsh pounced on the loose ball to pull first time to the net and open up a 2-7 to 1-1 lead by half-time.
It must be said that the leaders took the foot off the gas after the break, as they were perfectly content to hang on to what they had, but they still subsequently outscored their opponents by 1-4 to 1-1 before the end.
The Coolroe-based youngsters did gain a brief lifeline when a free from under the stand by joint captain Tiarnan Fitzhenry deceived everyone as it dipped into the net three minutes into the new half (2-8 to 2-1).
Conor Sinnott also posted a fine point from a tricky angle during their most productive spell.
However, Monageer-Boolavogue responded like true champions, with Kelly producing a fine catch right at the edge of the square before having the wherewithal to finish to the net on 36 minutes.
And the same player fittingly tapped over two frees to secure the title for his side.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Euan Pender; Joe Ivory, Alan O’Neill, James De Lacey; Dylan Bradley, Fionn Walsh, T.J. Breen; Eoin Dolan, Patrick Redmond (0-2); Jason Breen, Eoin Gahan (0-2), James Donnelly; Ian Rigley, Darren Kelly (capt., 2-7, 0-5 frees), Jim Walsh (1-0). Subs. - Ryan Collier for Rigley, Joe Donnelly for J. Walsh, Killian Murphy for Bradley, Fionn O’Leary for Breen, also Johnny O’Brien, Seán Hayes, Dylan Brady.
Duffry Rovers: David Nolan; Cathal Cloke, Cathal O’Gorman, Danny Fitzhenry; Ian Blake (joint capt.), Tiarnan Fitzhenry (joint capt., 1-0 free), Callum Boyce; Lee Sludds (0-1 free), Gavin Roban; James Lawless, Joshua Doyle, Conor Sinnott (0-1); Ciarán Doyle, Evan O’Connor (1-0), James Lawless. Subs. - Seán Kelly for Sinnott, James Aylward for O’Connor, Jamie Blackburn for Lawless, also Liam Redmond, Dylan Purcell, Pádraigh Walters, Noel Cowman, Ryan Growler, Jacques Neville, Ryan Purcell.
Referee: Martin Quigley (Rathnure).