Shels make strong statement
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown defeated in Juvenile shield
SHELMALIERS CLAIMED the first part of what they hoped would be an impressive double when they defeated Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in the Enniscorthy Guardian Juvenile hurling Premier shield final in St. Patrick’s Park.
The Hollymount side were made to battle all the way by their New Ross District opponents but they would have expected nothing less after two competitive group games between the clubs.
And while the subsequent Gorey Guardian Juvenile Premier football shield final against Ballinastragh Gaels ended in defeat, the season was still one to remember for the Over The Water club.
The champs were well organised and miserly in defence in this game. Rathgarogue-Cushinstown probably had as much possession and boast some talented individual players but they struggled to get through a suffocating Shels rearguard often enough to keep pace.
At the other end Dylan O’Neill and Paul Hearne formed an impressive arrow through the middle.
Their performances were even more noteworthy as they were up against two markers that actually played well themselves.
Shelmaliers were first to make a statement when Hearne pulled in Darragh Malone’s ball forward, cut in from the right and drilled low past James Rossiter. After a great block on the goalkeeper, Hearne fed O’Neill for goal number two on the 15-minute mark.
Trailing by 2-4 to 0-3, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown found a response. Darragh Roche was the instigator with a run that committed several defenders. He was blocked out but the ball fell to Luke Connor and he netted.
Still, they trailed by seven at the interval (3-6 to 1-5) after Conor Roche pulled home after Rossiter saved O’Neill’s initial effort.
While they defended tighter in the second-half, Rathgarogue-Cushinstown never got closer than they were at the break.
Shortly after a lack of advantage saw an O’Neill goal chalked off, his long free was flicked to the net from the edge of the square by Hearne.
Billy O’Neill had no choice but to go for it with a 20-metre free with nine minutes left. He didn’t score but Eoghan Devereux did fire home in the following scramble.
However, despite pressing hard they couldn’t find the scores to deny Shelmaliers the title.
Shelmaliers: Michael Connors; Mark Doyle, Thomas O’Connor, Seán Og Flanagan; Darragh Malone (capt.), Evan Carr, Tiarnan Malone; Adam O’Leary, Hugh Peter Manley; Conor Roche (1-0), Dylan O’Neill (1-8, 0-7 frees), Aodhán Byrne (0-1); Ryan Kielthy, Paul Hearne (2-1), Cory Lawlor (0-1). Subs. - Davy Doyle for Lawlor (53), Darren O’Leary for Roche (59), Darragh Howlin for Kielthy (60+2), Ciaran Rattigan-O’Neill for O’Leary (60+4), Oisín Furlong for Og Flanagan (60+6), also Mark Scallan, Luke Roche, Cian Doyle, Shane Kelly, Robbie Delaney.
Rathgarogue-Cushinstown: James Rossiter; Thomas McGrath, Tomás Asple, Pat Kehoe; Gary Porter, Donal Porter, Rory O’Connor; Billy O’Neill (capt., 0-5, 4 frees), Adam Young (0-1); Eoghan Devereux (1-0), Luke Connor (1-0), Niall Connolly; Aodhán Slattery (0-1), Darragh Roche, Jamie O’Rourke (0-1). Subs. - Shane Dillon for O’Rourke (60+1), also Vova Murphy, Pádraig O’Keeffe, Matt Rossiter, Conor Byrne, Eoghan McAuliffe.
Referee: Brendan Martin (Ballyhogue).