The ’Bridge at the second time of asking

IT was expected that Sixmilebridge would be better prepared for their senior hurling championship quarter-final replay with O’Callaghan’s Mills last weekend, having taken their opponents for granted a week earlier.

While they did emerge as deserving winners in Saturday’s replay, the final scoreline is flattering in their favour, helped by two Danny Morey goals in the 59th and 62nd minutes. For much of the game they were under pressure from their neighbours but this time, having made a great start, they were never headed.
The winners made a number of changes to their line-up for the replay. John Fennessy returned from injury and lined out at corner-back, releasing Aidan Quilligan for centre-back duty and this led to Caimin Morey returning to full-forward.
The Mills were forced to line out without the injured Gerry Cooney and this resulted in Niall Donovan switching from corner-forward to corner-back and Jonathon Lyons coming into the starting line-up in the forward line.
It was the positioning of the Sixmilebridge full-forward line, which caused the most problems for the Mills and, particularly, the decision to play team captain Niall Gilligan at corner-forward, where he caused huge problems for a variety of opponents.
Gilligan’s two first-half goals gave his side an advantage that they would hold throughout and the Mills never really recovered from these strikes. The team skipper converted two frees in the first two minutes and further points followed from Brian Culbert and the Moreys, Tommy, Caimin and Seadna, as the winners were 0-6 to 0-0 in front after 11 minutes.
A brace of Fergus Donovan points gave the Mills some hope but at the mid point of the half they were rocked by Gilligan’s first goal. He won possession from a Danny Morey delivery and kicked to the net.
The Mills came more into the game after this and four points inside five minutes saw the gap closed to four points, 1-7 to 0-6, with just under 10 minutes to go to the break. Four minutes later, Gilligan struck again when he won possession from a Tommy Morey delivery before turning, racing through and blasting the ball to the roof of the net. This put nine points between the sides and the margin was still the same as the game went into injury time at the end of the half. In the third minute of injury time, the Mills were given a huge boost when Declan Donovan added to a Diarmuid Hehir delivery and the ball beat Derek Fahy in the Sixmilebridge goal. It cut the margin to four points and left the half-time score at 2-9 to 1-8 in favour of Sixmilebridge. There was a further boost for the Mills five minutes into the second half when a Sixmilebridge penalty from Niall Gilligan was saved and cleared. The Mills went on the attack and created a goal chance but Derek Fahy advanced off his goal line and deprived James McMahon. Play was held for a few minutes as both Fahy and McMahon had to receive attention after they collided.
The Mills continued to pile on the pressure and points from an Adrian Flaherty 65’ and one from Conor Cooney reduced the winners’ lead to two points.
The second half was 17 minutes old before Sixmilebridge managed a score with Danny Morey punishing a defensive slip-up on the losers’ part. This score helped them regain the initiative and the controlled the final 10 minutes, adding points from Gilligan (two frees), Caimin and Danny Morey, before Danny Morey pounced for a brace of goals to give his side a flattering winning margin of 13 points.
For the final five minutes, the Mills brought John Cooney from goal to attack in an effort to get the scores they needed to get back into contention but the winners were in control during this time.
Aidan Quilligan, John Fennessy and Paudi Fitzpatrick did well in the winners’ defence, while elsewhere Shane Golden, Rory Shanahan and Niall Gilligan were prominent.
The Donnellans, Conor Cooney, James Shanahan and John Cooney did well for O’Callaghan’s Mills.

Sixmilebridge: Derek Fahy; John Fennessy, Tadhg Keogh, Ray McNamara; Robert Conlon, Aidan Quilligan, Paudi Fitzpatrick; Shane Golden, Tommy Morey; Brian Culbert, Rory Shanahan, Seadna Morey; Danny Morey, Caimin Morey, Niall Gilligan.
Subs: Anthony Liddane for T Morey (43 minutes) and Pa Sheehan for Golden (60 minutes).
Scorers: Niall Gilligan (2-5, 5f), Danny Morey (2-2), Caimin Morey and Shane Golden (0-2) each, Tommy Morey, Brian Culbert and Seadna Morey (0-1) each.
Frees for: 14; Wides: 10
Bookings: Niall Gilligan (56 minutes).
“Last week maybe we underestimated them a bit even though we had seen them play and they were very good. We were a small bit complacent. Today we were ready for a battle. When we got a few scores up the Mills came back but once we got a few in front we pushed on.” Christy Chaplin, Sixmilebridge manager.

O’Callaghan’s Mills: John Cooney; Bryan Donnellan, James Shanahan, Niall Donovan; Pat Donnellan, Diarmuid Hehir, Ger Frost; Conor Cooney, Kevin McHugh; James McMahon, Declan Donovan, Jonathon Lyons; Adrian Flaherty, Adrian Donovan, Fergus Donovan.
Subs: Alan Duggan for McHugh (27 minutes) and Gary Neville for McMahon (46 minutes).
Scorers: Adrian Flaherty (0-4f), Conor Cooney (0-4, 1f), Declan Donovan (1-0) and Fergus Donovan (0-2).
Frees for: 11; Wides: 4
Bookings: Adrian Donovan (50 minutes) and Diarmuid Hehir (56 minutes).
“The start was disappointing. We thought it wouldn’t happen again but it did. We fought back and there were a few incidents that might have turned it when it was down to two points. We kept hurling but we lost our way when they got their next goal. I am very disappointed for the boys because they have put in a tremendous effort. There is a young squad there and hopefully they will learn from today.” Peter Carmody, O’Callaghan’s Mills manager.
Referee: Seanie McMahon, Newmarket.