Abbeyside v Dungarvan in Fraher Field Sunday September 1st at 7.30pm.

It’s a pity that such an important an unique fixture will be played under lights as hurling is a day time game and we have been waiting for decades for a Senior hurling championship knockout game between the greatest of local rivals Abbeyside and Dungarvan. The All Ireland senior football final, if it’s the reason, should not determine its starting time and the bottom line is that playing hurling under the glare of lights is not the ideal situation. It would be incredible if the lights at the venue failed again like when Abbeyside had Ballygunner on the rack a few years back when in sight of an historic win over the champions.

The reason both sides have not met in years in championship knockout is partly because both were not in the senior grade At the same time. Since Dungarvan rejoined the grade in 2010, the clubs have met on two occasions. In 2014 their group game ended in a draw at 0-17(D) to 1-14(A) (as local derbies often do) and in 2017 the Blues won a first round group tie by 2-19 to 0-8. The fortunes of both clubs changed last year when Abbeyside progressed all the way to the County final and Dungarvan exited at the quarter final stage with a heavy defeat by Passage at Walsh Park. Abbeyside are unbeaten this year and with their full panel back in harness after their Summer travels, they will be the favourites to advance to their second consecutive semi final. The Villagers experience last year should stand to them at the knockout stages but everyone knows that local derbies have a life of their own and this is what makes this game so intriguing.

Dungarvan’s inconsistency has plagued them in recent championships and they will be hoping to raise their game on Sunday to make a real battle of this quarter final. The game could be won and lost not in both attacks but in both defences. There is a litany of scoring forwards on both teams and whichever defence can hold their opponents better could well tell us the outcome of this game. All the talk in the locality this week is geared to this much anticipate local derby with banter galore on both sides of the bridge. This is a game that the locality has been crying out for decades and hopefully the standard of it will live up to its pre match expectations.

J J KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY OFF

Dungarvan Defeat Understrength Fourmilewater

Dungarvan 1-27 Fourmilewater 2-13

Short the services of Jamie Barron, this was always going to be a difficult fixture for a Fourmilewater side that hadn’t won a game so far this year and so it proved at the Fraher Field last Sunday evening. Placing Tom Barron at corner forward from his usual centre back position didn’t help matters as well as it was predicted that Dungarvan would trouble the Fourmile defence and so it proved as the action unfolded. One man who did hold his own in that sector was full back Thomas O Gorman whose tight marking was a feature of the game and who did all that he could to keep his team in the game. On the plus side for Dungarvan, Patrick Curran showed a return to his best form while Ryan Donnolly was deadly accurate from play and from placed balls, scoring 0-15(9f, 2 ‘65’). All of the Blues six forwards scored as the local side showed an improvement from their defeat to DLS the previous week. Dungarvan led at half time by 1-12 to 1-9 after holding an 0-8 lead in the 21st minute at 1-10 to 0-5. The teams were level after four minutes at 0-2 each with Gavin Crotty and Ryan Donnolly(f) on target for the Blues and Tom Barron (2f) for Fourmile. Further minor scores by Crotty and Donnolly(f) edged Dungarvan ahead and when Aaron Donnolly supplied the sliotar in the eight minute to Patrick Curran, the County player showed his flare for goals with a well taken score, 1-4 to 0-3. The winners built on this lead with contributions from Conor Sheridan, Gavin Crotty, Mike Kiely and Donnolly while Fourmilewater’s first score from play came as late as the 18th minute through Shane Ryan. Trailing by 1-10 to 0-5, the men wearing the Nire jerseys on this occasion due to a colour clash, made a fine comeback with Shane Ryan in the thick of things. He pointed in the 21st minute and then pounced on a mistake in the Dungarvan defence to strike home a 23rd minute goal, 1-11 to 1-6. Patrick Curran steadied Dungarvan with a 25th minute score from a Joe Allen pass but it was Fourmile who finished the half the better. Further points by Seamus Lawlor from a Richie Fenton pass, Tom Barron(f) and Fenton as well as a missed goal chance left just 0-3 the difference at half time after Dungarvan had done all of the hurling, 1-12 to 1-9.

The start of the second have was awaited with keen interest to see if Fourmile could continue their admirable comeback but it was Dungarvan who started the better. Two pointed frees by Ryan Donnolly and a score from play by Patrick Curran increased the Blues’ advantage to 0-6 before Seamus Lawlor reopened Fourmile’s account with a point from play and the goal at his mercy, 1-15 to 1-10. Cathal Curran increased this lead to 0-7 but when Tom Barron fired home a 37th minute goal in the country end, the game was opened up once more, 1-16 to 2-10. Dungarvan almost negated this major score with two points immediately from play by Ryan Donnolly and Joe Allen as the game headed for its final twenty minutes. Shane Walsh pointed his lone score in the 41st minute before Dungarvan began to turn the screw with four unanswered points by the 47th minute per Ryan Donnolly from play, a free and a ‘65’ with Joe Allen contributing a contender for score of the match after fielding Gavin Power’s puck out, 1-22 to 2-11

Dungarvan confined Fourmilewater to two Tom Barron pointed frees for the remaining fifteen minutes of the play while they slotted over five more points themselves and Cathal Curran had a 47th minute goal chance from a pass by Gavin Crotty who was now performing better in space out the field. Ryan Donnolly finished off a man of the match performance with his three final scores by the 57thth minute while Luke O Callaghan announced his introduction with an immediate point from play.

There was 0-11 between the teams at the final whistle but Dungarvan still have improvements to make around the field if they are to stay in the championship. Fourmilewater couldn’t operate without the injured Jamie Barron but they still have the ability to retain their senior status where they have two opportunities to do so, the first being against fellow strugglers Clonea.

