Seventeen-point winners Grenagh finish the season on a high

Grenagh 2-20 Ballymartle 1-6

A DIFFICULT hurling season turned around in spectacular fashion for Grenagh last weekend when the club’s hurlers brushed aside Ballymartle in the most impressive way to secure their status as an Intermediate hurling club.

Grenagh looked the winners here from a long way out and led by 1-7 to 0-4 at the interval. Grenagh’s first goal came from the stick of Paul Barry Murphy which did wonders in settling any pre-game nerves.

The second half saw Grenagh really opening up on a Ballymartle side that failed to get any real grip on what the men in blue and yellow were at. Grenagh Captain Sean Bourke impressed throughout and bagged his side’s second goal which all, but ended this one as a meaningful contest. Seamus Cronin, Colin O’Sullivan, Tom Kenny and Barry-Murphy all impressed for the victors in their best display for the last season or two.

For the vanquished, Brian Dwyer’s second half goal put a little bit of respectability on a score line that really could have got away from them. Keeper Declan Dwyer, Ian Butler, Denis Kelly and Joe Butler all showed well for the majority of the game but in reality they just couldn’t keep pace with a Grenagh side that were focussed and hungry to save their status as an Intermediate Hurling Club.

Grenagh will now look to next season and probably search far and wide to see if there is something they can do to be more competitive in a grade that could do with their best while Ballymartle will need to improve for the next relegation game if they are to avoid dropping back to junior.

A reasonably calm ending to a difficult to season for Grenagh.

C Buckley; L Walsh, K Cummins, K O’Neill; C Kenny, G Russell, A Buckley; N Doherty 0-2(1f), J Russell; S Cronin 0-5(4f), T Kenny 0-1, C O’Sullivan 0-2; P Barry-Murphy 1-0, S Bourke 1-7(1f, 1.65), A O’Neill 0-3 Subs: J Osbourne for P Barry-Murphy (52), L Sheehan for S Cronin (55)

BALLYMARTLE: D Dwyer; C Murphy, J Butler, M Sheehan; D Kelly, J Ryan, B Geary; D McCarthy, I Butler; M O’Mahony, N Crowley, D O’Mahony 0-2; C Healy, K O’Callaghan 0-3(2f), B Dwyer 1-1 Subs: K Fitzgerald for B Geary (ht), J Healy for C Healy (42)

REFEREE: C Egan (Glen Rovers)