Doran to the fore as Carnew see of Éire Óg in Leinster league

ÉIRE ÓG CARNEW EMMETS 0-14 0-16

IT might have been a late-night journey home for the Carnew Emmets hurlers after their Leinster league clash with Éire Óg Greystones, but their hard-fought two-point victory would have made the long trek much more enjoyable for James Hickey’s men.

It was close to 9pm by the time the game got underway under lights in Greystones, and both teams must be credited for their efforts in what turned out to be an enjoyable battle between the two sides who went head to head in the senior championship quarter-final last year when the Greystones men recorded a memorable victory.

The teams showed several changes to the sides that went at it hammer and tongs in Joule Park Aughrim last September. Missing for Éire Óg were Shaun Hughes, Shane Nolan, Andy Walsh and Hughie O’Neill, while there was no Mark Collins, Robert Lambert, Jack Doyle, Dan Nolan, Timmy Collins and Seanie Kinsella for Carnew, who also lost Graham Keogh to injury prior to the throw in on Tuesday night. He was replaced by Cian Moules.

In the bitter cold of Greystones, it was the performance of Padraig Doran at midfield for Carnew that proved decisive in what was an evenly matched encounter. Doran bagged four points and turned in an impressive hour of hurling in a midfield populated by the impressive pairing of Stephen Kelly and Kristin Flynn and the hard-working Martin O’Brien.

The win leaves Carnew sitting atop Group 4 of Division 3 of the provincial competition with two wins from two, while Éire Óg and Ballygarrett of Wexford have a win apiece and one loss (both to Carnew) and Kildare’s Ardclough have played one (against Éire Óg) and lost one.

Free-takers were very important in this game, with Enda Donohue and James Cranley on song from all angles with just a few misses to report.

Both men recorded eight points each as the battled proved feisty out the field, Donohue with seven from frees, Cranley with six.

The sides were level at the break at 0-8 apiece after a decent 30 minutes of action. Éire Óg’s Cranley grabbed the first two points of the game, one from a free, before Danny Nolan fired over a peach to five the home team a deserved three-point lead.

A handling error from Michael Arrigan gave Enda Donohue the chance to open Carnew’s account after seven minutes and the full-forward lashed home between the posts.

Cranley and Donohue traded frees before Kristin Flynn bombed over from the middle of the field to make it 0-5 to 0-2 to the home side after 13 minutes.

A push on Wayne Kinsella, now operating at full-forward, allowed Donohue the chance to reduce the deficit and then Padraig Doran launched a bomb from his own half that dropped over Dan O’Neill’s crossbar to leave a point between the sides after 16 minutes.

Cranley with two (one free) was answered by two from Donohue (one free) before Drew Brennan had the sides level with one of his trademark sexy little numbers from out on the sideline to make it 0-7 to 0-7.

Goal chances were few and far between in this game, but probably the best one of the first half arrived when Enda Donohue charged in from the wing and passed to Ian Clancy who was blocked by Peter Keane. Clancy did well to regather and feed Wayne Kinsella who dropped over a neat point to give Carnew the lead for the first time in the game after 27 minutes.

Cranley equalised immediately afterwards from a free and that’s how the sides took the half-time break.

James Hickey sent Carnew out with several alterations to the starting 15.

Willie Collins was at centre half-back, Enda Donohue was at midfield, Wayne Kinsella remained at full-forward, Cormac Doyle was loitering around the Éire Óg 45 while Paudi McGing was gone into corner-forward.

Padraig Doran opened the scoring for the second half and Ian Clancy added another before Stephen Kelly fired over a beauty on the run and James Cranley added a free and we were all square at 10 points apiece.

Padraig Doran continued to impress as he waltzed his way past a collection of Éire Óg defenders to drop over a point and return Carnew to a lead that was short-lived as ‘Pooch’ struck back from play.

A Donohue free was followed by the substitution of Anto Byrne due to a hand injury with Eoin Dargan taking his place and Brian Lawless shifting to full-forward in an area being dominated by Carnew fullback John Walshe.

The sides were level again after 50 minutes when Leon Browne swung over a point after good work from Dorgan as James Hickey began ringing the changes with Diarmuid Doran, Fionn and Oisin Furlong entering the fray in place of Cian Moules, Andrew Hughes and Cormac Doyle who had all worked their socks off.

Donohue and Padraig Doran pushed Carnew two ahead only for ‘Chester’ to grab one back after 47 minutes.

Wayne Kinsella returned the lead to two points before Peter Keane grabbed Éire Óg’s final score to reduce the advantage to the minimum before a late free from Enda Donohue put the icing on the Carnew Emmets cake at 0-16 to 0-14.

The Greystones men did come looking for a late goal to spoil the party, but they found no way past a stubborn defence, in particular Willie Collins, who was in superb form in the trenches.

Decent game given the conditions, the time of year and the lack of competitive hurling for both teams. Plenty of positives for both Eamonn Scallan and James Hickey, with Hickey demanding discipline from his charges all night and getting it in spades.

Scorers – Carnew Emmets: Enda Donohue 0-08 (7f), Padraig Doran 0-04, Wayne Kinsella 0-02, Ian Clancy 0-01, Drew Brennan 0-01.

Éire Óg Greystones: James Cranley 0-08 (6f), Stephen Kelly 0-02, Kristin Flynn 0-01, Danny Nolan 0-01, Leon Browne 0-01, Peter Keane 0-01.

Dan O’Neill; John Douglas, Michael Arrigan, Danel O’Connor; Peter Keane, Billy Cuddihy, Eoghan Potts; Stephen Kelly, Kristin Flynn; Danny Nolan, Leon Browne, Gavin Parslow; Brian Lawless, Anto Byrne, James Cranley. Subs: Eoin Dargan for A Byrne (41min, inj), Sean Hughes for J Douglas.

Bob Fitzgerald; Aaron Kinsella, John Walshe, Willie Collins; Andrew Hughes, Cian Moules, John Doyle; Martin O’Brien, Padraig Doran; Drew Brennan, Wayne Kinsella, Paudi McGing; Cormac Doyle, Enda Donohue, Ian Clancy. Subs: Diarmuid Doran for C Moules (50min), Oisin Furlong for A Hughes (50min), Fionn Furlong for C Doyle (55min), Jonathan Smith for J Doyle.

Eddie Leonard (St Patrick’s)