Late, late win for Newmarket

 

Senior hurling championsip

Lucky, lucky Newmarket.  Outplayed for the majority of this senior hurling championship tie at O’Garney Park in Sixmilebridge on Sunday afternoon, they came out of top thanks to an Eoin Hayes goal in the 59th minute.

It was cruel luck on a Mills outfit that had dictated matters for the majority of the game but they failed to hammer home this advantage and Newmarket were always within striking distance.
The pace and skill of Eoin Hayes played a huge part in the vital goal.  With the teams on level terms, Newmarket forwards had moved outfield, bringing their markers with them, when Mills goalkeeper John Cooney had to come to the 20m line to collect possession. An alert Eoin Hayes managed to flick the ball from Cooney’s hurley and he then won the race for possession to first time into the net.
The Mills attacked from the resumption of play and when they were awarded a 50m free, Adrian Flaherty opted for a point, suggesting he felt there was still some time to play. However, the final whistle sounded moments later and the Mills were left to ponder on what might have been.
Newmarket may not have been very impressive but their challenge for the senior double remains strong. Two wins from two outings puts them in top spot in their group in the championship race while they are also challenging strongly for a league semi-final spot.
Despite struggling in many positions in this latest outing, they had some strong performances, notably from captain Stephen Kelly at full-back and from Eoin Hayes in attack.
Having their first outing in this year’s competition, the Mills started well and early points from Adrian Flaherty and Fergus Donovan (2) had them three clear after seven minutes. Bernard Gaffney, the game’s top scorer, opened his side’s account in the ninth minute but, straight from the resumption, James McMahon signalled his arrival for the Mills with a fine point. McMahon had just come in for Cathal McKeogh, who picked up a leg injury.
By the end of the first quarter it was 0-6 to 0-2 in favour of the Mills but Newmarket had the better of the next 10 minutes and three more pointed frees by Gaffney and their opening score from play, an Eoin Hayes effort, levelled the game with four minutes remaining in the half.
Gaffney put the Blues in front a minute later but with the game in injury time the Mills pounced and hesitancy in the Newmarket defence was punished when Enda McNamara struck for his team’s goal to leave the Mills 1-6 to 0-7 in front at the break.
After both sides failed to avail of goal chances in the opening minutes of the second half, points were swapped twice before the Mills stretched their lead to four by the end of the third quarter.
Then, just as in the opening half, Newmarket struck a good patch and three from Gaffney (two frees) and one from midfielder Sean O’Connor levelled the game with nine minutes to play.
Colin Ryan, who had a quiet game, then converted a 95m free to give Newmarket the lead and Gaffney quickly added another but two like scores from Adrian Flaherty frees had the teams level with three minutes to go. At this stage, a draw looked the likely result but up popped Eoin Hayes for what may yet prove to be a vital score for the Blues.
Full-back Stephen Kelly was excellent throughout for the winners, who finished with 14 men after centre-back Shane O’Brien was rather harshly sent off on a second yellow card just before the final whistle. Paudie Collins did well, while up front Eoin Hayes impressed while Bernard Gaffney’s accuracy from frees was a huge asset to the team.
The Mills half-back trio Pat and Bryan Donnellan and Diarmuid Hehir in the middle did well while James Shanahan was strong at full-back. Up front James McMahon did well on his introduction while Conor Cooney also got through a lot of work.

Newmarket: Kieran Devitt;  Brian Clancy, Stephen Kelly, Padraig Kilmartin; Paudie Collins, Shane O’Brien, Shane O’Brien (junior); Martin O’Hanlon, Sean O’Connor; Eoin O’Brien, Michael McInerney, Colin Ryan; Bernard Gaffney, David Barrett, Eoin Hayes.
Subs: Jim McInerney for E O’Brien (inj. 16 minutes) and Enda Kelly for J McInerney (56 minutes).
Scorers: Bernard Gaffney (0-10, 9f); Eoin Hayes (1-2); Colin Ryan (free); Sean O’Connor and David Barrett (0-1) each.
Frees: 14; Wides: 5; 65s: 1
Bookings: Jim McInerney (20 minutes) and Shane O’Brien 40 minutes, 60 minutes)
Sent off: Shane O’Brien (60 minutes).
“We kept chipping away and got there in the end. We haven’t been good at that in recent years.” Bob Enright, Newmarket manager.
O’Callaghan’s Mills: John Cooney; Ger Frost, James Shanahan, Gerry Cooney; Pat Donnellan, Diarmuid Hehir, Bryan Donnellan; Niall Donovan, Enda McNamara; Adrian Flaherty, Declan Donovan, Fergus Donovan; Alan Duggan, Cathal McKeogh, Conor Cooney.
Subs: James McMahon for McKeogh (inj. nine minutes); Gary Neville for McNamara (52 minutes)
Scorers: Adrian Flaherty (0-8, 7f); Enda McNamara (1-0); Fergus Donovan, James McMahon (0-2) each and Conor Cooney (0-1).
Frees: 14; Wides: 6.
Bookings: Bryan Donnellan (15 minutes) and Conor Cooney (55 minutes).
“We are disappointed. I thought our performance deserved a better result.” Peter Carmody, O’Callaghan’s Mills manager.
Referee: Ger Lyons, Ruan.

