Four county players make life a lot easier for Naomh Eanna

NAOMH EANNA RAPPAREES

THE PRESENCE or otherwise of four county players would make an immense difference to any team, and the Naomh Eanna Under-20 hurlers underlined that point with an extremely easy win over Rapparees in their Greenstar Division 1B championship clash on a rock-hard Páirc Uí Shíocháin, Gorey, on Thursday.

The home team had conceded their previous game to Ferns St. Aidan’s in the absence of Gary and Eoin Molloy, Jack Cullen and Jack Cushe, but all four were back on board as a first win of the campaign was forged in this one-sided contest.

Cullen blasted home the first goal from a penalty in the twelfth minute, awarded for a foul on corner-forward Eddie O’Brien-Murphy (1-3 to 0-3).

Rapparees had led once beforehand after a hat-trick of Craig Foley frees, but they fell away rapidly and it was 2-11 to 0-5 by the break after Charlie McGuckin added the second Gorey goal.

When the same player netted again less than one minute into the new half, the only matter to be decided was the eventual margin of victory.

And that was extended to 25 points by the end as county Under-21 goalkeeper Jack Cushe - operating at centre half-forward - blasted home two goals on either side of the fifth from Eddie O’Brien-Murphy.

Seán Delaney, Cillian Donohoe and Jack Doran were among the leading lights for the victors, while J.P. Farrell made his fair share of saves for the Rapps who played the last ten minutes with 14 men after Cian Hanley received a second yellow card.

The margin of the win left Naomh Eanna second in the table on score difference.

Naomh Eanna: Aaron Byrne; Seamus O’Donnell, Eoin Molloy, Seán Dowling; Darragh Canavan, Gary Molloy (capt., 0-1), Seán Delaney (0-2); Jack Cullen (1-7, 0-4 frees, 1-0 pen., 0-1 line ball), Nathan Byrne (0-1); Charlie McGuckin (2-0), Jack Cushe (2-3), Cian Kenny; Eddie O’Brien-Murphy (1-1), Cillian Donohoe (0-2), Jack Doran (0-2). Subs. - Larry Cullen (0-1) for Canavan (43), Jordan Nolan for Doran (46), Martin Kavanagh for Dowling (49), Eoin Collins for McGuckin (53), Paddy Dwyer for N. Byrne (55).

Rapparees: J.P. Farrell; Aaron Browne, Nathan O’Connor, Jack Doyle; Mick Dempsey (0-1), Ronan Kirwan (capt.), Cian Hanley; Anthony Murphy, John Murphy (0-2); Craig Foley (0-7, 6 frees), Jack Mythen (0-1), Tomás Wildes; Willo Doyle (0-2), Bradley Fortune, Robbie O’Neill. Sub. - Floyd Murphy for Wildes (36).

Referee: James Owens (Askamore).