2002- Senior Hurling Championship
Rynagh’s Book Semi-Final Meeting With Champions Birr
St Rynagh’s 0-17 ...... Ballyskenagh 1-10
St
Rynagh’s booked their place in the Senior Hurling Championship semi-final following
a hard earned victory over Ballyskenagh in Rath on Sunday evening last. The
Banagher/Cloghan side who take on reigning Offaly-Leinster and All-Ireland Club
Champions Birr in that semi-final will know that a vast improvement is needed
if they are to avenge last year’s County final defeat. Nonetheless, Padraig
Horan will take some encouragement from the fact that this was his side’s best
performance in the Championship this year, particularly in the second half when
the St Rynagh’s spirit of old was very much in evidence.
The return of Ger Rafferty to the starting 15 has given St Rynagh’s a new
dimension up front combined with the strength of John Ryan they will trouble
the Birr rearguard. A worrying aspect from Horan’s point of view will be that
they are still very reliant on the accuracy of Eunan Martin who hot 11 points
on Sunday night, with John Ryan 0-3, Ger Rafferty 0-2 and Gary O’Connor 0-1
the only other players to score.
Ballyskenagh had the better of the opening exchanges and thanks to a fortuitous
11th minute goal from Aidan Franks led by 1-3 to 0-2 at the end of the first
quarter. Rynagh’s came more into the game in the second quarter and thanks
mainly to the accuracy of Eunan Martin had the deficit down to just two point
s at the break 1-7 to 0-8.
This game was won and lost in the opening 10 minutes of the second half,
when The Banagher/Cloghan side came out all guns blazing and hit six points
without reply to take e a four point cushion. The remainder of the game was
again evenly contested, however, ‘Skenagh could never get closer than two
points of their rivals and in the end St Rynagh’s just about deserved to book
a semi-final meeting with Birr.
Both sides had recorded wides before John Dooley opened the scoring in the
5th minute with a pointed free for Ballyskenagh after Pat McIntyre had fouled
David Franks. Eunan Martin then converted a ‘Rynagh’s free following a foul
on Kevin Kelly. Brendan Murphy fired over a point from play in the 9th minute
and two minutes later came the game’s only goal. Aidan Franks sent a speculative
shot goal wards from 60 metres, it appeared as though Damien McDermott in
the Rynagh’s goal was guiding it over the bar, but it just dipped under into
the net to leave ‘Skenagh 1-2 to 0-1 in front.
Eunan Martin converted a 65’ in the 15th minute, but a Brendan Murphy point
from play quickly cancelled this. Three St Rynagh’s points in quick succession,
two Eunan Martin frees and a solo effort from Gary O’Connor had the sides
level after 20 minutes. Two minutes later Declan Tanner received the game’s
first yellow card for a foul on David Franks and John Dooley duly converted
the resulting free. Kenny Franks then scored a good point soloing 30 metres
before striking the sliotar off the hurl over the bar. Eunan Martin cut the
deficit to the minimum with a point from an acute angle in the 25th minute,
but almost immediately John Dooley replied with a pointed free. A good ‘Skenagh
move then followed in which Mick O’Hara and John Dooley combined to set up
Brendan Murphy for a point. The final score of the half came in the 32nd minute
when Eunan Martin converted a 45 metre free after David Franks fouled Declan
Tanner leaving the half time score Ballyskenagh 1-7 St Rynagh’s 0-8.
St Rynagh’s resumed the second half with Ger Rafferty on the edge of the
square and John Ryan on the forty and the move immediately paid dividends.
Inside 30 seconds Rafferty and the ball over the bar and from the puck out
Michael Rigney got possession transferred to Ryan and the sides were level.
St Rynagh’s were in front for the first time in the game on 35 minutes, when
Eunan Martin pointed a free. Vinnie Franks then had a bad wide for ‘Skenagh,
before Martin fired over another from play. Ryan in the 37th and Rafferty
in the 38th minute left it 0-14 to 1-7.
Ballyskenagh’s opening score of the half came a minute later when Kenny
Franks set up Brendan Murphy for a point. A long rang effort from Brendan
Murphy in the 43rd minute left just two between the sides. Eunan Martin had
St Rynagh’s 15th point when he sent over a 40 metre free after Ger Rafferty
was fouled and a minute later converted a 65’ after John Ryan’s effort had
been deflected over the end line by Alan Franks in the Ballyskenagh goal.
Only two more scores came in the final 15 minutes, during the which time both
sets of defences seemed to dominate. Four minutes from time the deficit was
down to three points when David Franks 25 metres free was deflected over the
crossbar. St Rynagh’s sealed victory in the 61st minute when Eunan Martin
sent over a free from his own 65 metre line to leave the final score St Rynagh’s
0-17 Ballyskenagh 1-10.
Scorers:
St Rynagh’s: Eunan Martin 0-11 (0-7 f, 0-2 65’), John Ryan 0-3, Ger Rafferty
0-2, Gary O’Connor 0-1
Ballyskenagh: Brendan Murphy 0-5, John Dooley 0-3 (f), Aidan Franks 1-0, David
Franks 0-1 (f), Kenny Franks 0-1
St Rynagh’s: Damien McDermott, Adrian Clancy, Martin Hanamy, Pat McIntyre,
Shane Horan, Hubert Rigney, Michael Rigney, Nigel Woods, Declan Tanner, Gary
O’Connor, Ger Rafferty, Eunan Martin, John Malone, John Ryan, Kevin Kelly
Subs: Noel Hogan for Gary O’Connor (41min), Paudie Mulhare for Malone (57min)
Ballyskenagh: Alan Franks, Mark Kirwan, Eoin Maher, Brendan Franks, Derek
Middleton, Mick O’Hara, Barry Keeshan, David Franks, Aidan Franks, John Dooley,
Bill Lalor, Noel Murphy, Vinnie Franks, Brendan Murphy, Kenny Franks
Subs: Eoghan Franks for V Franks (40min), Tomás O’Toole for Dooley (50min).
Ref: Brian Gavin (Clara)
(Offaly Independent 28th August 2002)