Tierney leaves Shannon men gasping in the sun

By Peter O’Connell

Inagh-Kilnamona  3-13

Wolfe Tones  3-9

A Conor Tierney hat-trick of goals propelled Inagh-Kilnamona to a crucial championship win over Wolfe Tones under a searing sun in Clarecastle on Sunday evening.
While both teams played some nice hurling, the respective defences were regularly exposed, with Inagh-Kilnamona especially susceptible to the high ball driven in early.
The teams were tied at 1-6 each at half time. Conor Tierney netted the first of his three goals in the seventh minute, after Wolfe Tones were unable to deal with a high delivery from a Patrick Kelly free.
Minutes earlier, Daithí O’Connell had goaled for the Shannon men, following excellent approach play involving Daniel Gallery and Stephen McInerney, who played great hurling in the opening half.
The teams shared 12 first-half points, with Dermot Gannon firing an impressive brace from play for the winners.
Inagh-Kilnamona introduced Tony Carmody and Shane Griffin at half-time, although Carmody only lasted 15 minutes before limping off to be replaced by Eugene Cullinan.
The combination side exploded on the resumption, tacking on 1-3 without a single reply from the stunned Shannon men. Tierney banged in his second goal, after Ger Arthur and Carmody had set him up, while Ger and Niall Arthur tapped over three early points between them.
Now 2-9 to 1-6 adrift, Wolfe Tones badly needed a lift. Declan O’Rourke, now perched at full-forward, goaled twice inside three minutes, with half-time substitute Gareth McPhillips involved in setting up both.
Daniel Gallery flicked over a point 10 minutes from full time to put Wolfe Tones a point ahead, although the number 14 had half a goal chance. Inagh-Kilnamona were now on the ropes but when Frank Lohan misread the flight of the ball, it allowed Tierney to race free and bury his third goal.
Inside the next six minutes, Gareth McPhillips pointed two frees for Wolfe Tones, while Ger and Niall Arthur struck twice, leaving the winners 3-11 to 3-9 up.
A minute into injury time Niall Arthur put the winners three points in front. 
This was followed by a protracted scramble in front of the Inagh-Kilnamona goals, as a Gareth McPhillips shot was saved by Patrick Kelly, who hit his side’s last point, from an 80-yard free, four minutes into injury time. Both teams now have one win from their opening matches.
Conor Tierney, Niall Arthur and Dermot Gannon played well for Inagh-Kilnamona while Stephen McInerney, Declan O’Rourke, due to his goals, and Gareth McPhillips gave everything for Wolfe Tones. 

Inagh-Kilnamona: Patrick Kelly; Damien Hogan, Jamie Davin, Milo Keane; Brian Glynn, Ronan O’Looney, David Hegarty; Ger Arthur, Colm Pilkington; Dermot Gannon, Cathal Lafferty, Eoin  Vaughan; Conor Tierney (captain), Niall Arthur, Brian Hehir.
Subs: Shane Griffin for Colm Pilkington (half-time); Tony Carmody for Eoin Vaughan, (half-time)  and Eugene Cullinan for Tony Carmody (inj. 56 minutes).
Scorers: Conor Tierney 3-0; Niall Arthur 0-8, (0-3f, 1’65); Ger Arthur and Dermot Gannon 0-2 each, Patrick Kelly 0-1f.
Wides: 6; frees won: 8; 65s: 1
Wolfe Tones: Ray Carley; Gary O’Connell, Jamie Roughan, John Coen (captain); Frank Lohan, Bobby McPhillips, Seán Cahill; Brian O’Connell, Barry Loughnane; Brendan Hughes, Declan O’Rourke, Stephen McInerney; Aaron Cunningham, Daniel Gallery, Daithí O’Connell.
Subs: Gareth McPhillips for Seán Cahill (half-time) and Andrew Moloney for Daniel Gallery.
Scorers: Declan O’Rourke 2-0; Daithí O’Connell 1-1; Bobby McPhillips and Gareth McPhillips 0-2f, Stephen McInerney, Brendan Hughes, Barry Loughnane and Daniel Gallery 0-1 each.
Wides: 9; frees: 12; 65s: 0
Yellow cards: Brian O’Connell.

Referee: Ger Hoey, Killenana.