ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES
Dacia motors’ senior hurling championship played in Páirc na bPiarsach in Arklow - Éire Óg, Na Clocha Liatha 2-17, Kiltegan 0-12.
Glancing at this score, an apparent runaway victory for Greystones, your excitement-obsessed junkies would no doubt conclude that the game held little interest for the spectator and had an air of weary inevitability about it from early on.
Indeed it did become clear from Anto Byrne’s goal just before the break that Éire Óg were unlikely to be beaten but this did not make the remaining thirty minutes of the match irrelevant nor did it divest it of entertainment value.
Kiltegan is a small but proud club with a great hurling tradition and so was never in danger of throwing in the towel and it was not surprising that the team battled fiercely to the end and never allowed the Greystones lads to relax. In fact, overall, it proved to be a very entertaining contest between two sporting and committed teams.
There were excellent camán skills on show: ball-control under stress was good, some excellent striking and well-taken scores from difficult angles and from long outfield distances and plenty of well-timed blocking.
An té nach bhfuil láidir ní foláir dó bheith glic (a lack of physicality has to be compensated for by cleverness and skill). A seanfhocal which aptly applies to the performance of James “Pooch” Cranley in this match.
James may be somewhat slight but he made up for this in his clever anticipatory runs, in the dexterity of his wrist action and in the accuracy of his shooting. He scored 7 points in all. Anto Byrne was responsible for 1-4 of the Éire Óg tally. Up to his well-taken goal a few minutes before the short-whistle, Greystones, while in the ascendant, were failing to fully stamp their authority on the game and were an unconvincing 0-9 to 0-4 ahead.
Kristin “Buster” Flynn and Shane “Chunky” Nolan worked tirelessly in the middle third and played an important part in the win.
Daniel “Doc” O’Connor was very solid in the corner and Danny Nolan and Hugh O’Neill were prominent among the forwards.
That eight players got their names on the score-sheet must have been a great source of satisfaction for the team’s management: James Cranley (0-7), Anto Byrne (1-4), Danny Nolan (0-2), Mick Walks (0-1), Gavin Parslow, Peter Keane, Hugh O’Neill and Leon Browne all scored a point each.
As a result of this win, Éire Óg has accumulated five points in the league stages and is in a good position to qualify for the knock-out games of the championship.
Our juniors recently added an important scalp to their Boom Platform trophy cabinet with their defeat of St Pats in the Junior A championship in Rathnew. The margin of victory was 2 points: 0-7 to -05.
Another dour defence-dominated contest? Thankfully not. On the contrary it was a game full of movement and open play in which the players had plenty of freedom to express themselves. Pats played with the strong breeze in the first half but through pour shooting failed to use it to full advantage. Their tally of 10 wides in this period was a topic of dissatisfaction amongst their followers after the game.
Outfield the game was evenly contested so even with the wind, the Éire Óg build-up of scores was painfully slow and their lead when it came well into the second half never felt secure and that it did not disappear had much to do with the opposition’s inaccuracy.
Many of the players who had played for this team in the league had been promoted to the senior panel so it was encouraging to see that Eddie Davis and his management team were able to put together a group of this quality. Willie O’Hagan (0-3) showed great leadership, and dual players James Cranley and Anto Byrne made important contributions. Scorers: Fintan O’Shea, David Behan, Conal Deeney, James Cranley (a point each). Maith sibh, lads. is vital and much appreciated.
The Junior A football team engage neighbours Coolboy in a vital championship encounter on Saturday next, August 19.
Arklow is the venue and throw in time is 6.30pm. We will of course wear the underdog tag going into this one but the management team of Noel Murphy, Declan Nolan and Darren Kavanagh are confident of a positive display, come along and give the lads your support. JUVENILE NEWS
The Fairgreen will be a hive of activity all this week with the commencement for the first time of our very own Kellogg’s Cúl Camp on Monday last, August 14, running right up to and including Friday next, August 18.
All welcome to drop in and view our talented crop of Juvenile display their skills and enthusiasm, Best of luck to the juveniles and coaches.