O’Hare inspires Emmets

Anglo Printers JFC Group B 0-19 1-9

TEN points from the boot of talisman Barry O’Hare, helped Roche Emmets begin their Christy Bellew Cup campaign on a winning note in this Group 2 encounter against near neighbours Dowdallshill.

O’Hare scored six of his teams’ 11 points in the 1st half, and it could have been even more, had he not seen his eighth minute penalty brilliantly saved by ‘Hill keeper Robbie Arthur.

Fittingly, it was O’Hare who opened the scoring in the very first minute, and in spite of that missed penalty soon after, he went on to register 3 of his teams’ next 5 scores to put Emmets in command.

While Roche looked to O’Hare, Noel Finnegan was the ‘Hill’s ‘ go to man’, and the long serving forward wasn’t found wanting, converting 3 frees to make it a 4 point game with 3 mins left in the opening half.

But it was at that point that Roche moved into an unassailable lead, hitting 4 points in quick succession thanks to 2 from O’Hare, and one each from Niall Mc Ardle and Dan O’Connell, to open-up a commanding 11-3 half-time advantage.

Any prospect of a comeback from the ‘Hill in the 2nd half appeared to evaporate when O’Hare added his 7th point on the re-start, followed soon after by an effort from Shane Byrne, leaving 10 the difference.

But a glimmer of hope presented itself when Noel Finnegan’s long centre was met by the fist of sub Chris Mc Mahon at the far post, and with his first touch of the game, he found the back of the net.

That brought it back to a 6 point game, however any prospect that Dowdallshill could get any closer were soon dashed, as Roche tagged on 4 of the next 5 scores, to put the game firmly beyond their opponents’ reach..

Noel Finnegan kept the scoreboard ticking-over with 3 more frees to bring his own personal tally up to 7, before Roche midfielder Dan O’Connell landed the nights’ final score in injury time, to put the seal on a fairly comfortable 7 point win for Niall Callan’s men. DOWDALLSHILL: Robbie Arthur, Cathal Brady, Paul Flynn, Sean Duffy, Peter Hughes, Jack Mc Gailey, Emmet O’Brien, Ciaran Thornton, Justin Halley 0-1, Dylan Curran, Noel Finnegan 0-7, Luke O’Brien, Martin Og O’Brien, Paul Gill and Gerry Mc Shane 0-1. Subs: David McCrave for Martin Og O’Brien, Chris Mc Mahon 1-0 for Ciaran Thornton, Dylan Mc Donnell for Cathal Brady, Tiernan Duffy for Emmet O’Brien and Rob Traynor for David Mc Crave.

ROCHE: Sean O’Hare; James Tiffney, Harry O’Connell, Liam Rice; Liam Dawe, Liam Carthy, Shane Byrne 0-2; Dan O’Connell 0-2, Niall McArdle 0-1; David O’Connell 0-1, Enda Murphy, Cathal Byrne; Conor Mackin 0-1, Eugene Murray, Barry O’Hare 0-10. Subs: Paddy Quigley 0-2, Kevin Callaghan.