McGing plunders late winner for Tomacork
TOMACORK 3-3 MICHAEL DWYERS 1-7
AS this game entered added time at the end of the second half Tomacork mentors made one final throw of the dice.
They were two points in arrears when they moved centre back James McGing to full-forward in a last gasp move to pull the game out of the fire.
James got one opportunity and turned defeat into victory when he lashed home the winning goal. While the game continued for another minute or so the final whistle brought great jubilation to the Tomacork players contrasting with desolation for Michael Dwyers, who had been so cruelly denied at the end.
Played in glorious sunshine on a good hurling sod for November in Ballinakill on Sunday, this U15 hurling final took a little while to open out.
A strong chilly breeze favoured Tomacork but it took them a good while to settle into the game.
Brian Keogh opened the Dwyers account in the second minute and ten minutes had elapsed before the impressive Tom Moran put the Western side two points ahead.
Tomacork were pressing but were also wayward in their shooting. Eoin Kavanagh, Owen Young and centre-back James McGing were showing well at this stage but were getting little reward for their efforts.
Eoin Kavanagh broke the deadlock when he scored the first goal of the game after seventeen minutes.
Kavanagh added a point five minutes later. Jake Kelly reduced the gap to a point as halftime approached.
Owen Young struck twice for Tomacork just before the break. First he pointed and then provided his team with a cushion of a fivepoint lead when he scored the games second goal.
The half-time score stood at 2-2 to 0-3 in favour of Tomacork.
Michaels Dwyers would have the help of the strong breeze for the second half but they needed to improve on their shooting.
Both sides battled manfully in the second half. Eoin Byrne got Dwyers off to a good start with the first point of the half but a pointed free from Eoin Kavanagh restored the five-point gap.
The Western side’s half backs Brandan Ryan, Brian Keogh and Ben Burke came strongly into the game.
With Tom Moran, Darren Birmingham, Jake Kelly, Jack Grace and full forward Brian Keogh, who was now playing further outfield, all putting in a sterling performance, the flow of play was strongly in the direction of the Tomacork defence.
However, Tom Collins, Conor Wafer and Dylan Farrell were very solid and cleared an amount of ball from their goal area.
In front of them, James McGing was having an inspired game at centre back. While Jake Kelly had pointed for Dwyers in the sixth minute, twenty minutes had elapsed before their next score.
Jack Grace and Tom Moran pointed in quick succession but it was looking likely that Michael Dwyer’s would need a goal to save the game.
When Brian Keogh delivered that goal with four minutes left the Western side must have felt that they would get over the line.
However, McGing rescued Tomacork with that last gasp goal. The final score was 3-3 to 1-7. Martin Fitzgerald presented the trophy to the victorious Tomacork side.
James McGing received the Wicklow People Man of the Match award.
Scorers - Tomacork: Eoin Kavanagh 1-2, Owen Young 1-1, James McGing 1-0.
Michael Dwyers: Brian Keogh 1-1, Jake Kelly 0-2, Tom Moran 0-2, Jack Grace 0-1, Eoin Byrne 0-1.
TOMACORK: Gavin Murray; Thomas Collins, Conor Wafer, Dylan Farrell; Cormac Redmond, James McGing, Max Keogh; John Young, Ryan Guilfoyle; Owen Young, Caoimhin Rawson, Dan Redmond; Eoin Kavanagh, Shay Guilfoyle, Liam O’Neill.
MICHAEL DWYERS: Michael Cleary; Willie Eager, Oisin Brogan, Jack Reid; Brendan Ryan, Brian Keogh, Ben Burke; Tom Moran, Darren Bermingham; Arun Danne, Jake Kelly, Jack Grace; Rory Martin, Brian Keogh, Eoin Byrne. Subs: Daniel Van Alpen for Rory Martin and Matty Byrne for Eoin Byrne. REFEREE: Ciaran Manley.