‘POOCH’ PROVIDES!
Late Cranley effort enough to force replay against Carnew
CARNEW EMMETS ÉIRE ÓG 0-15 1-12
THE championship dreams of the Senior hurlers of Carnew Emmets and Éire Óg Greystones remain alive and well following their 1-12 to 0-15 draw in Joule Park, Aughrim, last Saturday evening.
Funnily enough, the men of Carnew will probably consider themselves unlucky not to have snatched victory at the death when Timmy Collins’ late chance drifted wide but they will also give thanks that they weren’t dumped out of the championship by an Éire Óg side that looked to have their number for quite a while in this game.
Éire Óg likewise will be regretful that they didn’t push on when they had the chance but they will also feel quite confident for the replay on September 16 given that Stephen Kelly will be back among their number on that day for what promises to be a belter of a game.
The half-time score of 1-06 to 0-04 for Éire Óg was justified after the Greystones men hurled a decent opening 30 minutes with Carnew looking slightly lost at times.
Éire Ógs goal came after 20 minutes and arrived from the hurl of the impressive Hughie O’Neill to extend Éire Óg’s lead to 1-04 to 0-03 at the time.
A James Cranley free opened the scoring and this was canceled out by Enda Donohue for Carnew. Carnew had had a number of attacks but Timmy Collins’ tame effort was gathered easily by Sean Hughes while Robert Lambert’s strike after a fine run from Jack Doyle drifted wide of the Éire Óg post.
One of the most interesting battles on the field was the clash of Liam Kennedy and Billy Cuddihy with Cuddihy probably coming out best of the exchanges on the day.
Carnew just didn’t appear to be able to finish their moves at this stage and two fine efforts from Gavin Parslow pushed Éire Óg into a 0-03 to 0-01 lead after 13 minutes.
Parslow’s efforts were matched by Carnew’s Timmy Collins in the next two minutes when the corner forward got loose to fire over two scores in between a wide from Shane Nolan for Éire Óg and level the game at 0-03 apiece after 17 minutes.
A superb 65 from Anto Byrne returned the Greystones men to the front and then Hughie O’Neill attacked and waltzed his way through three Carnew defenders to lash home past Michael Collins for the game’s only goal.
A lovely score from Jack Doyle kept Carnew within reach before Anto Byrne drover over a superb free to leave it 1-06 to 0-04 at the break.
A good start to the second half was vital for Carnew and they got that through two points from Enda Donohue (free) and Wayne Kinsella.
Good work from Peter Keane out the field provided Anto Byrne with the chance to score and the big centre-half forward didn’t spurn the chance and points from Andrew Hughes and Jack Doyle in between a James Cranley converted free left Carnew trailing by a goal after only five minutes of the second half at 1-08 to 0-08.
Cranley nudged Éire Óg back in front before Carnew started to get on top around the middle and by winning frees they brought Enda Donohue into the game and the half-back fired over three frees to leave the bare minimum between the teams at 1-09 to 0-11.
Hughie O’Neill pointed before Donohue went wide and then Carnew moved up through the gears with the taste of blood in the air and points from Donohue (two frees) and Seanie Kinsella gave Carnew the lead with time rapidly running out for the men of Éire Óg Greystones.
But in James ‘Pooch’ Cranley, Éire Óg have a man who can get an important score when needed the most and the corner-forward came up trumps with an exquisite point from out on the wing to level the game.
There was time for one more attack and the ball was worked to Timmy Collins but his effort drifted across the goal and wide thanks in no small part to the pressure being applied by Kristian Flynn.
Ciaran Manley’s final whistle sounded shortly afterwards and on September 16 these two will meet again to decide who goes on to face Glenealy in the county semi-final.
It should be a very interesting tussle indeed.
Dan O’Neill; Sean Hughes, Billy Cuddihy, Dan O’Connor; Kristian Flynn, Michael Arrigan, Peter Keane; Leon Brown, Shane Nolan; Gavin Parslow, Anto Byrne, Danny Nolan; James Cranley, Michael Walsh, Hughie O’Neill. Subs: Andy Walsh, Sean Lawless.
Michael Collins; Oisin Furlong, Martin O’Brien, Willie Collins; Aaron Kinsella, Padraig Doran, Enda Donohue; Seanie Kinsella, Andrew Hughes; Jack Doyle, Robert Lambert, Dan Nolan; Timmy Collins, Liam Kennedy, Wayne Kinsella.
Ciaran Manley (Glenealy)