Oulart-The Ballagh on top

OULART-BALLAGH M’TOWN-C’RELL

TWO GOALS in as many minutes gave Oulart-The Ballagh the foothold as they produced a dominant second-half display to ease past Marshalstown-Castledockrell in the opening round of the Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship in Camolin on Sunday.

After a tightly-contested opening half where there was only the minimum separating the sides, Oulart-The Ballagh put in a typical performance by scoring 2-5 in the third quarter, with excellent displays from Peadar Mythen, Ben O’Connor and Tomás Dunne giving their opponents no chance of a revival.

The Farmleigh-based side were well up for it at the start of this Group B game and had a bright beginning, going ahead by 0-3 to 0-1 after seven minutes, with Diarmuid Doyle and Colm Bennett looking impressive.

They were unlucky not to bag a goal but teenage attacker Doyle was bottled up just as he was about to take his shot.

The eventual victors were steadied by Mythen, O’Connor and Dunne, allowing them to find their rhythm and eventually go two points up nearing half-time, but another monstrous effort by Colm Bennett left the minimum in it at the break.

After Colm Quigley and Peadar Mythen exchanged scores just after the re-start, it was still very hard to pick a winner but then, Oulart-The Ballagh really turned on the style.

Dunne put them two ahead before O’Connor’s effort for a point dropped short and slipped through Mark Brennan’s fingers, falling into the Marshalstown-Castledockrell net.

Dunne and O’Connor were involved minutes later as they linked up to put Cormac Finn through for a well-taken goal, and with further points from Mythen and Michael Jacob, it was double scores midway through the half.

Marshalstown-Castledockrell just had too much to do and the only real threat they could pose was when ‘Mitch’ Jordan doubled on a high delivery which went inches wide, as the victors hit a further seven points before the end.

Oulart-The Ballagh: James O’Toole; Seán Murphy, Nicholas Cullen, Ian Storey; Craig Davitt, Dennis Morton, Niall Redmond; Cormac Finn (1-1), Tomás Dunne (0-2); Peadar Mythen (0-8, 4 frees, 1 ’65), Ben O’Connor (1-5), Adam Nolan; Daryl Gray (0-2), Michael Jacob (0-2), Cathal Kenny. Sub. - Darren Nolan for Gray.

Marshalstown-Castledockrell: Mark Brennan; Ken Doyle, Jack Quigley, Joe Kelly; David O’Connor, Colm Bennett (0-2), Mark Morris; Michael Morris, Joe Cullen; Michael Kinsella, James Finn (0-1), Eoin Bennett (0-4, 1 ’65); Colm Quigley (0-1), Micheál Jordan, Diarmuid Doyle (0-3 frees). Sub. - James Farrell for Finn.

Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).