Aughrim canter to win
AUGHRIM ÉIRE ÓG 2-17 0-2
AUGHRIM got their Division 3 campaign up and running with a facile victory over a badly depleted Éire Óg side in Aughrim on Saturday afternoon last.
A hectic weekend where Éire Óg’s Senior hurlers and footballers were out in Leinster league and local league action as well as having players on both county hurling and football squads left them in a bad way for numbers for this opening Division 3 fixture, but, credit to them, they mustered a squad and made the journey south to fulfill the fixture.
The game probably did very little of any good for either side to be fair. Aughrim will be delighted with the win but will know that much stiffer tasks lie ahead in the coming weeks and that while 2-17 is a very impressive tally, they accrued it when playing against a group of men who have not played together this year whatsoever while some of the panel may not have played football for some time.
That’s not to take from Éire Óg’s efforts. They came and they battled bravely, but they came up against an Aughrim side who possessed too much quality among their ranks in terms of this game.
There were fine performances from Eoin O’Neill, Jack Mockler and Eoin McTague while Dan Clarke and Eoghan O Lonaigh battled bravely throughout.
However, the result was never in doubt once Aughrim had stormed to a 1-5 to 0-0 lead after five minutes and the gap between the sides in terms of fitness and familiarity became evident.
It was 1-5 to no score before Éire Óg could manage their first real effort on the Aughrim goal but the free from Jack Mockler dropped short.
Aughrim’s major coming from Conor Phelan after a superb ball from Patrick Phelan.
The home side cruised to a 1-9 to 0-0 half-time lead and probably should have had a significantly higher tally if truth be told.
Éire Óg finished the half on something of a high when Eoin McTague dropped a decent effort short to Brian Lynch in the Aughrim goal.
A wide and another shot dropped short was all the visitors could muster in the opening moments of the second half while Aughrim opened up the gap between the teams to 2-13 to 0-0 before John O’Toole punched over Éire Óg’s opening score; Aughrim’s second goal coming from Shaun Doyle.
Kenny Naughton would bag Éire Óg’s second and final score soon after, but the game was played at Aughrim’s pace and they eased out to a 2-17 to 0-2 victory.
There will be tougher tests for Aughrim but they do look like a revitalised unit.
Better days ahead for the Éire Óg Greystones second team. Plenty of potential in the ranks and numerous bodies to return and boost numbers. Don’t write them off on the back of this unfortunate result.
Scorers – Aughrim: Conor Phelan 1-2 (1f), Patrick Phelan 0-5, Richard Keegan 0-4, Shaun Doyle 1-0, Willie Kavanagh 0-1, Adam Rochford 0-2, John Annesley 0-2, Eoin Forsyth 0-1.
Éire Óg Greystones: John O’Toole 0-1, Kenny Naughton 0-1.
Brian Lynch; Paul Lacey, Andrew Holt, Jamie Fleming; John Annesley, Eoin Forsyth, Alan Cotton; Michael Brennan, Pierce Lawlor; Adam Rochford, Patrick Phelan, Shaun Doyle; Willie Kavanagh, Richard Keegan, Conor Phelan. Subs: Jack Healy for C Phelan, Patrick Kavanagh for A Cotton, Aidan Stokely for M Brennan.
AUGHRIM: ÉIRE ÓG GREYSTONES:
Jack Connors; Darragh Browne, Gary Dunne, Brian O’Sullivan; Eoin O’Neill, Jack Mockler, Eoin McTague; Tom O’Brien, Dan Clarke; Ciaran McDonald, Eoghan O Lonaigh, John O’Toole; Kenny Naughton, Eoin English, Ritchie Carroll. Subs: Glen Hayden.
REFEREE:
Brendan Furlong (Tinahely)