Ballymitty reach a new level
Impressive show by Bannow boys in Juvenile shield
BANNOW-BALLYMITTY secured the first half of a potential double with an impressive performance against Davidstown-Courtnacuddy in the Enniscorthy Guardian Juvenile hurling Roinn 2 shield final in St. Patrick’s Park.
Given previous results, on paper this final looked destined to be a cracker, but the Grantstown boys brought a different level of performance to the game and were exceptional all over the field.
Nobody epitomised their display more than captain Jack Donohoe. The full-back was an absolute rock at the base of his side’s defence, bursting out into space and clearing the danger on countless occasions.
Not that Donohoe was the only one. In midfield John Harpur and Dorian Reville provided an incredible energy until the latter picked up a nasty injury in the second-half. Meanwhile, Cathal Cummins grabbed the scores with regularity and precision.
Cummins had three points on the board when Robert Rossiter gathered Reville’s ball into the danger area, forced his way towards goal and kicked to the net. Scores continued to flow, with Reville grabbing a nice point as his side moved 1-6 to nil ahead.
Owen Furlong burst out of a mini-scrum and fired over the crossbar to open Davidstown-Courtnacuddy’s account in the 20th minute, but it only served to re-ignite the Bannow-Ballymitty fire.
Mere seconds later Rossiter scrambled home his second goal after Dean O’Neill had picked him out.
Patsy Dreelan was making a nuisance of himself in the attacking third and he was involved in goal number three that Cathal Cummins drilled high to the net in the 25th minute.
There seemed no way back for the Boolabawn side when John Harpur fired past Ewan Kennedy to make it 4-7 to 0-1 at the interval.
The lead had increased by three more points when Reville went over in agony in the 40th minute with a knee injury.
The talented Bannow-Ballymitty midfielder was stretchered off and taken away by ambulance at full-time.
Bannow-Ballymitty, probably collectively shaken by this sad sight, didn’t score again.
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy kept battling away and added a late goal when Eddie Kelly deflected Rory Loughlin’s long ball to the net, and another when Oisín Hayes whipped on Ewan Kennedy’s pull in the goalmouth.
However, it wasn’t enough to deny Bannow-Ballymitty and they went into their football shield decider looking to complete a memorable double at the end of a long season, only to be thwarted by Kilrush.
Bannow-Ballymitty: Seán McCormick; Lorcan Breen, Jack Donohoe (capt.), Michael Harpur; Ryan Morris, Adam Scott, James Sinnott; John Harpur (1-1), Dorian Reville (0-1); Eoin O’Connor, Dean O’Neill, Michael Gaynor; Robert Rossiter (2-1), Cathal Cummins (1-7, 0-4 frees, 0-1 ‘65), Patsy Dreelan. Subs. - John Crosbie for Reville, inj. (47), Dylan Scott for Dreelan (59), Darren Cadogan for Rossiter (59), Christopher Keating for Gaynor (60).
Davidstown-Courtnacuddy: Ewan Kennedy; Aaron Nicholson, Eddie Kelly (1-0), Fionn Doyle; Barry Hassey, James Doyle, Cian Jordan; Rory Loughlin, Cillian Doyle; Owen Furlong (0-1), Oran Ffrench, Charlie Dunne; Darragh Furlong, James Clince, Conal Kervick. Subs. - David Tracey for Nicholson, inj. (6), Oisín Cooney for Tracey (31), Oisín Hayes (1-0) for D. Furlong (37), Conor Blythe for Dunne (40), Tracey for Kennedy (45), Kennedy for Clince (53), also Jim Doyle, Jordan Fehily, Brandon O’Reilly.
Referee: James Owens (Askamore).