Heavyweight clash

Glenealy make a big statement with victory over Bray

GLENEALY BRAY EMMETS 1-15 1-13

GLENEALY got the better of their great rivals Bray Emmets in Kilcoole last Tuesday night in the Senior hurling championship. Between them they have won the last eight county titles and in many expert views are expected to lock horns again before the summer is out.

So, any kind of psychological advantage garnered by a victory in this clash would lay down an early marker.

Both sides were missing hugely influential players with Bray short of John Henderson and Glenealy missing their talisman Leighton Glynn.

However, as soon as referee Eddie Leonard threw the ball in that was all forgotten about as both sides tore into each other. With time and space in short supply it was wily veteran Jonathan ‘Bosco’ O’Neill who struck first, claiming a laser guided Wayne O’Gorman puck out to split the posts. Paul O’Brien added a second as he nipped onto a breaking ball.

Bray slowly settled and when Tom Cash and Eoin McCormack pointed we were tied up in the early exchanges.

The next eight scores were shared as neither side could nudge two points clear with Bosco (2), Alan Driver and a beautifully clipped over the shoulder point by Gavin Weir matched by Cash’s second of the evening, Cian O’Byrne, Conor McNally from an unbelievably acute angle and O’Byrne’s second tying us up after 16 minutes.

The game’s first goal and biggest talking point happened soon after. Bray centre forward Diarmuid Masterson fed the dangerman Christy Moorehouse who for the only time in the hour got free of Ronan Manley before striking past keeper O’Gorman.

As the players got back in position, a tangle between Manley and Moorehouse saw both sides supporters baying for blood. Eddie Leonard flashed yellows to both as the usual verbals in the crowd between these rivals became audible.

Glenealy responded magnificently as points by Jamie Byrne and ‘Bosco’ left the minimum between the sides before Masterson pointed a free who had replaced an out of form Moorehouse on dead ball duties in a helter skelter finale to the first period with Bray two clear.

Bray came out all guns blazing for the second half with points from Masterson, McCormack and another Masterson free stretching the advantage to five. Glenealy had to wait 13 minutes for their first score of the half with Robert Byrne in space composing himself before dissecting the uprights.

Another Masterson free landed before Glenealy substitute Matt Traynor struck a morale boosting effort from distance.

Bray seemed to be getting on top at this stage, the Glenealy forward line were struggling against the Bray defence and the general feeling was that a few Bray scores at this stage could have been vital.

However, that was all turned on its head in the next Glenealy attack. Gavin Weir claimed a ball out on the wing, he located substitute Gary Hughes about 30 yards out from goal and just as it looked like Hughes would clip a score, he drove for goal with the ferocity of the effort leaving keeper Peter O’Reilly with no chance.

Suddenly, Glenealy grew all over the pitch. Joey Driver pickpocketed Padraig Doyle before striking an equaliser from 70 yards. ‘Bosco’ struck for the lead with a free before Hughes launched a score from the next parish.

Once more Bray came back, with substitute Joe Phelan and, finally, Christy Moorehouse landing a free, albeit in front of the posts to tie it up with a minute to go. However, Glenealy showed the greater hunger in added on time to strike for home.

‘Bosco’ landed a free from way out on the right wing on the 65-yard line.

The cherry on the cake was added when Weir found substitute Enan Glynn and the hat-trick hero of the 2007 county final split the posts with accuracy.

A game where no quarter was given or asked, Masterson and Peter Kiely had fine games for the north Wicklow men. For the county champions, ‘Bosco’ as expected and Gary Byrne as normal dominated their positions. However, special praise must go to Ronan Manley who restricted Bray’s danger man Christy Moorehouse to one score from play over the 60 minutes.

Scorers – Glenealy: Jonathan O’Neill Snr 0-6, Gary Hughes 1-1, Joey Driver 0-1, Jamie Byrne 0-1, Robert Byrne 0-1, Gavin Weir 0-1, Alan Driver 0-1, Paul O’Brien 0-1, Enan Glynn 0-1, Matt Traynor 0-1.

Bray Emmets: Diarmuid Masterson 0-4, Christy Moorehouse 1-1, Cian O’Byrne 0-2, Eoin McCormack 0-2, Tom Cash 0-2, Conor McNally 0-1, Joe Phelan 0-1

Wayne O’Gorman; Emmet Byrne, Danny Staunton, Ronan Manley; Tommy Doyle, Gary Byrne, Joey Driver; Jonathan O’Neill Snr, Jonathan O’Neill Jnr; Ruairi O’Neill, Jamie Byrne, Robert Byrne; Gavin Weir, Alan Driver, Paul O’Brien: Subs: Matt Traynor, Enan Glynn, Gary Hughes.

Peter O’Reilly; Daire Lohan, Peter Kiely, Daire Henderson; Conor McNally, Peter Walsh, Dara Maloney; Cian O’Byrne, Diarmuid Masterson; Eoin McCormack, Padraig Doyle, Ben McCormack; Christy Moorehouse, Jim Doyle, Tom Cash. Subs: Liam Benville, Joe Phelan, Liam Kenny

Eddie Leonard (St Patrick’s)