Bray overcome the challenge of Arklow Rocks

BRAY EMMETS 2-12 ARKLOW ROCKS 2-08 BRAY overcame the challenge of ARP in this intermediate hurling championship group clash in Pearse Park, Arklow.

Bray led from early on and held a nice cushion throughout the game and although the Arklow men never gave in Bray had a little bit extra class throughout the field and were deserving of their four-point win.

After some opening jitters from both sides in front of goal it was ARP’s forward Padraig O’Mealla who had his radar fined tuned and fired over an opening score for the south Wicklow men.

Bray soon responded as wing forward Dan Sweatland controlled a high ball in with his stick and turned to shoot over the leveller.

Both sides were not giving an inch early on and there were some hard but fair hits from both sides as they looked to assert their physical dominance on the match.

Bray’s wing back Dara Mooney was the prime example of this as he hooked, blocked or cut out numerous balls in the Bray defence and was a real rock for Bray all afternoon.

The sides exchanged a point each once more before the opening goal arrived for Bray in the 16th minute. Mooney lofted in a ball from his own 65 on the edge of the square where full forward Brian Duggan had his initial overhead flick saved by Keith Barnes but corner forward Lucas Raleigh swooped in and pulled hard sending the sliotar to the bottom left corner of the net.

Bray followed up the goal with points from Raleigh and Thomas Cash but to ARP’s credit they clung in as O’Mealla hit his third in a row from a 65 before scoring his fourth from a closer in free for good measure.

It was Bray who had the last word of the half and re-established their two score cushion as Cash hit a good score off his left to leave Bray 1-5 to four points up at the break.

Arklow needed a fast start to the second period and they nearly got it when diminutive corner forward John Cushe stole a march on his marker and aimed for the top left corner but Bray’s stopper Eoin Mason read it well and got his stick in the way.

The goal did come for Arklow though as a long searching ball dropped in the box where full forward Charlie Monaghan was well positioned to pull and fire into the net, leaving just a point between the sides.

Arklow had started the second half with renewed intensity and seemed to have the momentum in their favour but to Bray’s credit when the pressure came on they stood up and responded well.

Mooney nearly cleared the far ditch with his point from a 65 before wing back Karl Lacey delivered a delicious diagonal ball from the left wing which full-forward Duggan met first time from 10 yards leaving keeper Barnes with little chance and more importantly giving Bray the comfort of a two score gap once more.

Try as they might Arklow couldn’t seem to close the gap and despite a good point from Cian Doyle Bray seemed to always have the ability to respond and opened a seven-point gap going into injury time.

Arklow did manage to get a goal through Monaghan well into injury time but it was too little too late and their evening woes were compounded when Thomas Byrne was shown the line as he swung out in frustration; Bray coming through deserving four-point winners in the end.

Scorers - ARP: Charlie Monaghan 2-0, Padraig O Mealla 0-4 (0-3 frees, 0-1 65), Jason Redmond 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), Cian Doyle 0-1.

Bray: Tomas Cash 0-6 (0-2 frees), Lucas Raleigh 1-2, Brian Duggan 1-0, Dara Mooney 0-2 (0-1 65, 0-1 free), Dan Sweatland 0-2.

ARP: Keith Barnes, Martin Gilbert, Seán Furlong, Eamon Doyle, Kevin O’Reilly, Tony Kinsella, Cian Doyle, Conor Doyle, Cormac Whitmore, Padraig O’Mealla, Thomas Byrne, Jason Redmond, John Cushe, Charlie Monaghan, James Dignam. Subs: Colin O’Connor for Kevin O’Reilly, Philip Byrne for John Cushe.

Bray Emmets: Eoin Mason, Paddy Lee, Ronan O’Brien, Micheal Brennan, Dara Mooney, Sean Mooney, Karl Lacey, Lorcan Pratt, Enda Forde, Willie Robinson, Liam O’Cathain, Dan Sweatland, Lucas Raleigh, Brian Duggan, Tomas Cash. Subs: Eoin Duffy for Paddy Lee, Colm Salmon for Willie Robinson.

Referee: Ciaran Manley (glenealy)