Shamrocks
secured their Senior status for at least another 12 months with a highly merited
five point victory over quarter-qualifiers Ballyskenagh in Rath on Sunday evening
last. They had endure some anxious moments in the closing minutes as they saw
a eight point lead being reduced to three with time almost up, but a blasting
shot from Darrell O’Dwyer, to the back of Alan Franks net in the final minute
eased the Shamrocks worries and secured victory.
Despite being already out of Championship contention, Shamrocks who had only 17 players togged out, played the better hurling throughout and were fully deserving of their victory. In particular the younger players like Stephen Delaney, Neville Coughlan, Gary and Colin Dunne and Declan Conroy performed magnificently. Ballyskenagh for their part will have to improve dramatically if they are to have a say in the destination of the Sean Robbins Cup this year.
The opening half was a scrappy affair with the score standing at 0-3 to 0-2 in Ballyskenagh’s favour until Shane Cunningham fired home the game’s first goal on the quarter-hour mark. When Ollie Bryant notched the second on 20 minutes Ballyskenagh’s back were well and truly to the wall. Six points separated the sides at the break 2-5 to 0-5. Twice during the second half Shamrocks led by eight points, but Skenagh kept plugging away and were in with a chance of stealing a share of the spoils until O’Dwyer’s goal sealed the issue.
Neville Coughlan opened the scoring in the 2nd minute with a long range pointed free. Ballyskenagh’s first score came on 4 minutes when Brendan Murphy set up Vinny Franks for a well-taken point. Eoghan Franks put ‘Skenagh two up on 8 minutes and from the puck out Noel Murphy made it 0-3 to 0-1.
Stephen Delaney cut the deficit to the minimum after 10 minutes and then Shamrocks went into a lead they never subsequently lost. Neville Coughlan’s long delivery out of defence was added to by Shane Cunningham and went to the back of the net over Alan Franks’ shoulder. Stephen Delaney then sent a 45-metre side line cut straight between the posts. Kevin Cummins then became the first player to receive a yellow card when he dissented a decision by referee Brendan Keeshan, but David Franks was off target from the resulting free. Declan Conroy added another point for Shamrocks in the 19th minute and inside 30 seconds Ollie Bryant had the ball in the Ballyskenagh net when he took possession of a Stephen Delaney side line cut to score from close range 2-4 to 0-3.
David Franks and John Dooley both pointed frees for Ballyskenagh in the 24th and 29th minutes to narrow the gap but the final score of the half fell to Stephen Delaney who pointed a 45 metre free to leave the half time score Shamrocks 2-5 Ballyskenagh 0-4.
Ballyskenagh needed a bright start to the second half but it was Shamrocks who had the opening score when Stephen Delaney fired over a point from 50 metres. Tadgh Maher pulled a point back for ‘Skenagh but again Delaney was on target from play. Stephen Cunningham extended Shamrocks advantage to eight points after 37 minutes. David Franks was then wide from a 65’, before John Dooley pointed a 35 metre free after Brendan Murphy was fouled. Declan Conroy and David Franks swapped points from play before Mick O’Hara sent over two long range free to leave five between the sides with 10 minutes left to play. However, Shamrocks hit back with two pointed frees from Stephen Delaney and one from play by Stephen Cunningham to leave it2-12 to 0-10 with five minutes left on the clock.
A late rally from ‘Skenagh saw Noel Murphy and David Franks (f) send over points and then with a minute of time remaining Brendan Murphy slammed the ball to the net to leave just a goal between the sides. As ‘Skenagh fired everything into attack Stephen Delaney made a vital interception, sent a long delivery up field where Darrell O’Dwyer got possession 25 metres from goal, O’Dwyer soloed to the 14 metre line before sending an unstoppable shot to the bottom corner of Alan Franks net, thus ensuring Shamrocks senior status for another year. Alan Franks did fire over a last minute point for Ballyskenagh but it was all academic as Shamrocks were full value for their 3-12 to 1-13 victory.
Scorers:
Shamrocks: Stephen Delaney 0-7 (0-3f), Shane Cunningham 1-1, Ollie Bryant
1-0, Darrell O’Dwyer 1-0, Declan Conroy 0-2, Stephen Cunningham 0-1, Neville
Coughlan 0-1 (f).
Ballyskenagh: David Franks 0-3 (0-2f), Brendan Murphy 1-0, Noel Murphy 0-2,
John Dooley 0-2 (f), Mick O’Hara 0-2 (f), Vinny Franks 0-1, Eoghan Franks
0-1, Tadgh Maher 0-1, Aidan Franks 0-1.
Ballyskenagh: Alan Franks, Alan Middleton, Eoin Maher, Brendan Franks, Barry Keeshan, Mick O’Hara, Aidan Franks, David Franks, Vinnie Franks, Noel Murphy, John Dooley, Tadgh Maher, Eoghan Franks, Brendan Murphy, Derek Middleton
Shamrocks: Liam Mooney, Neville Coughlan, John Corcoran, Marcus Brady, Conor
Clavin, Colin Dunne, Gary Dunne, Kevin Cummins, Stephen Delaney, Declan Conroy,
Aidan Flaherty, Stephen Cunningham, Shane Cunningham, Brian Kearney, Ollie
Bryant
Subs: Darrell O’Dwyer for Flaherty (inj 3min).
Ref: Brendan Keeshan (Shinrone)