Stunning Shels recovery
SHELMALIERS TARA ROCKS 1-17 0-17
SHELMALIERS PRODUCED a stunning final quarter recovery to dramatically defeat Tara Rocks by 1-17 to 0-17 in Saturday’s enjoyable Top Oil Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship Group A encounter played in favourable conditions in Monamolin.
The lead had oscillated back and forth in a competitive opening quarter, with nice points from Conor Byrne and Denis Kelly doing damage for Shelmaliers, and Dean O’Toole keeping Tara Rocks ticking over with three frees.
But when Stephen Hughes put the Gorey District side 0-5 to 0-4 in front in the twelfth minute, they were never headed again until ten minutes from time.
Patrick Fortune added a point on the second attempt for the longtime leaders, while a brilliant catch and dispatch from long range by Conor Devitt helped Tara Rocks into a 0-10 to 0-8 lead at half-time.
And although they were marginally less wasteful than their Over The Water opponents, and had ten different scorers from play, including everyone from number six upwards, they were ultimately undone by a lack of urgency in the new half.
That said, things looked rosy enough as Tara Rocks kept the scoreboard ticking over, but Shelmaliers slowly started to up the ante.
The goal that swung the momentum back in their favour came courtesy of Páraic O’Leary on 45 minutes when he swept the rebound to the net after his initial effort was kept out (0-15 to 1-11). Byrne supplied the leveller from a free soon after, while the elusive Michael Feeney pointed the Shels into the lead for only the second time after winning dirty ball.
Three Byrne scores (including one free and one ‘65), and Feeney’s fourth gave the Shels a three-point cushion with two minutes remaining, and it was a matter of hanging tight as Tara Rocks threw the kitchen sink at them in injury time.
A couple of Rocks frees were hung dangerously on the edge of the square, with Benny Barron making a great block when one threatened to be seized upon at the death.
Shelmaliers: Brian Murphy; Benny Barron (0-1), Eoin O’Leary (capt.), Aaron Doyle; Chris Cowman, Craig Parker, Johnny Campbell; Liam Rockett, Denis Kelly (0-1); Páraic O’Leary (1-1), Conor Byrne (0-9, 5 frees, 1 ‘65), Ryan Hanrahan; Michael Feeney (0-4), Ronan Kavanagh (0-1), Kyle Roche. Subs. - Adam Hearne for Kelly (HT), Kevin O’Leary for Campbell (40).
Tara Rocks: Tom Hughes; Aidan Jones (capt.), Edward Hughes, Rhys Owley; Jim Hughes, Conor Devitt (0-1), Mark Boland (0-1); Paudie Hughes (02), Niall Breen (0-2); Stephen Hughes (0-1), Dean O’Toole (0-6, 4 frees), Bobby Hughes (0-1); Patrick Fortune (0-1), Peter Hughes (0-1), Ben O’Connor (01). Subs. - Lee Owley for Fortune (46), Martin Sheehan for P. Hughes (57).
Referee: Paddy Brady (Ballygarrett).