Glenealy see off St Patrick’s
Comfortable for the Reds
GLENEALY ST PATRICK’S 3-11 0-13
DESPITE playing the final 20 minutes with 14 players, Glenealy won out comfortable seven point winners over St Patrick’s in this well contested Intermediate hurling championship semi-final played at Pearse’s Park, Arklow on Saturday last.
St Pat’s made the early running in the first half and were ahead by 0-4 to 0-2 after 15 minutes.
Dale Quinn had opened their account with an outfield pointed free after four minutes.
Johnny Carton added another point from way out on the wing five minutes later while George O’Brien converted two frees.
Glenealy’s response came from two Alan Conyard frees and the same player reduced the margin to the minimum with another pointed free after 18 minutes.
Corner-forward Gary Hughes levelled matters after 20 minutes but St Pat’s went back in front when Andy O’Brien squeezed over a point from a tight angle six minutes short of the break.
George O’Brien added another from a free. Almost from the puck out, Glenealy won a free in midfield.
The free was landed in on top of Wayne O’Gorman, who fielded a splendid catch on the end line. He sent a great pass outfield to the unmarked Alan Conyard who stretched the net from 15 metres.
The hardworking midfielder Ronan Manley pointed on 30 minutes but George O’Brien again pointed to leave the minimum between the teams at the break. Glenealy were ahead 1-5 to 0-7.
They stretched this lead to five points within a minute of the restart.
A long puck from midfield was misjudged by two defenders in the full-back line.
Garry Hughes found himself in possession in splendid isolation, ten metres out. He made no mistake.
Straight from the puck out Aaron Meade added on another point.
A George O’Brien pointed free was responded to by Alan Conyard after 10 minutes. At this stage Glenealy lost Wesley Manley to a red card.
However, there was little sign of panic in their ranks. Mathew Traynor moved into centre-back, midfielder Ronan Manley covered acres of ground and Alan Conyard dropped further outfield to fill the space.
Conyard had three points over the next 10 minutes to help maintain the lead.
Substitute John O’Brien from play, and two pointed frees from Dale Quinn and George O’Brien kept Pat’s in touch but they never looked like over hauling the Glenealy men.
A great save by Cormac Geraghty helped to keep Glenealy safely in front.
Wayne O’Gorman pointed in the last minute and then in added time he goaled, something he had threatened on several occasions throughout the game.
Pat’s final score came with a point from Johnny Carton when he rattled a close in shot over off the crossbar with practically the final puck of the game.
Just before the end of the games, St Pat’s lost corner forward Paul Murphy to a second yellow card. Glenealy were deserving winners by 3-11 to 0-13.
– Glenealy: Alan Conyard 1-7, Garry Hughes 1-1, Wayne O’Gorman 1-1, Ronan Manley 0-1, Aaron Meade 0-1.
St Patrick’s: George O’Brien 0-7, Dale Quinn 0-2, Johnny Carton 0-2, Andy O’Brien 0-1, John O’Brien 0-1.
Cormac Geraghty; Colm O’Neill, M A O’Neill, Stefan O’Brien; Matthew Traynor, Wesley Manning, Tony Doyle; Ronan Manley, Declan Conyard; Aaron Meade, Eoin O’Neill, Paul O’Brien; Alan Conyard, Wayne O’Gorman, Gary Hughes. Subs – Stephen Coady for Aaron Meade, Gavin Byrne for Declan Conyard, Vinny Flaherty for Alan Conyard, Liam de Hora for Eoin O’Neill.
Michael O’Brien; Christy Moorehouse, Denis O’Brien, Thomas Keogh; Ronan Connolly, Dale Quinn, John O’Neill; George O’Brien, Shane Morley; Johnny Carton, Tom Berry, John O’Brien; Paul Murphy, Andy O’Brien, George O’Brien.
Matt Dowling.
Scorers Glenealy: St Patrick’s: Referee: