A VALUABLE POINT

JUNIOR A HURLING LEAGUE White’s Cross 1-15 Bishopstown 3 -09

The junior A hurlers picked up a valuable league point in a hard-fought draw played on Bishopstown’s 4G pitch on Sunday morning last. In reality, White’s Cross dominated this match for long periods and may just as easily feel that it is a point lost. However, given that Bishopstown twice lead in injury time in the second half, a point will suffice given we could have lost.

The opening exchanges all belong to White’s Cross. Minor player Eddie Coughlan was once again in top scoring form. He got the opening two points from play in the 5th and 7th minute before he got his first from a free in the 12th minute. Bishopstown did not register their first score until the 15th minute when they pointed from a free. Up to that point they had been held due to the outstanding efforts from Chris Dunne, Murt Kelleher and Senan Ryan in the Whites Cross fullback line.

Whites Cross was dealt a blow when Max Philpott had to be taken off injured in the 16th minute, though Tom Casey, who replaced him, played well when introduced. A further blow came in the 21st minute when Bishopstown scored a goal against the run of play and quickly followed up a minute later with an equalising point. For all of Whites Cross domination, the home-side were now level.

To the visitors’ credit, they regrouped, and Eddie Coughlan added three further points before the break; one from play, one from a free and one from a 65 after the ‘Town goalkeeper pulled off a super save. White’s Cross lead on a 0-08 to 1-02 at the break.

Bishopstown opened the scoring in the second half with a point from play. Then White’s Cross got a goal which was made by the strong running by two of the four Quinlan brothers that are on the White’s Cross panel this year. Ruairi, who has been a colossus at centre back, came storming up the field before passing to his brother Cathal who ran at the Bishopstown rearguard before being fouled. He laid the ball off to Ruairi who had continued his run and he duly finished from close range.

The referee had allowed the advantage despite indicating it was a free which had annoyed the home team. Donncha Murnane traded a point from play with a similar score from the Bishopstown centre forward to leave the score 1-09 to 1-04 after 12 minutes. Whites Cross was still in a commanding position.

However, Bishopstown then got their second goal against the run of play and also again added another point immediately after and with three quarters of the game gone, there was only a point between the sides. Eddie Coughlan added two more frees before the 19th minute to put White’s Cross back into a three point lead. Then the game became a real tussle as Bishopstown scored two points from play before getting their third goal in the 23rd minute which put them into the lead for the first time.

White’s Cross may have been forgiven for dropping the heads having been in the lead for the whole game and now behind. However, the team rallied, and Gearoid Flemming got a super point from distance before Eddie Coughlan equalised in the last minute.

Injury time was a real period of helter-skelter as the home side went into the lead only for Donncha Murnane to rescue it for Whites Cross. However, Bishopstown then took the lead again and were now set for certain victory before Ruairi Quinlan capped another superb point with the final equaliser of the game.

Team: Shane Cahill, Senan Ryan, Murt Kelleher, Chris Dunne, Gearoid Flemming (0-01), Ruairi Quinlan (1-01), Seamus Quinlan, Max Philpott, Aidan O’Neill, Conor Buckley, Fiachra O’Connell, Luke Kelleher, Eddie Coughlan (0-11, 0-08 frees 0-01 65), Cathal Quinlan, Donncha Murnane (0-02). Subs used: Tom Casey, Dan O’Sullivan, Cathal O’Flynn.