Oylegate book spot in Junior ‘B’ decider with replay success
AN AVOIDABLE goal from top scorer Barry Dunne in first-half injury time ultimately proved decisive as Oylegate-Glenbrien advanced to the Permanent TSB Junior ‘B’ hurling championship decider with a comfortable 2-16 to 0-12 victory over a depleted Liam Mellows outfit in Saturday’s replayed semi-final at a sunny Monamolin.
While the gap eventually ticked into double digits with a string of late insurance points, Dunne’s strike after ghosting in completely under the radar was a killer blow for Mellows, who had shown their best form in the second quarter on the way to building a deserved 0-9 to 0-7 advantage.
Dunne had flighted over a neat opener after only 20 seconds, and found the range four more times in the half before that goal, while nice points from wing-back Gary Conroy and captain Marty Kelly helped Oylegate-Glenbrien into an early 0-4 to 0-1 lead.
Jody O’Shaughnessy was the go-to man up front as far as the north county side were concerned, and he scored two points, the latter from a Colm Morris assist, to level proceedings by the twelfth minute.
Morris latched on to a stray clearance to edge Mellows in front, while Danny Dixon won a free which his brother, Tommy, converted.
Another Dixon free following a meaty challenge on Morris made it 0-7 to 0-4, but Oylegate-Glenbrien responded from a Dunne ‘65 after Mark Kennedy had saved smartly from Eoin O’Mahoney, and Dunne levelled with a point from play on 25 minutes.
O’Shaughnessy pointed the Coolgreaney-based men back in front again despite being met by a strong shoulder in shooting, while Danny Dixon’s baseball strike on a dropping ball flew over as Mellows looked set to hold the advantage at the break.
However, Dunne had other ideas as he was given far too much room to operate before nestling low to the net to turn the tables by 1-7 to 0-9 by half-time.
Four of the next five points were frees from Dunne as ill-discipline started to seep into Mellows’ defending, while his brother, Joe, sped away to tag on a nice point as the gap grew to 1-12 to 0-9.
And the latter sealed their ticket to a meeting with Rathgarogue-Cushinstown in Bellefield on Sunday when he rounded the out-rushing Kennedy before tapping into the empty net ten minutes from time.
Oylegate-Glenbrien: Kevin Cosgrave; Evan Kelly, Pádraig O’Connor, Aidan Murphy; Peter Rowley, Anthony Doyle, Gary Conroy (0-2); Marty Kelly (capt., 0-1), Conor Nolan; Pa Cullen (0-2), Niall Parker, Barry Dunne (1-9, 0-6 frees, 0-1 ‘65); Eoin O’Mahoney, Peter Nolan, Joe Dunne (1-1). Subs. - Tomás Cosgrave (0-1) for P. Nolan (36), Pierce Murphy for O’Mahoney (48), Lee Kehoe for Conroy (55), Barry Doyle for B. Dunne (57), Trevor Moulton for C. Nolan (58).
Liam Mellows: Mark Kennedy; Frank Kavanagh, Barry McGlynn, Dessie Doyle; Peter Fogarty (capt.), Noel Morris (0-1), George Sunderland; Colm Morris (0-1), Robbie Brooks; Liam Coleman (0-1), Jody O’Shaughnessy (0-3), Shane Halpin; Danny Dixon (0-1), Donal Kavanagh, Tommy Dixon (0-5, 4 frees, 1 ‘65). Subs. - Seán Roche for D. Dixon (41), Daniel Kennedy for D. Kavanagh (44), Alan Halvey for Halpin (53).
Referee: Shane Quinn (Ballygarrett).