Goals key for Gorey
Glynn-Barntown in dire need of win
NAOMH EANNA GLYNN-BARNTOWN 3-14 0-17
THE TWO teams recorded 17 scores apiece in Bellefield on Tuesday, but Naomh Eanna enjoyed the goal-scoring knack that deserted Glynn-Barntown and it powered them to a second win from three outings in Group B of the Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship.
Indeed, the losers will look back with regret on their failure to create even one decent chance to raise a green flag, whereas the ever-improving Gorey side made the most of their opportunities.
The first goal arrived in the 16th minute and brought Naomh Eanna level (1-3 to 0-6), with centre-forward Pádraig Doyle getting a deft flick on Barry Kinsella’s puck-out to put the ball into the path of county Under-21 Gary Molloy. He split the defence wide open with his run before parting at the perfect time to Conor McDonald who shot low to the net across the body of county colleague Mark Fanning.
The sides shared six rapid-fire points over the next four minutes before Naomh Eanna moved into a 2-7 to 0-10 lead thanks to a fine individual goal by recent acquisition Cathal Dunbar.
Glynn-Barntown were still well in contention at half-time when they trailed by 2-9 to 0-13, but their meagre second period sum of just four points tells its own story.
Indeed, their last score from play arrived a mere 21 seconds after the re-start courtesy of captain Gary Moore who had moved into corner-forward at a very early stage.
Naomh Eanna weren’t that prolific after the break either in a half dominated by defenders, but that all-important third goal arrived in the 50th minute and gave them the daylight they craved.
It was a route one effort, as a Barry Kinsella puck-out fell kindly for Aodhán Doyle who raced into the open space ahead of him before coolly putting a low shot into the corner well out of Fanning’s reach (3-12 to 0-16).
Just three more scores were registered afterwards, including a brace for the winners who only require one more point from their last two games to be completely sure of reaching the knockout stages for the third year running.
With Glynn-Barntown only on one point, their last match against fellow strugglers Ferns St. Aidan’s looks like taking on huge significance in the battle to avoid a one-off relegation clash.
That promises to be an interesting outing for manager Michael Laffan who was in charge of the Gorey District side last year, but first up is a derby against high-flying Oylegate-Glenbrien on August 25.
Referee Philip Murphy seemed to have a tough night in store on his Senior hurling debut when all 28 outfield players swarmed to the scene of a midfield scuffle before the ball was thrown in.
Thankfully order was restored without any cards being shown, and the players got on with the real business of the evening without any further incidents.
However, it was amusing to hear a Gorey mentor claiming that the free count was 15-3 against his side at one stage in the first-half. In actual fact, there was an even 7-7 split when I totted my figures at the interval, so I can only assume he wasn’t being serious.
Glynn-Barntown opened brightly with points from Rowan White, John Leacy (free) and Daire Barron, and they remained ahead until that McDonald goal brought the sides level for the first time at the start of the second quarter.
Free-takers Pádraig Doyle (two) and Darragh Hughes had opened the Gorey account, and that green flag was their first score from play.
Gary Moore grabbed a sweet point from a line ball on the left, and Michael O’Regan also registered the first of his seven successful frees prior to the Naomh Eanna goal.
Momentum swung towards the north county side afterwards as Cathal Dunbar put them ahead before Pádraig Doyle added another point from a ‘65 (1-5 to 0-6).
It remained tight up to half-time though, with the margin only rising over the two-point mark on one occasion when Dunbar goaled.
He also picked off a fine point from under the pavilion, with Pádraig Doyle, Darragh Hughes (free) and Gary Molloy on target too, while Glynn-Barntown kept in touch thanks to Michael Doyle, Brendan Doyle (two), Rowan White and three Michael O’Regan frees.
If Glynn-Barntown followers thought that Gary Moore point inside one minute of the re-start was a bright portent of things to come, they were sadly mistaken.
Naomh Eanna hit the next three scores from Pádraig Doyle (two frees) and Cathal Dunbar, with O’Regan pulling back two from placed balls before Aodhán Doyle’s third goal (3-12 to 0-16).
Free-takers O’Regan and Doyle then swapped points, and a longrange strike from wing-back Jack Cullen was the icing on the cake for Gorey who had to make do without Conor McDonald from the 54th minute onwards after a head injury led to concussion.
Naomh Eanna: Barry Kinsella; Eoin Molloy, Brendan Travers (capt.), Peter Travers; Jack Cullen (0-1), Seán Doyle, Eoin Conroy; Aodhán Doyle (1-0), Gary Molloy (0-1); Charlie McGuckin, Pádraig Doyle (0-7, 5 frees, 1 ‘65), Darragh Hughes (0-2 frees); Cathal Dunbar (1-3), Conor McDonald (1-0), David O’Brien. Subs. - Jack Cushe for A. Doyle, temp. (20-22), William Cullen for McDonald, temp. (47-49), Cullen for McDonald, inj. (54), Cushe for O’Brien (58), Lee Kinsella for Hughes (60+3).
Glynn-Barntown: Mark Fanning; Frankie Hynes, Pádraig Donnelly, Jack Fenlon; Kevin Crean, John Leacy (0-1 free), Ben O’Shea; David Clarke, Gary Moore (capt., 0-2, 1 line ball); Rowan White (0-3), Brendan Doyle (0-2), Daire Barron (0-1); Barry Doyle, Michael O’Regan (0-7 frees), Michael Doyle (0-1). Subs. - Alan Cowman for Clarke (HT), Ian Moran for Cowman, temp. (47-50), Rioghan Crosbie for O’Regan, temp. (56-60), O’Regan for Barron (60).
Referee:
Harriers). Philip Murphy (Faythe
WEXFORD LAD Mark Henebery excelled at the Taekwondo world championships in Argentina recently, coming home with a bronze medal in the individual Under-16 category for patterns.
He also won a second bronze medal as a member of the Junior Irish team in sparring.
And he wasn’t the only Slaneysider savouring success, as Niall Gordon (whose parents own the Bike Shop in Selskar) also won bronze as a member of the Junior team for sparring, after two very exciting matches against Canada and Italy.
Oisín Byrne (from Arklow) was also a member of the winning Irish Junior team, while Wexford’s Jana Galinski won a silver medal in the adult female individual patterns after a close final against Noelia Rodriguez from Argentina.
Master Michael Flaherty was their delighted instructor, and their journey was made possible as a result of generous sponsorship from the Wexford People newspaper and from Subway.
ASURE sign that the Wexford Football League resumption is just around the corner comes with the news that the pre-season delegate meeting will take place on Monday, August 27, at 8 p.m. in The Riverbank House Hotel, Wexford.
Meanwhile, Michelle O’Neill has travelled to France as assistant referee for the FIFA women’s Under-20 World Cup 2018 tournament which started on August 5 and will conclude on Friday week.
There are 15 referees and 30 assistant referees from around the world appointed, with only five referees and ten referees’ assistants from UEFA.
This tournament is in preparation for the FIFA women’s World Cup in France in 2019.