Hurlers off to a great start in Division 2B
Hurlers dismantle Armagh ahead of crunch Down tie
WICKLOW 4-20 ARMAGH 1-12 WICKLOW’S league adventure for 2018 got off to a decent start in Bray last Sunday with Seamus Murphy’s men dispatching Armagh with considerable ease.
Travelling with a somewhat weakened side, the men from the Orchard County folded in the face of a strong Wicklow unit who still have some formidable names to return for selection in the coming weeks.
With this weekend’s clash against Down in Ballycran likely to be the toughest of the campaign for the Garden County, a good start was vital against Armagh and strong performances all over the field ensured that that was going to be the case.
Bob Fitzgerald pulled off two fantastic penalty saves in this game, one in each half, while Anto Byrne put in a towering shift, bagging 2-03 from centre half-forward. Up front, despite bagging 2-07, Andy O’Brien will feel that he had plenty more to offer with several slips in the first half probably curtailing his goal threat significantly.
A big effort from Wicklow’s halfback line of Garry Byrne, Warren Kavanagh and John Henderson helped the cause no end; Kavanagh bursting forward for two peaches of points in the second half.
John Connors looked capable for the duration of his shift, Stephen Kelly was classy as always, Padraig Doyle worked hard as did Seanie Germaine who is really growing into the county jersey week on week.
George O’Brien nabbed three points and looked threatening even if he didn’t star and Eoin McCormack threw himself about with intent.
The full-back line were caught out of position for the Armagh goal and also coughed up the two penalties, one of them looking very harsh from a distance, but will probably be content with their display overall. Martin O’Brien collected an early yellow and was substituted after 25 minutes as it looked as though Armagh were keen on stacking the numerical odds in their favour. Michael Verney took his place and hurled capably.
It was pleasing to see Danny Staunton getting back into the action. The Glenealy captain of 2017 entered the fray after 33 minutes and walloped over two screamers of points from the far sideline in the second half. There’s a slight element of ring rustiness perhaps but another stint against Down should bring him on no end.
It’s probably dangerous to read anything into the victory other than to say that it was a job that had to be done and done it was.
There were two changes to the listed team which strangely wasn’t released until the day of the game. Michael Verney and Luke Evans didn’t start with Garry Byrne and Seanie Germaine taking their places respectively.
There were a number of positional changes from the start. Martin O’Brien was named at halfback but he immediately retreated to corner-back with Garry Byrne taking his place. Seanie Germaine slipped into the corner-forward position where he was marked by the impressive Caolan Rice with Eoin McCormack joining Anto Byrne and Padraig Doyle in the half-forward line.
An early clearance from Martin O’Brien gave George O’Brien his first chance to test the Armagh defence and the St Pat’s man won a free which Andy converted with 60 seconds on the clock.
Eoin McGuinness replied for Armagh but Wicklow should have cleared the danger long before it reached the Armagh attacker.
A sweet ball from Anto Byrne down on top of Andy O’Brien put Armagh full-back Artie McGuinness under all sorts of pressure and he wrestled O’Brien to the ground and Thomas Walsh’s whistle sounded and the Waterford man’s arms were held aloft to signal a penalty.
O’Brien stood up to take it and the Armagh goalkeeper, Simon Doherty, didn’t even see it fly into the bottom corner of the net to give Wicklow a great start after just four minutes.
A sweet George O’Brien point was answered by a Conor McAnallen free before a foul on Padraig Doyle gave Andy O’Brien a chance from distance and he swung it over beautifully to leave Wicklow ahead by 1-03 to 0-02 after eight minutes.
McAnallen added another free on nine minutes before a quality Bob Fitzgerald puck out was plucked from the air by Eoin McCormack who fed Stephen Kelly. The Éire Óg man slipped a neat ball to John Connors and Pat’s man rifled over from distance and Wicklow were looking comfortable.
Things were nip and tuck for the next 10 minutes or so with Wicklow fouling allowing Armagh to keep their scoreboard on the move upwards. With 24 gone, Wicklow put some daylight between the teams when Andy O’Brien gathered a long Warren Kavanagh ball after good work by Padraig Doyle and the St Pat’s man expertly held off the burly Artie McGuinness with his body before gathering and firing home past Simon Doherty to make it 2-06 to 0-08.
Poor defending allowed Armagh full-forward Dylan McKenna the chance to bang home a goal past Bob Fitzgerald after 29 but Wicklow hit back after 32 when Anto Byrne used all his strength and hurling to rampage down on the Armagh goal and let loose a missile that couldn’t be stopped.
Andy O’Brien added two more points (one 65) before the end of the half and Bob Fitzgerald somehow got his hurl up to stop an Armagh penalty after 37 minutes of action to leave Wicklow leading by 3-08 to 1-09 at the break.
Wicklow’s strength in the middle third of the field was showcased well in the second half. Men like Stephen Kelly, Padraig Doyle, Warren Kavanagh, John Henderson, and Anto Byrne really got stuck in to this game.
Stephen Kelly fired over the opening point of the second half after an entertaining passage of play. McAnallen from frees was really Armagh’s only scoring threat but Wicklow had plenty of options. Danny Staunton popped over his two beauties after 8 and 10 minutes. Anto Byrne drove over a mighty score after 14 from way out the field with the wind at his back before Warren Kavanagh and George O’Brien grabbed decent points to make it 3-15 to 1-10 with 18 gone.
Anto Byrne’s second goal was followed by Bob Fitzgerald’s second penalty save when the Annacurra man got down low to his right to prevent a goal and from here on in Wicklow powered home with points from George O’Brien, Warren Kavanagh, Anto Byrne, Se- anie Germaine and Andy O’Brien to make it 4-20 to 1-12.
In truth, Wicklow left plenty of scores out on the field and there is plenty of improving to be done all over the field but they will have to be satisfied with this showing on their opening day of the league.
With men like Eamonn Kearns, Christy Moorehouse and Ronan Keddy still to feature in the reckoning this could be a thoroughly enjoyable league campaign for Seamus Murphy’s men.
Sunday’s clash in Ballycran will tell them an awful lot as to where exactly they are.
Scorers – Wicklow: Andy O’Brien 2-07, (1-00 pen, 3f, 2 65), Anto Byrne 2-03, George O’Brien 0-03, Danny Staunton, Warren Kavanagh 0-02 each, Stephen Kelly, Seanie Germaine, John Connors 0-01 each.
Armagh: Conor McAnallen 0-08 (7f), D McKenna 1-00, Eoin McGuinness, Nathan Green, Conleth Laverty, David Grant 0-01 each
Wicklow: Bob Fitzgerald; Martin O’Brien, Billy Cuddihy, Emmet Byrne; Garry Byrne, Warren Kavanagh, John Henderson; Stephen Kelly, John Connors; Padraig Doyle, Anto Byrne, Seanie Germaine; Eoin McCormack, Andy O’Brien, George O’Brien. Subs: Michael Verney for M O’Brien (25min), Danny Staunton for E McCormack (33min), Jamie Byrne for P Doyle, Christy Moorehouse Jr for J Connors (both 56min), Gerry Connors for G O’Brien (69min).
Armagh: Simon Doherty; Ciaran Clifford, Artie McGuinness, Caolan Rice; Conleth Laverty, Stevie Renaghan, Glenn McKeown; Odhran McCann, Barry Short; Patrick McGrane, Nathan Green, Eoin McGuinness; Danny McGee, Dylan McKenna, Conor McAnallen. Subs: David McCreesh for P McGrane (51min), Patrick Quinn for D McKenna (60min), David Grant for C McAnallen (63min).
Referee: Thomas Walsh (Waterford)