Super Sean shines as Dwyers rejoice
3-9 (30) 0-4 (12)
IT was a day of double delight for Michael Dwyer’s, as their under-11s dispatched Aughrim to win their Division 1 county title on Saturday afternoon, adding to their Division 2 counterparts winning their respective championship at the exact same time on the same day.
While their clubmates were tussling with Éire Óg on the adjoining Ballinakill pitch, Michael Dwyer’s were putting on a show against Aughrim.
Sean Byrne was in unstoppable form; terrorising the opposition backs at every opportunity and got his 1-4 to show it. Meanwhile, at the other end, Eoin Tallon was playing the part of Gandalf: prohibiting the Aughrim attackers from passing him.
It was an impressive team performance from the team that just had too much quality to keep quiet.
They took advantage of playing with the winds at their backs in the first-half.
Byrne established his authority on the game with scores in the beginning, middle, and end of the opening period, while he helped himself to a deserved goal when his free dropped in over the head of Tom Clancy in the Aughrim nets.
His was the second goal of the game.
Earlier in the half, with the sides deadlocked at 0-2 apiece following early scores from Byrne and Taylor Ryan (Dwyer’s), and Daniel Duffy and Padraic Lambert (Aughrim), Nathan Landon had got the goalscoring underway, thus shifting the tide of momentum in
Michael Dwyer’s favour, momentum that they would not surrender for the remainder of the game.
From there, TJ O’Toole’s turnover allowed for Landon to split the posts before Conor O’Toole did likewise shortly thereafter.
Darragh O’Byrne got Aughrim’s final score of the first-half as the two sides went into the half-time interval with the score line reading 2-6 to 0-3 in Michael Dwyer’s favour.
Even with the wind at their backs in the second-half, Aughrim were left frustrated by a Michael Dwyer’s rearguard that was an
chored to perfection by Eoin Tallon. Daniel Duffy tried his best to lead from the front and battle his side’s way back into proceedings, but it was for naught.
Instead, Sean Byrne continued his fine performance with another score, while Ultan O’Reilly’s subsequent point was shortly followed by Conor O’Toole bulging the net with the third goal of the day.
O’Reilly capped off the scoring with the final point of the day, as Michael Dwyer’s celebrated a dream day of underage hurling. After their colleagues narrowly defeated Greystones, the two teams
came together as one to celebrate their success, with their respective trophies between them. MICHAEL DWYER’S: Kieran McKitterick; Cathal Mallin, Eoin Tallon, Daniel Collins, Nathan Landon (1-1), Conor O’Toole (1-1), Sean Byrne (1-4, 0-2f), Ultan O’Leary (0-2), Jack Murphy, Taylor Ryan (0-1), Nicky Bolton. Subs: Taoirse Scully, Jake House, Jack Peter Nolan, TJ O’Toole, Hugh Gartland.
Tom Clancy; Brodie O’Sullivan, Oisin Fanning, Vanessa Toomey, Alex Penston, Dillion Doyle, Daniel Duffy (0-2f), Darragh O’Byrne (0-1), Peter Monaghan, Ross Weld, Padraic Lambert (0-1). Subs: Daniel Fitzgerald, Kyle Juste, Michael Lacey, Keith O’Reilly.
Ciaran Gaskin