Glynn beat local rivals
GLYNN-BARNTOWN held off the fightback of local rivals Ballyhogue to book their place in the final of the Permanent TSB Junior ‘A’ hurling championship after a hard-fought last four clash in a windy Hollymount on Sunday.
The Killurin-based outfit were eight points to the good at halftime but a James Parle goal with ten minutes left brought Ballyhogue back to within the puck of a ball (2-10 to 1-10).
However, Glynn-Barntown managed to weather the storm and kept their opponents at arm’s length for the remaining moments.
A hat-trick of J.J. Doyle frees and a Shane Carley point had Glynn-Barntown 0-4 to 0-2 ahead on 11 minutes, with Ronan Minogue replying with a couple of scores for Ballyhogue.
Two minutes later Glynn-Barntown were in the box seat when Shane Carley burst forward with menace, and when his run was brought to a halt Ben O’Shea gathered possession and clinically buried the ball to the back of the net.
After Ronan Minogue had replied with a free, Glynn-Barntown grabbed their second goal in the 20th minute as J.J. Doyle went on a mazy run and planted the sliotar beyond Paddy Carr.
Glynn-Barntown were on a roll and points from J.J. Doyle (two) and Jack Brazill followed to stretch their lead to 2-7 to 0-3.
Enda Minogue and Ronan Minogue popped over points late in the half to give Ballyhogue renewed hope at the interval, and after Ben O’Shea fired over a score shortly after the turnaround they were given an opportunity to eat into the lead when Denis Lacey was dragged back for a penalty.
Shane Byrne took the responsibly but he horribly miscued his strike and the danger was easily averted.
Ballyhogue didn’t let their heads drop though, and after Ronan Minogue had converted another free they did get the green flag waving, when James Parle broke free from a ruck of players and steered a shot past Tommy Kehoe (2-8 to 1-6).
Ronan Minogue knocked over two more frees to leave a goal between the sides, but P.J. Carley and J.J. Doyle responded in kind to restore the five-point buffer.
Ronan Minogue (free) and James Parle got the deficit down to three again in the 51st minute, but they just couldn’t bridge the gap with J.J. Doyle knocking over another couple of frees for Glynn-Barntown and Mick Parker replying with a point.
Glynn-Barntown: Tommy Kehoe; Pierce Donohoe, David Roche, Paschal Carley; P.J. Carley (0-1 free), Cian Neville, Gavin Walsh; Mark Flood, Cormac Rowe; J.J. Doyle (capt., 1-7, 0-7 frees), Kevin Mahoney, Aaron Kehoe (0-1); Jack Brazill (0-1), Ben O’Shea (1-1), Shane Carley (0-1). Subs. - Nigel Usher for S. Carley, Shane Doyle for Brazill, Matthew Banville for Mahoney, Jamie O’Shea for B. O’Shea, Conor Clarke for Kehoe.
Ballyhogue: Paddy Carr; Ger Cullen, Eddie Galvin, Fionn Rochford; Shane Fenlon, Seán Rochford (capt.), Nick Doyle; Conor Byrne, Shane Byrne; Enda Minogue (0-1), Hughie O’Neill, Graham Parker; Ronan Minogue (0-8, 7 frees), Denis Lacey, James Parle (1-1). Subs. - Mick Condon for Fenlon, Mick Parker (0-1) for O’Neill, Seán Ring for E. Minogue.
Referee: Fintan Whyte (St. James’).