2004 Senior Hurling Championship

Coolderry reign in the rain to book semi-final spot with deserved seven point victory over Ballyskenagh

COOLDERRY 1-17 ...... BALLYSKENAGH 1-10

Coolderry booked their place in the semi-final of the Senior Hurling Championship with a seven point victory over last years beaten finalists Ballyskenagh at a rain drenched St Brendan’s Park, Birr on Sunday evening last.

Ballyskenagh must now play off with St Rynagh’s to see who grabs the quarter final spot.
Coolderry went into this game without the services of Damien Murray who suffered a broken thumb in their drawn encounter with St Rynagh’s, while Ballyskenagh were without the injured John Dooley and Mark Kirwan, while Mick O’Hara has not yet returned from the U.S..

An interesting feature of this game was the low number of wides in the game, Coolderry hit a total of seven, six in the first half, while Ballyskenagh had just four two in each half.

Coolderry looked the livelier side from the start, and with Joe Brady back marshalling the centre of defence, with Kevin Brady and Barry Teehan either side of him, their forward line were getting a constant supply of good ball and they hit some good scores.

From the outset Cathal Parlon looked to be the main threat and he hit a total of five points. Ballyskenagh had the opening score of the game but it was the only time the led.

Coolderry 0-6 to 0-2 ahead at the end of the first quarter, and despite a purple patch by ‘Skenagh which saw the deficit cut to the minimum seven minutes before the break, Coolderry finished the half the stronger and led by 0-10 to 0-6 at the break.

Coolderry continued to dominate after the break, but failed to get through fro the goal that would have put Ballyskenagh away. They had stretched their lead to six points by the 42nd minute, when Eoghan Franks struck for a ‘Skenagh goal.

But almost immediately Martin Corcoran replied with a great individual goal for Coolderry and from there to the finish they never looked like loosing and eventually ran out 1-17 to 1-10 winners.

For Coolderry Brendan O’Meara had a fine game at full back, the half back line completely dominated that sector of the field. Martin Corcoran showed up well at mid-field, while in attack Cathal Parlon, Pat O’Connor, Dermot Dooley and David O’Meara were best.

Ballyskenagh best players were Cathal Murphy at full back, David Franks at centre back while further a field Brendan Murphy, Noel Murphy and David Carney were best.

Eoghan Franks opened the scoring in the 1st minute with a pointed free following a foul on David Carney. Cathal Parlon levelled proceedings with the first of his five points in the 3rd minute and Paddy Teehan followed up with a pointed free following a foul on Brian Carroll, to give Coolderry a lead they never subsequently lost.

Cathal Parlon rounded his marker in the 6th minute and fired over point number three, before Paddy Teehan saw his kicked effort for goal go just wide of the post. Dermot Dooley extended Coolderry’s lead to three points when he fired over after Pat O’Connor set him up with a neat pass.

Paddy Teehan then made it 0-5 to 0-1 when he pointed a 30 metre free after Cathal Parlon had been fouled. Eoghan Franks pointed his second free in the 12th minute, following a foul by Andrew Hall on Alan Middleton.

This was quickly cancelled out by a Pat O’Connor point following a pass from Cathal Parlon. Ballyskenagh then had their best spell of the half, Eoghan Franks sent over two frees and Timmy Hennessy pointed from play to cut the margin to the minimum after 22 minutes.

A minute later Paddy Teehan took possession of a high delivery from Martin Corcoan but his shot from close range was deflected for a 65’ by Alan Franks, and Brain Carroll duly converted to leave it 0-7 to 0-5.

David Carney and Pat O’Connor then swapped points before Cathal Parlon and Paddy Teehan (f) added points for Joe Tynan’s men to leave the half time score Coolderry 0-10 Ballyskenagh 0-6.

David Franks opened the second half scoring with a point in the 32nd minute, but this was quickly cancelled out by a Brian Carroll pointed 65’.

Dermot Dooley then sent a ground shot over the bar and Cathal Parlon followed up with one from play to stretch the margin to six points after 37 minutes. Noel Murphy and Paddy Teehan (free) then exchanged points before the game sprung to life with a Ballyskenagh goal in the 42nd minute.

A long delivery out of his own defence from David Franks dropped in the Coolderry square and Eoghan Franks got the deftest of touches to guide the sliotar past Shane O’Connor.

Barely had the ‘Skenagh cheers died down when Alan Franks was picking the ball out of the net at the other end.

Martin Corcoran got possession 50 metres from goal and soloed to the 14 metre line before crashing the ball to the net. 1-14 to 1-8.

Andrew Hall quickly added another point, before Brendan Murphy pulled a point back for Roy Mannion’s side. Amazingly the first wide of the second half came in the 47th minute when David Carney was off target.

An Eoghan Franks pointed free cut the margin to five points in the 49th minute, but that was to be his sides final score of the game.

In the 51st minute Barry Teehan pulled down Brendan Murphy as he bore down on the Coolderry goal, David Franks stepped up to take the penalty, but his well hit shot was expertly saved by Barry Teehan on the Coolderry line.

Coolderry finished the scoring with points from Paddy Teehan (free) and Cathal Parlon to give Coolderry a seven point victory and a place in the semi-final of the Aiden Bracken Building Design Senior Hurling Championship.

Scorers:
Coolderry: Cathal Parlon 0-5, Paddy Teehan 0-5 (f), Martin Corcoran 1-0, Brian Carroll 0-2 (65’), Pat O’Connor 0-2, Dermot Dooley 0-2, Andrew Hall 0-1
Ballyskenagh: Eoghan Franks 1-5 (0-5f), David Franks 0-1, Brendan Murphy 0-1, Timmy Hennessy 0-1, Noel Murphy 0-1, David Carney 0-1

Coolderry: Shane O’Connor, Trevor Corcoran, Brendan O’Meara, Alan Corcoran, Kevin Brady, Joe Brady, Barry Teehan, Andrew Hall, Martin Corcoran, David O’Meara, Brian Carroll, Dermot Dooley, Paddy Teehan, Pat O’Connor, Cathal Parlon Subs: Seamus Tooher for Hall (48min)

Ballyskenagh: Alan Franks, Barry Keeshan, Cathal Murphy, Brenda Franks, Alan Middleton, David Franks, Aidan Franks, Brendan Murphy, Timmy Hennessy, Derek Middleton, Tom O’Toole, Noel Murphy, Kenny Franks, David Carney, Eoghan Franks subs: Mark Kirwan for B Keeshan (38min), Morgan Lalor for Hennessy (43min),

Ref: Martin Walsh (Birr)

(C) Offaly Independent, Issue Dated Sat Aug 21 04

 

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