SPRING HURLING LEAGUE AND CUMANN NA MBUNSCOL Doyle goal puts decent league tussle to bed

at Kiltegan Ronan Byrne replied for the home side but the Emmets finished the half with a flourish. Points from Cormac Doyle, Don Hyland and Doyle again left the visitors one point to the good at the half way mark 0-8 to 0-7. Carnew had also accumulated seven wides at this stage.

Mark Pierce had the sides all square again when he pointed after three minutes of the second period.

However, this was as good as it got for the home side. Don Hyland received an intelligent pass played back outfield by Michael Collins and the wily veteran put Carnew ahead again. Points from Jack Doyle, Padraig Doran (2) and Hyland again pushed the Carnew men into a five point lead by the tenth minute.

However, some needless frees conceded in defence allowed the accurate Seanie Germaine to close the gap to two points when he pointed three frees in a row.

A Padraig Doran pointed free brought the lead back up to three points.

However the fate of the game was decided in the 18th minute when a long delivery from Don Hyland was touched to the Kiltegan net past a stranded Luke Byrne in the home side goal by corner forward Cormac Doyle.

With Carnew now six points to the good the final ten minutes had an air of inevitability about them. Michael Collins from play and Seanie Germaine from another free exchanged points.

Carnew had a few more wides (they had another seven in this half) and ran out deserving winners on a scoreline of 1-15 to 0-12.

Carnew had a good spread of scorers but Kiltegan became hugely reliant on the free taking skills of Seanie Germaine as the game progressed.

Referee John Keenan issued a couple of yellow cards - one to each side - in the second half but he will face far tougher assignments as the year progresses.

Scorers: Carnew: Padraig Doran 0-5, Cormac Doyle 1-2, Don Hyland 0-3, Michael Collins 0-3, Jack Doyle 0-2.

Kiltegan: Seanie Germaine 0-8, Mark Pierce 0-2, Ronan Byrne 0-2.

Carnew Emmets: Martin Murphy; Adrian Myers, Patrick Nolan, Oisin Furlong; John Walsh, Conal McCrea, Seamus Osborne; Padraig Doran, Jack Doyle; Richard O’Hara, Drew Brennan, James Gregan; Cormac Doyle, Don Hyland, Michael Collins. Subs: Seamus Mulhall for John Walsh, Ian Clancy for Adrian Myers.

Kiltegan: Luke Byrne; Colm O’Connor, Brian Kearney, Padraig Farrell; Liam Keogh, Mikey Mangan, Dan Kearney; Ronan Byrne, Eoin O’Neill; Fergal Farrell, JJ. Phelan, Aaron Byrne; Jonathan Tallon, Mark Pierce, Seanie Germaine. Subs: Jamie Daly for Eoin O’Neill.

Referee: John Keenan (Aughrim).