Good start comes in handy for Hollywood
IN stark contrast to the opening Renault Senior Football Championship game played in Aughrim on Sunday evening last, the second game played between Hollywood and Éire Óg was a far more evenly contested affair as the Greystones men pressed the men from the west all the way.
Hollywood got off to a good start and Tony Hannon got them into an early lead when he pointed a free coming up to five minutes into the game. One minute later, centre forward PJ O’Keeffe broke through on the right-hand side of the field, came in close to the end line and fisted the ball across the goal where the wily old veteran Tony Hannon knocked it into the net for what was to be the only goal of the game.
Matt Kelly added a point to leave Hollywood ahead by 1-2 before Éire Óg got on the scoreboard.
This strong opening was very important in the context of the entire game as Éire Óg were only four points adrift at the end.
They lined out without the services of Stephen Kelly who is nursing a hand injury and needed to place Darren Hayden at the centre of their defence instead of his usual club location in the attack. Johnny Donahue got the Greystones side off the mark with a point after seven minutes.
A Darren Hayden free five minutes later reduced the lead to a goal. Stephan Kearney and Thomas Burke scored two further Hollywood points before Danny Keane replied for Éire Óg. Johnny McDonald and Danny Woods pointed for the seasiders but Conor Burke responded for the western side.
It was tit for tat on the scoreboard at this stage but from here to the end of the first half Hollywood entered a period of dominance.
A Jamie McDonald point for Éire Óg on 20 minutes led to an unanswered run of Hollywood points from Matt Kelly, PJ O’Keeffe (2), Eoin Burke and Tony Hannon. Coming up to the half-time break Danny Keane had two quick points for Éire Óg to leave the half-time score at 1-10 to 0-8 in favour of Hollywood.
Keane had a fine outing and his contribution helped to keep the scoreboard ticking over for the Greystones men.
Éire Óg came more into the picture in the second half and took the game to their opponents.
However, Ciaran Tyrell got the first score, a point for Hollywood after three minutes.
Darragh Shiels responded for Éire Óg but Thomas Burke pointed again for Hollywood and Stephan Kearney added another on ten minutes.
Hollywood did not score again for 20 minutes as Éire Óg came more and more into the game. Darren Hayden (1) and Danny Keane with two points had the margin down to four points as the game entered time added.
Tony Hannon finished as he began with a Hollywood point in the first minute of time added. Éire Óg substitute Cian O’Flaherty got the final point of the game two minutes into time added.
The final score was Hollywood 1-14, Éire Óg 0-13. While glad to have gotten their campaign off to a successful start, Hollywood will be only too well aware that they fell away in the second half and did not score at all for a twenty-minute period.
Éire Óg were left to ponder ‘what if’ about that opening six or seven minutes in the first half when Hollywood got away on them.
Scorers - Hollywood: Tony Hannon 1-3, Thomas Burke 0-2, Matt Kelly 0-2, PJ O’Keeffe 0-2, Stephan Kearney 0-2, Ciaran Tyrell, Eoin Burke and Conor Burke 0-1 each.
Éire Óg: Danny Keane 0-5, Darren Hayden 0-2, Jamie McDonald 0-2, Johnny Donohue, Danny Woods, Darragh Sheils and Cian O’Flaherty 0-1 each.
Hollywood: Ian Burke; Shane Kelly, Harry Wilson, Eoin Burke; Conor Burke, Mikey Healy, Rob Houlihan; Ciaran Tyrell Robert Kelly; Matthew Kelly, PJ O’Keeffe, Cian Tyrell; Stephan Kearney, Tony Hannon, Thomas Burke. Subs Garret Bell, Sean O’Keeffe and Niall Clarke.
Éire Óg Greystones: Billy Norman; Matt Maguire, Dominic O’Brien, Peter Keane; Sean Horan, Darren Hayden, Darragh Sheils; Danny Woods, Billy Cuddihy; Jamie McDonald, James Cranley, Fintan O’Shea; Danny Keane, Johnny Delahunty, Johnny Donohue. Subs. Michael Walsh, Eoin McHugh and Cian O’Flaherty.
Referee: Kieron Kenny (Tinahely).