Aghabullogue well on top in Junior ‘B’ Hurling final replay over Éire Óg
MUSKERRY JUNIOR ‘B’ HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Aghabullogue 0-17 Eire Og 0-7
ANOTHER championship in Muskerry has been concluded on time as the Junior (B) Final that took place at Cloughduv on Thursday last got a result.
Aghabullogue, who were represented by their second-choice adult hurling squad, were fancied from the outset as their opponents Eire Og had their third-choice team in action, and it was a challenge for them to put an effective side on the field. Their intermediate and junior (A) teams have been active in lengthy campaigns so large numbers have lined out in those higher grades. It is to their credit that they had a large panel of players still ready to line out on Thursday last and they gave it their best shot.
Aghabullogue always had the edge, however, as the players representing them could be described as more competent hurlers and some of them like David Moynihan, Jerome Corkery and, particularly, Patrick Finnegan were always producing that something extra.
The winners took the lead in the first minute when Finnegan sent the sliotar between the uprights from a placed ball and two minutes later a Michael Twomey point from play consolidated their position. Greg Murphy raised another white flag in the fifth minute, and it was a welcome change for Eire Og when Brian Kirwan converted a free a minute later to open their account. Five minutes then elapsed before there was any additional change to the scoreboard when Finnegan converted another free. John Malone got a point back for Eire Og two minutes later to keep his side in touch, but that score was nullified when Finnegan was on target from another free. In the thirteenth minute Eire Og came forward in an effort to secure a major but an excellent block-down by Aghabullogue’s full back Dan Twomey foiled it.
Eire Og did manage to get a point back when Brian Kirwan converted a ‘65’ but their opponents dominated the exchanges in the remaining period before the short whistle. Mark Flynn scored a point in the 16th minute and Aghabullogue subsequently scored four additional points. Finnegan was on target from a free in the twentieth minute, he converted a 65 in the twenty-second, raised another white flag from a free in the 25th, and in the 30th confidently sent the sliotar between the uprights from play. Eire Og’s only reply was a Dylan Foley point in the eighteenth minute so Aghabullogue were on the road to victory facing the second moiety as they were ahead on a 0-10 to 0-4 scoreline.
They picked up where they left off when the action resumed and had two additional points on the board in as many minutes. Michael Twomey and Finnegan were both on target from play and they stayed on the offensive. They were wide of the posts on five occasions before Finnegan registered another point from play in the fortieth minute. Eire Og then staged a brief fight-back when James O’Shea and Rian O’Shea were point scorers but their effort was short lived. Finnegan was on target from play in the 44th minute.
A couple of efforts were subsequently short of the target and Foley got another point back from Eire Og in the forty-eighth minute. It was Finnegan centre-stage for the remaining period however with a point from a ‘65’ in the fiftieth minute, one from play in the 52nd and a converted free in the 56th, which proved to be the final score.
It was not one of the most pleasant evenings to be heading for a hurling match as there were several showers throughout the day and there was rain also falling as the action commenced. The playing surface was quite good, however, and the arrangements at the venue were excellent.
The Cloughduv club. with the assistance of the competing teams’ officials. did well to have an accurate programme available, the scoreboard was manned and John Horgan, the referee, had a full team of responsible officials with him so everything moved forward smoothly. AGHABULLOGUE: Donal Twomey, A Hogan, Dan Twomey, C O’Connell, B Buckley, D Moynihan, J Corkery, B Casey, D Desmond, T Long, E Murphy 0-1, G Murphy 0-1, M O’Flynn 0-1, M Twomey 0-2, P Finnegan 0-12 (6f, 1 ‘65’). Subs: T Bradley for M O’Flynn 48, C Buckley for D Desmond 51, T O’Leary for T Long 57, K Barry Murphy for C O’Connell 59
EIRE OG: P Ryan, C Sheehan, D Conway, C Murphy, Dillan Brennan, R McCarthy, David Brennan, B O’Shea, J O’Shea 0-1, R O’Shea 0-1, D Foley 0-2, J Malone 0-1, N Brennan, B Kirwan 0-2 (1f, 1 ‘65’), A O’Riordan. Subs: C Buckley for B O’Shea 20, D Cotter for Dillan Brennan 40, F Sheehan for B Kirwan 55, D Quigley for A O’Riordan 56, B O’Connell for David Brennan 58.