Monageer masters
Twenty-point win in one-sided derby
M’GEER-B’VOGUE OULART-BALLAGH
IT’S ALWAYS nice to beat a strong neighbouring club and gain some silverware in the process, and Monageer-Boolavogue did exactly that in considerable style when they swept Oulart-The Ballagh aside in the EEW All-County Hurling League Division 5 final in Fr. Murphy Park, Enniscorthy, on Sunday.
The cut and thrust that one would normally associate with a local derby was notable by its absence, but that was only because the winners were so superior that the outcome was a formality from the 40th minute onwards.
In mitigation, it was the Oulart-The Ballagh third string against the Monageer-Boolavogue seconds, and all three of the losers’ club teams have qualified for their finals - an outstanding achievement in itself.
Monageer-Boolavogue’s steady strides in hurling in recent times haven’t gone unnoticed, and on the basis of this win and last year’s campaigns, they are well capable of challenging for both Intermediate and Junior honours.
The writing was on the wall for Oulart-The Ballagh at half-time when they trailed by 0-9 to 0-6 after playing with the wind.
Their sole score from play arrived from midfielder Cathal Kenny in the 22nd minute, and otherwise they were totally reliant on the accuracy of Barry Sinnott from frees.
In contrast, Monageer-Boolavogue had nine different marksmen, with number 13 Peter Mernagh knocking over the placed balls while also operating effectively as an extra body in the middle third of the field.
Matthew Dunne, Ger Daly, David Mernagh and Brian O’Loughlin all contributed to that three-point interval lead too, and it was game over by the 40th minute when the score stood at 0-14 to 0-7.
Dunne soloed through the centre and goaled directly off his hurl in the 44th minute to widen the gap to twelve, while experienced substitute Niall O’Loughlin added a second major - the last score of a one-sided game - to seal an impressive Monageer-Boolavogue success.
Monageer-Boolavogue: Niall Finn; Seán O’Leary, Tomás O’Leary, Lee McHale; Micheál Gahan (0-2), Paddy Breen, Shane Kehoe; Seán McCabe, Damien Fenlon (capt., 0-1); Brian O’Loughlin (0-4), Ger Daly (0- 2), Mark Walsh (0-1); Peter Mernagh (0-8, 7 frees, 1 ’65), Matthew Dunne (1-1), David Mernagh (0-2). Subs. - Niall O’Loughlin (1-1) for Dunne (46), James Donohoe for Daly (50), Arran Breslin for McCabe (53), Paddy Walsh for Kehoe (60), also Art Sinnott, Morgan Gahan, Colm O’Loughlin, Dean Fenlon, Pádraig Walsh, Colin Hawkins, James Gahan, Robbie Donnelly.
Oulart-The Ballagh: Cathal Sinnott; Liam Roche, Richard Doyle, Niall Nimmo; Jack Roche, Darragh Nimmo (capt.), Micheál Doyle; Cathal Kenny (0-1), Ethan Freeman; James O’Toole, Stephen Doyle, Barry Sinnott (0-7, 6 frees, 1 ’65); Darryl Gray, Jamie Lacey, Robbie Dunne. Subs. - Lee Hore for S. Doyle (HT), Jack Rossiter for Freeman (41), Tom Harpur for Gray (47), Ian Codd for O’Toole (50), also Robert Foley, Nathan O’Hanlon, Michael O’Dowd.
Referee: Martin Quigley (Rathnure).