Pat’s weren’t at the races

OYLEGATE-G’BRIEN ST. PATRICK’S 2-20 0-7

OYLEGATE-GLENBRIEN powered into the EEW All-County Hurling League Division 6 final with a comprehensive victory over St. Patrick’s in Oylegate on Tuesday.

The boys in blue were by far the better side in this one-sided affair, taking scores with ease whereas St. Patrick’s struggled for the duration of the game, with Mark Furlong their only scorer.

It was evident early on that this game was only going one way as the home side raced to a five-point lead inside as many minutes thanks to Conor Nolan, Barry Doyle, Marty Kelly and Barry Dunne.

Mark Furlong responded with two well-taken frees but the eventual winners continued to split the posts with the Dunne brothers, Barry and Joe, looking deadly accurate, hitting six points between them going into the final ten minutes.

Furlong did his best to keep his side in it with two more scores but his good work was undone by a Pa Cullen goal which gave Oylegate-Glenbrien a ten-point lead at half-time.

The second-half unfolded much like the first, with some strong defending from Pádraig O’Connor and good work in midfield from Anthony Doyle ensuring the home continued to dominate proceedings.

Joe Dunne was a thorn in the side of the St. Patrick’s defence while Barry was making no mistake from placed balls.

The lead was stretched to twelve going into the final quarter, with Furlong hitting two more frees to bring his and his side’s tally to seven.

Oylegate-Glenbrien showed no mercy in the final quarter as the hard-working Pa Cullen hit the net twice and the Dunnes hit late points.

Oylegate-Glenbrien: Kevin Cosgrave; Aidan Murphy, Pádraig O’Connor, Lee Kehoe; Peter Rowley, Daithí O’Mahaoney, Gary Conroy; Anthony Doyle, Brian Doran; Barry Doyle (0-1), Pa Cullen (2-3), Conor Nolan (0-2); Barry Dunne (0-9, 7 frees), Marty Kelly (0-2), Joe Dunne (0-3). Subs. - Pierce Murphy for B. Doyle, Fiachra Hourihane for Nolan, Adrian Nolan for J. Dunne, Conor Hill for Conroy, Evan Kelly for Kehoe.

St. Patrick’s: Gary Curley; David Grannell, John Cousins, Brian Cadigan; James Cousins, Kyle Byrne, Seán Kavanagh; Glen Carter, Damien Grannell; Mark Furlong (0-7, 5 frees), Paul McDonald, Andy Doyle; Ashley Tully, Niall O’Brien, Gavin Morris. Subs. - Dylan Kavanagh for David Grannell, Seán Redmond for Morris, John Morris for Tully.

Referee: Roly Buckley (Ballyhogue).