Carnew in control
Barndarrig still alive after poor performance in Aughrim
CARNEW EMMETS had a comfortable seven points to spare when they played Barndarrig in their final group game in the Intermediate hurling championship played at Aughrim on Saturday evening last, September 12.
A strong breeze blowing into the town goal favoured Barndarrig in the opening half but they were slow to get into the game.
In contrast, Carnew hit the ground running and had three points on the board from Timmy Collins, Cormac Doyle and Nick Skelton before Malachy Stone opened the Barndarrig account with a point from play.
This brought the men from the east more into the game but they were wasteful of their chances, being wide from play and frees.
Carnew were using their opportunities much better. Michael Collins pointed a 65 on ten minutes and two minutes later came the only goal of the game. Joe Murphy cleared a long delivery into his half-forward line, picking out Michael Collins. He landed the ball in on the goalmouth where Jody Byrne connected in the air, guiding the ball past Michael Crowley to the net. Two pucks brought the ball the length of the field and a skilful touch did the rest. Hurling can be a simple game when played like that. Carnew now led by 1-4 to 0-1.
Andrew Kavanagh pulled back one point from a free before the water break but Carnew liked to be about to pull further ahead on the restart when Timmy Collins and Cormac Doyle combined to set up Jody Byrne but the full-forward was wide on this occasion.
Barndarrig enjoyed their best period in the game from here to half-time. Their half-back trio of Liam Dickenson, Michael Cullen and Jaques McCall began to push forward and Barndarrig enjoyed a lot of ball in the middle third of the field.
Centre forward Cormac O’Callaghan scored two points from play and Andrew Kavanagh, now enjoying a little more success from his frees, added two more to leave the Barndarrig score at 0-6 by the half-time break. Michael and Timmy Collins added two points for Carnew. Still, a half-time score of 1-6 to 0-6 left Barndarrig in a better place than had looked likely in the early stages.
Carnew, now wind assisted in the second half, increased their lead early in the half thanks to a Michael Collins free. Andrew Kavanagh’s shooting woes returned against the wind and he was wide from two frees before converting a 65 after five minutes.
Michael Collins and Oisin Doyle exchanged points to leave the one goal still between the sides. With Barndarrig not scoring again until the final two minutes of the game, Carnew gradually pulled away point by point.
Stern resistance from the Barndarrig defence ensured that there was little chance of more goals but points from Jody Byrne and substitute Paddy McArdle left
the Emmets ahead by 1-10 to 0-8 at the water break.
In the final quarter Michael Collins had three further points (two frees) for Carnew and substitute Martin Molloy brought their tally to a close with a great score from the right wing.
Barndarrig rallied in the final minutes and added two points from substitute Enda Dempsey and a long range free by Jacques McCall. The final score stood at 1-14 to 0-10 with Carnew Emmets comfortable winners. They have topped the group but Barndarrig have a further game to play and are not gone yet.
CARNEW EMMETS: Joe Murphy; Paul Murphy, Graham Keogh, Cormac
Redmond; Conor Wafer, Willie Collins, Adam Hughes; Mark Collins, Adrian Myers; Michael Collins 0-7 (3f ‘65’), John Gregan, Timmy Collins 0-2; Cormac Doyle 0-1, Jody Byrne 1-1, Nick Skelton 0-1. Subs: Paddy McArdle (0-1) for J Gregan, John Kavanagh for C Wafer, Martin Molloy (0-1) for N Skelton, Sean Kinsella for C Redmond.
BARNDARRIG: Michael Crowley; Tom Doyle, Bernard Quinn, Michael
Doyle; Liam Dickenson, Michael Cullen, Jaques McCall 0-1; Johnny Delahunt, Martin Cullen; Malachy Stone 0-1, Cormac O’Callaghan 0-2, Andrew Kavanagh 0-4 (3f, 1 65); Michael Owen Byrne, Paddy Redmond, Oisin Doyle 0-1. Subs: Enda Dempsey (0-1) for C O’Callaghan, Shane Whelan for J Delahunt, Tim Byrne for M Cullen, James Quinn for T Doyle.
Liam Keenan Jnr (Aughrim)