Rosslare squander twelve-point lead but battle back for victory

ST. MARY’S (R’LARE) 2-18 CLONGEEN 3-13

HAVING LED by twelve points at one stage, St. Mary’s (Rosslare) had to dig deep before eventually emerging with a narrow two-point victory over Clongeen in this Permanent TSB Junior hurling championship Group B game in Taghmon on Sunday.

The seasiders dominated the opening 20 minutes to surge into a 1-9 to nil lead, with the goal coming in the eighth minute through Paul Kinsella.

With Lee Devereux and Tiarnan Rossiter picking off some excellent points, it was all one-way traffic, with Clongeen having to wait until the 21st minute for their opening score, a Shane Cahill point.

St. Mary’s still led by 1-10 to 0-2 after 25 minutes, but a Jim Bennett goal handed Clongeen a lifeline although they still went in trailing by 1-11 to 1-4 at the interval.

The fine hurling of Shane Cahill at midfield inspired Clongeen through the second period.

After Lee Devereux and Cahill had exchanged points, Clongeen struck for their second goal after 35 minutes when Enda Murphy batted a loose clearance to the net, reducing the deficit to 1-12 to 2-5.

Clongeen proved the better side through the early second-half exchanges, as Jim Bennett and Cahill tagged on further points.

And when Cahill went on to add three further unanswered points, two from play, amazingly Clongeen were in front by 2-10 to 1-12 after 44 minutes.

St. Mary’s hit back for points from Larry Morrissey (two) and Lee Devereux, while a 54th-minute Paul Kinsella goal pushed them St. Mary’s had stretched into a 2-18 to 2-13 lead when Shane Cahill goaled from a free in additional time, but it was too little, too late to alter the result.

St. Mary’s (Rosslare): Niall Walsh; Emmet Byrne, Conor Cafferkey, Gearóid Byrne; Larry Morrissey (02), David Murphy, Ned Power; Paul Kinsella (2-2), Tiarnan Rossiter (0-3); Ultan Quirke (0-1), Robert Butler (0-1), Jason Ellard (0-1); Lee Devereux (0- 8, 6 frees), Naomhan Rossiter, Rees Broaders. Sub. - Daire Heffernan for Quirke.

Clongeen: Ricky Rochford; Donal Whelan, Anton Stafford, Davy O’Grady; Tom Donovan, Donal Murphy, Richard Rochford; Shane Cahill (1-10, 1-6 frees), Enda Murphy (1-0); Ger Foxe, Paul Cahill, Martin Delaney; Paul Curtis (0-1), Barry Foxe, Jim Bennett (1-2).

Referee: John Tobin (Geraldine O’Hanrahans).