Hurling championship impresses Hand
THE staycationing brought us to the beautiful Banner, Co. Clare, last week for a three day tour. Parking up somewhere in the grey and windswept landscape of the Burren to view a wonder of the Megalithic world, The Poll na Brón Dolmen, my eye was caught suddenly by the bright spherical outline of a sliotar lying on the road. ‘Typical!!!’ exclaimed my touring partner and Director of Holiday Operations. Sliotars are always in short supply in Sligo GAA circles so this hurling enthusiast took upon the opportunity. Looking around and scanning for any potential young owner, I conspicuously reached for my new find and then shuffled hastily back to the boot of the car. Upon concealing my acquisition, a familiar emblem stood out, a silhouette of our own Benbulben on its face.
Underneath it in capitals, ‘Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point’. This find was about as incredible as the 5000 year old tomb itself laid out before me. A Benbulben Gaels Sliotar in the Burren. Despite the serendipitous feeling it brought, the pride outweighed it. One reflected on the distance, geographically and allegorically, that hurling has come in Sligo in recent years.
The same development of our ancient game, in the local context, was in full exhibition in Round One of the Sligo Senior Hurling Championship the weekend before last.
Game 1 Coolera/Strandhill v Western Gaels
On Sunday morning, Coolera/Strandhill and Western Gaels served up a much-anticipated battle of grit and doggedness in a calm and sultry Enniscrone. Perfect conditions for hurling. Sean Kelly’s managed Coolera found themselves down by two goals and a point in the opening minutes after a wonder start by the Westerners, inside forward David Barrett providing one of two goals with some slick and skilful stick work.
The two Alans, Cawley and Middleton, ran the midfield show forcing Coolera to bring on veteran Larry Cadden to overhaul the Gaels’ dominance in the middle third.
Cadden made an instant impact. Coolera curbed the dominance of Middleton in the middle third immediately. As the game settled, Colm Parkes established himself for Coolera inviting on frees from his excursions upfield. Coolera however rued the many missed opportunities from frees leaving Simon Wade’s charges more than two goals up at half time.
One might be forgiven for not giving Coolera/Strandhill a chance in the second half. On the contrary, the difference in Coolera’s youthfulness and fitness began to show from the off.
The Westerners resorted to a sweeper system, inviting Coolera onto them thus releasing Kevin Banks into a roaming role for the Ransboro club.
Banks is a special talent. It’s often that I’ve heard the Galway coaches working with the Sligo County Team comment on how he would make the Galway Senior panel with a bit more development. Bank’s distribution to the inside forward line for all of the second half was of genuine class.
Along with Mark Comerford, the game flowed through the paws of both Coolera players. Ciarán Brennan’s substitution, at the expense of another Comerford brother, Luke, was game changing. He brought the best out of brother, Shane, in the inside line who himself opened up the game with a sublime goal and a point both from tight angles about 15 yards out from goal.
Coolera dominated throughout the second half with Western Gaels having their own purple patch of a goal and a few points. A few dubious decisions, regarding scores taken, added an extra spice to the game as it neared its crescendo. A late point saved the day for Coolera. This should give them the resurgence to take on Calry/St. Joseph’s in the next round. Final score Western Gaels 3-12, Coolera/ Strandhill 2-15.
For what the game lacked in technical brilliance, the doggedness from both teams compensated for its loss. By the standards expected and knowing some of the lads well from the Intercounty setup, Paul O’Grady was very quiet for Western Gaels. Aidan Morrison failed to impact on the game in the way he can for the Gaels. That will fester with both players. They are exemplary players and solid dependable lads. I would fear for any team going forward if they both get their game together in the coming weeks.
On the other side, Nicky Rackard Cup supersub, Kieran Prior, failed to impact at full forward for Coolera, appearing to carry an injury. Prior is another talent. He is probably the most technically gifted hurler in Sligo. If he empowers himself and lets loose the shackles, I have no doubt that he will become the mainstay of the Coolera forward threat this season and beyond. The same can be said of Shane Brennan. He needs now to take on the responsibility of leading Coolera from the off. His scoring the other day was top class. The one bit of constructive criticism that I would have is for Shane to lead the line more. Both young lads are the future of Coolera hurling.
