Deadly Dwyers win
Cleary shines as west outfit prove too good for Carnew
MICHAEL DWYERS stormed home to claim the Minor ‘B’ hurling crown after a 3-15 to 2-9 victory over Carnew Emmets in Annacurra on Sunday morning.
This was a game that could have went either way at half-time with Dwyers leading by a single point after a tough but entertaining opening 30 minutes.
However, the clash was decided by goals at one end and saves at the other as Meitheal Cleary saved superbly on several occasions for Dwyers while Carnew netminder Billy Molloy had one of those days that all goalkeepers have where the hurling gods just seem to be conspiring against you and very little goes right.
Both sides were littered with quality hurlers, with many making the step up to adult competition in 2021, and Michael Dwyers captain Ciaran Harmon wished all the players from both teams crossing that particular divide all the very best in his gracious and well delivered speech at the end of the game.
Two of those quality hurlers got Carnew Emmets off to a very positive start as Tommy Collins drilled over a free won by Richard Greene before Dan Remond showed impressive skill to win a low ball, pick up and spin while under considerable pressure, drive forward, break a tackle before slotting over sweetly at full gallop.
Dwyers had three wides on the board at this stage with midfielder Rory Martin firing wide from a goal chance although he was being badly hampered at the time of taking the shot.
Martin would put things right after 10 minutes when he hoisted over a classy score with the assistance of the upright but Tommy Collins would reply from a free
after a Dwyers chop before the always dangerous Eoin Byrne sent the sides in with Carnew leading 0-3 to 0-2 at the first water break when he rifled over a free he won himself after a foul by Maurice Sheil.
There were two battles in particular at that were well worth keeping an eye on. Tommy Collins against Ciaran Harmon and Eoin Byrne versus Liam O’Neill were two ding dong tussles throughout this clash.
Tommy Collins made it 0-4 to 0-2 from a free after 17 but Dwyers were level in a slap through Rory Martin and Austin Brennan with two sweet scores from play and then they led for the first time thanks to a stunning point from out near the sideline off the hurl of Eoin Byrne, 0-5 to 0-4.
Both sides registered a wide each before Carnew’s Tommy
Collins swept over a lovely score off his left after good work from Conor Byrne to level matters after 25 minutes.
Eoin Byrne would have the last word on the scoreboard for that opening half with a bomb from his own 65 from a free after a foul on Charlie Chamney.
Carnew would put serious pressure on the Dwyers goal for the closing minutes of the first half but the west side would prove resolute and all Carnew would have to show for their efforts was a wide from Richard Greene.
Meitheal Cleary started to grab the attention with a fine save from a Tommy Collins shot and then a great catch from a Carnew 65 before Eoin Byrne pushed the gap out to two early in the second half on a stunningly beautiful morning in Annacurra before.
But Carnew surged ahead in the next few moments thanks to a Tommy Collins pointed free that many Carnew supporters were claiming was a penalty after a foul on Dylan Byrne by Jack Reid, and then a goal from full-forward Byrne when he fired home after Meitheal Clear had left his line to deal with the threat of Dan Redmond. Maurice Sheil was now operating around the middle having followed Sam Gough out the field and he was starting to make an impression. 1-6 to 0-7 Carnew led after seven minutes of the second half.
The Dwyers recovery was swift and brutal. Rory Martin collected a breaking ball, fed Ben Burke who walloped over the black spot. Substitute Jack O’Toole pounced on another breaking ball before firing over to level at 0-9 to 1-6 after eight minutes.
Then disaster struck for Carnew. A lofted free from distance off the hurl of Austin Brennan deceived Billy Molloy on the line and it ended up in the back of the net.
Carnew corner-back Ruairi O’Brien saved the day moments later when he gathered a breaking ball in his square and won a free out to lift the siege. And then things looked far more positive for the Carnew men when Dan Redmond fired home a ripper to the bottom corner of Meitheal Cleary’s net to leave it all square again at 2-6 to 1-9 after 14 minutes.
But the fourth quarter was the death of Carnew. Dwyers struck for 1-3 before Carnew could register a reply while Meitheal Cleary saved superbly from a Tommy Collins penalty. Eoin Byrne grabbed two of those points (one free) and Conor Manifold the other while a long ball from Jack Reid came off the hand of Molloy and into the back of the Carnew net.
Dan Redmond made it 2-12 to 2-7 in favour of Dwyers. Dwyers substitute James Boland struck back with a majestic effort from way out the field before Larry Kinsella replied for Carnew and
although the hill was steep for Carnew you wouldn’t have written them off just yet.
However, that steep hill became a cliff when a long ball from James Boland dropped over the heads of the Carnew corner-backs and into the path of Conor Manifold who slipped it underneath the advancing Billy Molloy for the final nail in the Carnew coffin. 3-13 to 2-8 with time almost up.
Carnew came in search of goals to no avail. Rian Waters increased the Dwyers lead with a lovely point before Conor Byrne brought a fine save out of Cleary at the expense of a point.
The last score of the day would arrive via the excellent Austin Brennan, from a free, to leave Dwyers the champions on a 3-15 to 2-9 score line after a very decent game of hurling.
Michael Dwyers goalkeeper Meitheal Cleary picked up the Wicklow People sponsored man of the match award due to his quality performance between the sticks but Dwyers had very competent showings all over the field.
Carnew, likewise, had some excellent hurlers on display. Tommy Collins worked hard throughout, Dan Redmond looked dangerous when in possession, while Liam O’Neill put in a big shift on Eoin Byrne.
Meitheal Cleary; Willie Eager, Ciaran Coyne, Charlie Chamney; Austin Brennan (1-2, 1-1f), Ciaran Harmon, Jack Reid (1-0); Ben Burke (0-1), Rory Martin (0-2); Conor Manifold (1-1), Eoin Byrne (0-6, 1-2f), Eoin Sheridan; Adam Williamson, Sam Gough, Conor Richardson. Subs: Rian Waters (01), James Boland (0-1), Ciaran Gallagher, Jack O’Toole (0-1).
Billy Molloy; Darragh Hayden, Maurice Sheil, Ruairi O’Brien; Callum Mutton, Liam O’Neill, Shane Byrne; Conor Byrne, Jake O’Dwyer; Richard Greene, Tommy Collins (0-5, 4f), Larry Kinsella (0-1); Dan Redmond (1-2), Dylan Byrne (1-1), Will Molloy. Subs: Killian O’Keeffe for W Molloy, Jack Deegan for R Greene.