Alley finish on high to secure club league title
Wexford reps. hit last four points to see off Offaly men
BUFFERS ALLEY 2-18 K’CORMAC-K’GHEY 1-16 BUFFERS ALLEY built on their opening round championship win over Glynn-Barntown and gained some valuable silverware in the process when they secured the Leinster Club hurling league Division 1 title with a late flourish to see off a battle-hardened Kilcormac-Killoughey from Offaly in a lively curtain-raiser in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, on Sunday.
The outcome hung in the balance with five minutes left when the midlanders reduced arrears to the minimum, but the Wexford reps. finished on a high as unanswered points from John Lee Meyler, Tomás O’Leary, substitute Cormac Foley and Pat Kenny ensured that Ciarán Kenny - a great servant of club and county - collected the cup from provincial Chairman Jim Bolger.
The winners’ dangerous full-forward line of Pat Kenny, John Lee Meyler and Tomás O’Leary collected 2-7 from play between them, while another key factor in the success was the impact made off the bench by scorers John Farrell and Foley plus the equally influential Shane Grannell.
And the victory was secured despite the absence of Oliver O’Leary and Andrew Kenny due to Wexford commitments, whereas KK included Enda Grogan and Peter Geraghty who had featured with Offaly in their hard-earned win over Westmeath the night before.
Their third county man, Cillian Kiely, was an absentee, but this was still a significant win for the Alley considering their rivals have a proven championship pedigree in Leinster as Oulart-The Ballagh and Shelmaliers have both discovered to their cost in the recent past.
KK opened brightly with points from free-taker Ciarán Slevin and ex-Offaly regular Daniel Currams before Paul O’Leary got the Monamolin and Kilmuckridge crew off the mark from an eighth-minute free.
And the Alley hit the front just over 30 seconds later when midfielder Robert O’Leary played a lovely ball inside for Pat Kenny who turned sharply, darted away from his marker and handpassed to John Lee Meyler for a well-worked goal (1-1 to 0-2).
A solo point from Paul O’Leary followed before Ross Donohoe landed a free from distance.
Thomas Geraghty and Paul O’Leary (free) exchanged points to leave Buffers Alley ahead by 1-4 to 0-3 at the end of the opening quarter, but that advantage had been slimmed down to the minimum by the break.
Ciarán Slevin (free) and Paul O’Leary swapped further points before Pat Kenny caught another Robert O’Leary delivery but this time directed his shot across goal for one of his side’s eight wides.
Peter Geraghty made it 1-5 to 0-5 with a KK point, but Ross Donohoe replied with another long-ranger, this time from play after a Seán Og Whelan pass.
Thomas Geraghty’s effort for the Offaly men was cancelled out by John Lee Meyler, but four of the last five points before the interval were registered by the Alley’s opponents.
Ciarán Slevin (free), Conor Mahon, Slevin (free) and Peter Geraghty all hit the target to bring their side level before Seán Og Whelan left the Wexford contenders with a 1-8 to 0-10 interval lead from a Willie Doran handpass.
Pat Kenny and Conor Mahon swapped points on the re-start before the sides experienced contrasting fortunes from goal chances.
Darren O’Brien stopped a Daniel Currams effort with his body, and just over two minutes later a Kevin Roche handpass left John Lee Meyler in space to crash home his second major for a 2-9 to 0-11 lead.
Tomás O’Leary followed up with a point, but the Alley were rocked back on their heels in the 41st minute when a long clearance by Shaun Lowry found Daniel Currams who beat Darren O’Brien with a low shot.
A Currams point then left the minimum between them, and it got worse before it got better for the Alley as KK made the most of a dominant spell with further scores from James Gorman and Ciarán Slevin (play and free) pushing them ahead (1-15 to 2-10).
The winners’ mentors will be delighted with their very strong finish which yielded eight of the last nine points in twelve minutes plus added time and drove them on to a merited victory.
Tomás O’Leary availed of a good Ciarán Murphy clearance to stop the rot, and substitute John Farrell then hit the leveller from long range.
Ciarán Kenny was back on the edge of the square by this stage and cut off all paths to goal, while the lead was regained when Ross Donohoe pointed his second free in the 51st minute (2-13 to 1-15).
Another lively replacement, Cormac Foley, then picked off a point before Ciarán Slevin replied from a free for KK who had the misfortune to lose full-back Oisín Mahon after just five minutes through injury.
Captain Peter Healion moved back from attack to fill that gap, but he also hobbled off in the last quarter and Kevin Grogan ended up as the third man policing the edge of the square.
Spectators arriving for the main fare were kept entertained as both sides fought hard for victory, and the strong Alley support was a significant factor in driving their team over the line.
Ultimately those late points from John Lee Meyler, Tomás O’Leary, Cormac Foley and Pat Kenny secured the title, with a third Meyler goal chalked off for overcarrying in added time.
Buffers Alley: Darren O’Brien; Ciarán Murphy, Seán Murphy, Barry Kenny; Bobby Kenny, Ciarán Kenny (capt.), Ross Donohoe (0-3, 2 frees); Robert O’Leary, Kevin Roche; Seán Og Whelan (0-1), Willie Doran, Paul O’Leary (0-4, 2 frees); Pat Kenny (0-2), John Lee Meyler (2-2), Tomás O’Leary (0-3). Subs. - Shane Grannell for Whelan (36), John Farrell (0-1) for Roche (43), Cormac Foley (0-2) for P. O’Leary (47), Darragh Butler for Barry Kenny (60+4).
Kilcormac-Killoughey: Conor Slevin; Shaun Lowry, Oisín Mahon, Alan McConville; Kevin Grogan, Enda Grogan, Killian Leonard; Conor Mahon (0-2), Damien Kilmartin; James Gorman (0-1), Peter Healion (capt.), Ciarán Slevin (0-7, 6 frees); Thomas Geraghty (0-2), Peter Geraghty (0-2), Daniel Currams (1-2). Subs. - Dylan Murray for O. Mahon, inj. (5), Shane Guinan for Murray (50), Cathal Mahon for Healion, inj. (53).
Referee: David Hannon (Westmeath).