Game 2
Tourlestrane vs Naomh Eoin
The second game of the day took us to Tourlestrane where the local club faced the current County champions and last year’s Connacht Finalists, Naomh Eoin. Apologies, first of all, must go to the ticket man at the gate. He kindly allowed this County Manager in to see some of the Sligo Players after clumsily leaving my ticket behind at the previous game. Covid-19 rules were strictly applied at both games which is great to see. Well done to all. Sligo Clubs are indeed a credit to the fight against the pandemic.
Having been slightly disappointed by the standard of hurling in the previous game, the technical skills on show were as good as any seen in Sligo in recent years. Naomh Eoin were excellent. Tourlestrane were relentless in their chasing down of the ball.
Tourlestrane’s physicality matched the skillfulness of Naomh Eoin in intensity. Some of the hurling by Tom and Rory Brennan was as good as both players have produced in recent years. Brothers Matt and JP Lang were solid overall. Naomh Eoin on the other hand were on another level.
Gerard O’Kelly Lynch and to a lesser extent Paul Kilcoyne dominated the game. The shrewdness of Naomh Eoin Manager, John Doyle, to quell any threat from Tourlestrane’s Kevin O’Kennedy was a masterstroke. Using Michael Munnelly in a manmarking role, O’Kennedy only managed one point from play. His overall contribution was also severely limited by the claustrophobic Munnelly.
Munnelly is another product of the hurling youth system coming through from Naomh Eoin and Sligo GAA Development Squads. He has turned out to be a shrewd and clever hurler. His defensive work is on a par with that of Niall Feehily, his club and county captain. Without him, some of his colleagues may not have the freedom to roam as much as they do. A Sligo jersey would not look out of place on Michael.
The half back line for Naomh Eoin provided the foundation for everything good about them. Ethan Scully, Niall Feehily and Darragh Feehily, 3 other youthful hurlers, were steadfast and productive in both defence and attack.
The organisation from puckouts was a bedrock for Naomh Eoin’s attacking threat. Zonal positioning by the back six offered an option to their keeper for short puckouts, in contrast to the huddle and subsequent breakout of the Naomh Eoin half forwards further up the field.
Doyle, Michael Burke and Brian Whyte (Naomh Eoin Management) have a formula that works. They are organised, yet shrewd and astute to the demands of the developing club game in Sligo.
They may have also found a niche for 2019 Club Hurler of the Year, Tony O’Kelly Lynch, in the full forward line. Dónal Fidgeon, another hurling youth product, is blossoming this year in the half forward line. Naomh Eoin came out on top at 2-19 to Tourlestrane’s 0-7. Tourlestrane may have finished with 14 men and an injured Mark Burke but the scoreline did not reflect in any way the battle that Naomh Eoin overcame to clock up that tally. It will stand immensely to them going forward.
All in all, a great opening day of Championship Hurling in Sligo all round. The Benbulben sliotar of the Burren was a welcome surprise but an important reminder of what I had seen the previous weekend.
The current crop of standout players in Sligo club hurling is a bit like the Benbulben Gaels club itself. They are both young but developing institutions of Sligo GAA. If the current work at clubs continues as is, this can only bear fruit for the County Team going forward. Currently placed in the Christy Ring Cup, the possibilities for this young crop to represent Sligo GAA and win more silverware are limitless. Why not a place in the Leinster Championship vs Galway, in a few years??
Round 2 of the Championship will see Easkey and Calry/St. Joseph’s enter the fray. I could hazard a safe guess that Easkey’s team averages out at 21 years of age. Calry’s hurlers are seasoned on the other hand, their hair colour a bit like the Burren itself, grey in some quarters. It makes for a great few weeks of championship hurling ahead. The future is indeed bright, a bit like the white sliotar of the Burren. If anyone knows of a young hurler from Drumcliffe missing one, tell them that it’s in safe Hands.
If the current work at clubs continues as is, this can only bear fruit for the County Team going forward.