Scorers : Dungarvan : Ryan Donnolly 0-15(9f, 2’65’), Patrick Curran 1-2, Gavin Crotty 0-3, Joe Allen and Cathal Curran 0-2 each, Conor Sheridan, Michael Kiely and Luke O Callaghan

Team : Dungarvan :  Gavin Power; Aaron Donnolly, John Curran, Sean Ryan; Jamie Nagle, Kieran Power, Kenny Moore; Michael Kiely, Darragh Lyons; Conor Sheridan, Joe Allen, Patrick Curran; Cathal Curran, Gavin Crotty, Ryan Donnolly. Subs : Cormac Curran for Conor Sheridan (inj, 47), Jack Lacey for Aaron Donnolly (54), Kealan Daly for Cathal Curran (57), Luke O Callaghan for Gavin Crotty (60).

Club Chairman David Kiely makes a presentation to retiring groundsman John Walsh.

Dungarvan GAA extends its sincere thanks to John Walsh, Kilrush Park for his years of  dedicated service as groundsman on the occasion of  his retirement on the 9th of August 2019.

JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3

Dungarvan Miss Out on Quarter Final Spot Despite Clearcut Win over Clonea.

Dungarvan 2-31 Clonea 1-8.

Dungarvan senior hurlers were in line for the fourth automatic qualifying spot in the County championship after this clearcut win over Clonea at the Fraher Field last Sunday morning but that was before Lismore tore Passage to shreds in the evening fixture at the same venue to claim this position themselves. Dungarvan could only look after their own business and this they did in style against a Clonea side that played poorly on the day and without some key regulars which they cannot afford to lose for a senior championship game. A repeat performance such as this would put Clonea’s senior status in jeopardy and they will need to return to the form they showed against Tallow as soon as possible. Their play off game is against Mt. Sion who have two championship wins under their belt already.

Dungarvan had a dozen different scorers in this game and much of Clonea playing poorly was to do with the quality displayed by their opposition. The Blues led by 0-6 to 0-0 after seven minutes with Ryan Donnolly, Michael Kiely, Colm Curran, Joe Allen and Kealan Daly finding their range. Billy Power opened Clonea’s account with a 10 th minute pointed free, followed by their first score from play by Martin Whelan. Yet, Dungarvan were soon working the scoreboard regularly once again and minors by Ryan Donnolly, Colm Curran, Patrick Curran and Sean Ryan had a strong 0-10 to 0-3 advantage secured come the 20 th minute.

Goals are a must for the Blues if they hope to equal strong sides like Lismore who rattled in five against Passage and Patrick Curran supplied a trade mark effort in the 23 rd minute to put the game beyond Clonea at 1-10 to 0-3. Jamie Nagle and Joe Allen added points before James Power landed a fourth Clonea point in the 26 th minute, 1-12 to 0-4.. It was Dungarvan who continued to be in charge though and scores by Ryan Donnolly(2f) and Cathal Curran earned them a well deserved 1-15 to 04 lead at half time.

The winners scored one point more than their first half tally in the second half as their consistency of scoring continued. Colm Curran reopened the scoring after just 25 seconds, replied to by Sean Clancy. Scores continued to flow for the local side built on some good team work with Ryan Donnolly (2f) and Gavin Crotty extending the winners’ lead to 1-19 to 0-6 and 42 minutes played. Stephen Curry and sub Aaron Gleeson struck second half points from play for Clonea and Sean Clancy grabbed a consolation goal from an ordinary 56 th minute free. Yet, one minute later, Dungarvan’s Ryan Donnolly equalled Clancy’s score with a goal to add to numerous mid half points by such as Patrick Curran, Kieran Power, Gavin Crotty, Ryan Donnolly and Kenny Moore.

Coming into to this game with a minus 0-6 points difference, Dungarvan left the Shandon venue with one foot in the quarter finals before being up staged by Lismore’s tally of 5-26 against Passage. However, they are playing better now than at any stage in the past few years and they will need to continue to do so with a difficult game against Fourmilewater on the horizon.

Scorers : Dungarvan : Ryan Donnolly 1-11(6f, 1’65’), Patrick Curran 1-6, Colm Curran 0-3, Joe Allen and Gavin Crotty 0-2 each, Michael Kiely, Kealan Daly, Sean Ryan, Jamie Nagle, Cathal Curran, Kieran Power and Kenny Moore 0-1 each.

Clonea : Sean Clancy 1-1(1-0f), Billy Power 0-3, James Power, Mairtin Power, Stephen Curry and Aaron Gleeson 0-1 each.

Teams :

Dungarvan : Gavin Power; Aaron Donnolly, John Curran,Sean Ryan; Jamie Nagle, Kieran Power, Kenny Moore; Gavin Crotty, Michael Kiely; Cathal Curran, Joe Allen, Ryan Donnolly; Kealan Daly, Colm Curran, Patrick Curran. Subs : Cormac Curran for Joe Allen (39), Conor Sheridan for Sean Ryan (57).

Clonea : Stephen Power; Liam Walsh, Mairtin Power, Paul Drohan; WilliamHahessy, Martin Scurry, Conor Walsh; Stephen Curry, Martin Whelan; Michael Curry, Sean Clancy, Ronan Cahill; James Power, Conor Dalton, Billy Power. Subs : Padraig Hunt for Michael Curry (h/t), Ciaran Power for Stephen Curry (44), Tom Walsh for Liam Walsh (49), Aaron Gleeson for Ronan Cahill (55).

Referee : Michael O Brien (Portlaw).