Ballygarrett’s big statement
Second fine win on the trot
BALLYGARRETT DELIVERED their second major statement of intent in the space of a fortnight in Farmleigh on Saturday when they followed up that eye-catching win over St. Anne’s with an equally impressive success against Askamore in Group A of The Courtyard Ferns Intermediate hurling championship.
The opportunism of Jack Hobbs gave them two precious first-half goals which made all the difference in the end, but the real story of the game was how the winners dealt so effectively with a problem that had threatened to tear them apart in that opening period.
Give Shane Tomkins a yard of space and he will punish you almost every time, and that was undoubtedly the case before the break as the county player picked off six points from play to leave Askamore trailing by one (2-6 to 0-11) at the interval.
However, credit must go to Ballygarrett for handling the opposition dangerman so well after the break that he became a peripheral figure and only added one point to his tally.
Midfielder Eoin Corcoran played very deep and formed an excellent understanding with centre-back Stephen Redmond to keep Tomkins at bay, with wingers Darren Morris and Tom Sinnott also making telling contributions.
And it should please Ballygarrett no end too that they forged this win even though Wexford attacker Cathal Dunbar only showed flashes of what he is capable of while county Under-21 Cormac Moore wasn’t available, with most of the responsibility up front falling on Jack Hobbs in the first-half, and Kevin Jordan in the second period.
Hobbs hit 2-4 of that 2-6 tally amassed by the break, with 2-1 from play. His first goal was particularly important as Askamore had been motoring along nicely beforehand, holding a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the 14th minute after points from Tomkins (three), Ted Kinsella (free) and P.J. Nolan.
Indeed, the third Tomkins point was actually a fine save by Shane Quinn who managed to deflect his low drive for goal over the bar.
Hobbs had shown he was in a threatening mood by firing over from a goal chance after an earlier solo point from Cathal Dunbar, and he grabbed that levelling major near the end of the first quarter.
It wasn’t pretty in its execution, but they all count. After catching a high ball in from Kevin Jordan, Hobbs was surrounded and somehow managed to force it over the line without using his stick from close range.
Askamore reacted impressively as Conor Levingstone, Pádraig Byrne and Shane Tomkins picked off points, but they were punished severely for a defensive error in the 20th minute.
Netminder Brian Hayden came out to gather a Colm Kennelly delivery but was then caught in possession by Hobbs, who fired swifly into a gaping net (2-2 to 0-8).
Quinn saved another goal attempt by Billy Nolan, and Ballygarrett had edged one clear by the interval after Hobbs nailed three frees and Cathal Dunbar doubled his own tally from distance.
Ted Kinsella (free) and Tomkins (two) had replied for Askamore, but they lost their way completely after drawing level in the 39th minute courtesy of Pádraig Byrne.
The second of Kevin Jordan’s three points after the interval restored Ballygarrett’s lead from the puck-out (2-8 to 0-13), and a scoreless spell of twelve minutes followed.
In that period Askamore shot no fewer than six wides, including one glaring miss from Tomkins, and with that went their chance of building on that first win of the campaign against Craanford.
A very good long-range point from Eoin Corcoran in the 51st minute filled Ballygarrett with further belief, with two more following quickly from Kevin Jordan and Jack Hobbs (free) before Shane Tomkins’ sole second-half score made it 2-11 to 0-14.
There was still five minutes of normal time left, but Askamore never looked like breaking down a resolute rearguard as their Gorey District rivals claimed another notable scalp in a campaign full of promise thus far despite an opening day loss to St. James’.
Ballygarrett: Shane Quinn; Eddie Redmond, John Doyle, Aidan Murphy; Tom Sinnott, Stephen Redmond, Darren Morris; Eoin Corcoran (0-1), Colm Kennelly; Cathal Dunbar (0-2), Seamus Doyle, Kevin Jordan (0-3); Jimmy Murphy, Colm Cosgrave, Jack Hobbs (2-5, 0-4 frees). Subs. - Harry Byrne for Corcoran (46), Patrick Fleming for S. Doyle (60).
Askamore: Brian Hayden; Patrick Nolan, Frank Lancaster, Tom Byrne; Tom Kavanagh, Tommy Devereux, James Lancaster; P.J. Nolan (0-1), Conor Levingstone (0-1); Pádraig Byrne (0-2), Shane Tomkins (0-7), Gavin Sunderland; Ted Kinsella (0-3, 2 frees, 1 ’65), Billy Nolan, Tomás Hayden. Subs. - Frank Boggan for T. Hayden (48), Conor Travers for Kinsella (48), Garry Doran for B. Nolan (56), Martin Hayden for P. Byrne (56).
Referee: John Carton (Monageer-Boolavogue).