Signs of a hurling revolution Royals prove too strong

at Kiltegan BRAY EMMETS MICHAEL DWYERS 2-8 1-10

A major milestone was achieved this week in May, 2004, when the Minor hurlers of Bray Emmets returned with the club’s very first trophy at that grade when they toppled Michael Dwyers in the MHL final.

Featuring names such as Peter Kiely, Pat Lee and Eoin Mason, the young Bray side made the journey to Kiltegan for the fixture and they made their journey very worthwhile as they clinched the title and laid the foundations for a very healthy future.

‘Bray Emmets wrote their names into the history books on Sunday when they beat Michael Dwyers by a point in the final of the Minor Hurling League to bring the first ever hurling trophy in the Minor grade to the seaside town,’ read the report in the Bray and Wicklow People newspapers.

‘The neat little Kiltegan pitch with the Wicklow Mountains in the background was a fitting stage for a history-making event.

‘The Bray boys were all fired up for victory and were into their stride from the start.

‘A Pat Lee point put them ahead but the home side had no intentions of making it easy for them.

‘Ray Kelly sent over two longrange points to edge the home side in front but Robert ‘Buddy’ Mason sneaked a clever goal to restore the Bray lead.

‘Ray Halloran had a great goal for Dwyers and the Finn brothers, Patrick and Rory, added points to leave the home side leading by 1-6 to 1-4 at half-time.

‘’Buddy’ Mason, who had tormented the Dwyers defence all through the first half, really sprung to life on the restart. He had a goal in the second minute and tacked on two points to put the Emmets into the driving seat.

‘The game then developed into a real battle for survival.

‘Dwyers did not score in the third quarter but centre-half back Seanie O’Neill rallied them with a great point – their first in the half as the game entered the last quarter.

‘However, it was the Bray defence that covered themselves in glory in that last quarter.

They held the Dwyers forwards in a vice-like grip and left them depending on midfielder Ray Kelly for scores.

‘Kelly tacked on two points and with a minute to go sent over the equaliser from a long-range free.

‘In the dying seconds of the hour Pat Lee won the match for Bray with a point from a 65.

‘In the end, that point, great as it was, did not matter because a draw was all the Town boys needed to take the title for the first time.

‘Bray Emmets contested two MHC finals in the 1960s – but without success. In 1960 a promising team, captained by the now secretary of the Hurling Board, Jackie Napier, were beaten by Glenealy in the final. They were back in the final again in 1968 but went down to Arklow Geraldines.

Thomas Cowan; Alan Sweeney, Colm Mac Eoin, Ed Keating; Peter Kiely, Paul Barry, Cillian Foley; Michael Browne (0-3); Colm Salmon, Willie Nolan, Pat Lee (0-3); Robert Mason (2-2), Eoin Mason. Subs: Padraic Nolan, Cormac Doyle, Conor Duffy, Tom Ryan.

BRAY EMMETS: MICHAEL DWYERS:

Patrick Byrne; Jim Byrne, Barry Cremin; Cathal Wybrant, Seanie O’Neill (0-1), Christopher Dalton; Ray Kelly (0-6), Patrick Finn (0-1); Rory Finn (0-1), Niall O’Brien, Stephen Simpson, Darren Hobson and Garry O’Neill. Subs: Ray Halloran (1-1), Jason Hobson, Kyle Hanbidge.

REFEREE:

Pat Kelleher (AGB)

MEATH WICKLOW

minutes. But Meath, who were physically stronger, gradually got on top as the game progressed and led by 2-8 to 0-0 at the interval.

‘In the second half Meath continued to dominate and ran out easy winners in the end. To their credit the Wicklow girls never gave up and played their hearts out right to the end and managed to score 3-2 in the last 15 minutes.

‘This very young Wicklow team must surely benefit from this match and can look forward to their next game with confidence.

‘Best for Wicklow were Stacey Byrne, Claire O’Byrne, Anna Byrne, Nicole Carter, Niamh Donnelly and Carmel Nolan.

‘WICKLOW: