Naomh Eoin win comfortably but are given a fright in the first-half
Senior Hurling C’ship Round Four
Naomh Eoin Coolera-Strandhill 3-25 2-14
T
HIS wasn’t just mild panic experienced by Naomh Eoin. This was the just what is happening here kind of feeling.
But, despite conceding two firsthalf goals and being eight points down when the second of these goals went in, Naomh Eoin turned things around spectacularly against CooleraStrandhill in the second-half at Kent Park in Ballydoogan.
When they added gloss to this result with four unanswered points in the closing stages, including a point from full-back Cathal Jordan, Naomh Eoin will have wondered just what the fuss was all about.
After all, they won this Sligo Senior Hurling Championship round four game by 14 points, 3-25 to 2-14, having outscored and overwhelmed CooleraStrandhill thanks to a supreme display in the second period.
A recovery that was sparked by Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch’s move from centre-back to full-forward (he is practically unstoppable in the latter role), Naomh Eoin’s deployment of Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch in the saviour’s role hinged on Niall Feehily availability. Feehily was given the number six do if they are to regain a title last won three years ago.
A sure sign that Coolera-Strandhill were up for this game was how they built up a three-point lead, 0-7 to 0-4, by the 14th minute.
Kevin Banks pointed with aplomb and his team-mates, among them Kieran Prior, Eddie O’Donoghue and John Cosgrove, each matched this score with points of similar quality. Wing-back Ronan Redmond was busy, too, and it was his cross into the Naomh Eoin goalmouth that Larry Cadden broke for Shane Brenan to sweep home for Coolera-Strandhill’s first goal in the 15th minute.
Three minutes later Brenan goaled again – this time from a rebound after Matt Davey blocked a goalbound effort from Kevin Banks.
This second goal left eight points between the sides, 2-7 to 0-5, and cue some fretting on the Naomh Eoin sideline and amongst their stunned fans on the terraces.
Coolera-Strandhill might have goaled as early as the third minute through Larry Cadden’s angled drive. Naomh Eoin were, despite the deficit and their lethargy, creating goal chances as well – twice Thomas Davis went close.
Given the quality of some of the Naomh Eoin players, chiefly Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch and Paul Kilcoyne, it was inevitable that CooleraStrandhill’s dreamlike control wouldn’t last.
Player of the Match:
Matt Davey, Donal Keaveny, Cathal Jordan (0-1), Donal Fidgeon, Fergal O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1), Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (1-5), Arthur Wall, Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (0-8, 5f), Paul O’Brien, Liam O’Kelly-Lynch (1-3), Paul Kilcoyne (1-4), Michael Munnelly (0-2), Thomas Davis (0-1), Edwin Mullane, Evan Davey
Subs used: Niall Feehily, Ethan Scully,
Coolera-Strandhill, who were rudely awoken when Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch found the net in the last five minutes of the first-half, will probably admit that their interval lead of five points, 2-12 to 1-10, just wasn’t enough.
They could have done with another goal or two. At least one goal might have come their way – twice Naomh Eoin goalkeeper Matt Davey batted down shots, therefore denying Coolera-Strandhill certain points, but this was a risky process because the sliothar went back into space in front of Davey’s goal. But there was no
O’Brien gets in his clearance despite the presence of Coolera-Strandhill’s Kevin Banks during last Sunday’s Sligo Senior Hurling Championship round four fixture at Kent Park.
Niall Campbell, Joe Carroll Coolera-Strandhill: Luke Comerford, Niall Cadden, Colm Scanlon, James O’Connor, Ronan Redmond (0-1), Marc Harkin, David Joyce, Kevin Banks (0-2), Conor Gillen, Kieran Prior (0-2), Larry Cadden (0-1, 1f), John Cosgrove (0-4), Shane Brenan (2-2), Eddie O’Donoghue (0-2), Richard Harkin
Subs used: Cormac Henehan, Andrew Lynch
Referee: Ciaran O’Donnell
Coolera-Strandill player in the vicinity to make hay.
Naomh Eoin were also misfiring with chances for points due to Coolera-Strandhill’s hunger to shut them down or at least force them into uncomfortable shooting positions. Then came the second-half and Naomh Eoin’s version of a SWAT team – Niall Feehily coming on in defence and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch heading to the edge of CooleraStrandhill’s square.
It took just 45 seconds of the second-half for Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch
to score a point and then CooleraStrandhill knew they were in for a long afternoon, one that was already cloyingly warm.
Paul Kilcoyne scored Naomh Eoin’s second goal not long after Coolera-Strandhill goalkeeper Luke Comerford stopped Gerard O’KellyLynch’s blaster for goal.
Liam O’Kelly-Lynch bagged Naomh Eoin’s third goal and CooleraStrandhill, who only scored two points in the entire second-half, were themselves left wondering what the hell was going on.
EFFORT: Arthur Wall in action for Naomh Eoin at Kent Park on Sunday last.
STICKWORK: Coolera-Strandhill forward Eddie O’Donoghue shows skill as Naomh Eoin’s Cathal Jordan gets ready to pounce.