Late flourish seals it for Shels
Battling Glynn-Barntown tamed in very exciting final
SHELMALIERS GLYNN-BARNTOWN 4-9 2-6
A LATE scoring flourish helped Shelmaliers secure victory over a battling Glynn-Barntown outfit in this hugely exciting Martin Storey Under-14 hurling Black Cup Division 1 final in Oulart on Sunday.
Right up to seven minutes from theendthiswasagamethatcould have swung either way as Shelmaliers were desperately clinging to a two-point lead.
However, they somehow managed to summon up the energy for a final flourish that produced late goals from Robbie Delaney and Michael Connors that eventually proved sufficient to see off a stubborn Glynn-Barntown challenge.
Shelmaliers were the favourites going into this game but they had to deal with a determined Glynn-Barntown outfit.
With the intensity of the exchanges, and fine striking leading to some excellent scores, there was never much between the sides, and for a period in the third quarter it looked as if the challengers were about to upset the favourites such was the quality of their play.
Shelmaliers started brightly, with Cian Doyle pointing a free after two minutes, while two minutes later they pounced on slackness in the opposing defence when Luke Roche was allowed get his hurley unchallenged to a dropping Doyle free to flick to the net.
When Roche followed immediately with a point on the puck-out, they had surged into a 1-2 to nil lead after just six minutes.
Glynn-Barntown began to secure more outfield possession. Having forced a free in midfield, Seán Laffan’s dipping effort somehow found its way to the corner of the net, giving his side a real lifeline since this was a game that seemed to be slipping away from them.
By the 14th minute they were level (1-2 each) after Liam Donohoe and Darragh Murphy (free) shot fine points, while minutes later a further Murphy long-range free put Glaynn-Barntown in front for the first time.
Shelmaliers once again began to boss the game, responding with points from Cian Doyle (free) and Luke Roche.
However, Glynn-Barntown got a major breakthrough one minute before the interval when a Darragh Murphy ground shot found the net, and when he added a further pointed free his side went in leading by 2-4 to 1-4 at the interval.
With Glynn-Barntown now playing at their best, they increased their lead within three minutes of the re-start through a Darragh Murphy point off the wing.
Shelmaliers were finding it really difficult to impose themselves on the game, but the switch of Michael Connors to a more forward role provided rich dividends as he pointed almost immediately.
Twelve minutes from the end the Shels regained the lead when Jack O’Leary flicked a dropping ball to the net, giving his side a 2-6 to 2-5 advantage.
With Shane Kelly now shoring up the Shels defence, the opposition were unable to create scores, and his team led by 2-9 to 2-6 as the game entered the closing minutes.
As the Shels pressed forward, Robbie Delaney sent a stinging 20-metre effort to the corner of the net, while close to the finish the Connors brothers linked up for Michael to crash home a fine goal, giving his side a rather flattering but deserved victory in the end.
Shelmaliers: Jack Redmond; Daniel Ormonde, Michael Connors (1-2), Ryan Doyle; Robbie Morris, Shane Kelly, Joe Coone; Cian Doyle (0-4, 3 frees, 1 ‘65), Robbie Delaney (1-0); Jack O’Leary (1-0), Luke Roche (1-2), Niall Power; Cathal Harding (0-1), Adam Murphy (Castlebridge), Eoin Doyle. Subs. - Evan Hearne for Murphy, Paddy Connors for Power, also Ronan Furlong, Evan Gillen, Alan Neville, John Sunderland, Colm Kelly, Jamie Doyle, Conor Martin, Eoin Howlin, Jack Roche, Adam Murphy (Screen), Jack Kelly, Kieran Hearne.
Glynn-Barntown: Cian Turner; Casey Brazzill, Josh Murphy, Callum McDonald; Cian White, Seán Laf- fan (1-0 free), Daniel Brazzill; Seán Cooney, James Boggan (0-1); Conor Mackey, Darragh Murphy (1-4, 0-3 frees), Will Hayes; Ryan Curran, Liam Donohoe (0-1), Ferdia Reynolds. Subs. - Aaron Murphy for Reynolds, Kevin Rowe for Mackey, Aaron Nolan for Brazzill, also James Doyle, Matthew Ryan.
Referee: water). Justin Heffernan (Black-