JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY DIVISION 4 MINOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL

DUNGARVAN COMEBACK EDGES OUT ST. OLIVERS

DUNGARVAN 3-14 ST. OLIVERS 2-16

There have been many greatest comebacks since Lazurus over in the Fraher Field down the years and this latest one by Dungarvan’s minor hurlers in the Division 4 County final must surely rank up there with the best of them.

Down by 2-10 to 2-3 at half time and by a further point on the restart, St. Olivers had the ball in the back of the Dungarvan goal once again but referee Michael O Brien judged the St. Olivers player, Corey Scanlon to have caught the ball three times and so what would probably have been the winning score was disallowed.

Playing with more hope than confidence at this stage, Dungarvan’s 35^th minute comeback was initiated by Billy Hickey, who was moved to midfield at half time. His point was Dungarvan’s first in ten minutes and it set the ball rolling for the local side.

The Blues scored a further seven uninterrupted   points to level by the 45^th minute before a thrilling conclusion was served up by both teams to the large attendance present.

It was all so different in a first half that St. Olivers dominated throughout with Dungarvan failing to turn up for the battle. Olivers were three points to the good with the breeze at their backs by the 6^th minute courtesy of their three half forwards, Corey Scanlon, Michael McGrath and the very influential Harry O Donovan.

Dungarvan required a score badly and it came in the form of a major one by Luke Power, cleverly finished into the country end goal.  Man of the Match, Leon Lannon  and Eddie Burke followed up with minor scores  and within a minute, Dungarvan had turned a 0-3 deficit into a 0-2 advantage.

There was no further scoring for the next four minutes until Olivers’ number 17 Joe Cotter regained his side’s lead with a smashing goal in the town end. Eddie Burke and Harry O Donovan traded scores from frees before Jack Lonergan brought a great save out of Tony O Donnell in the Blues’ goal, 1-4 to 1-3.

Olivers supremacy in outfield play saw them score three points in a row per Eoin Hally and a free and a ‘65’ by Harry O Donovan to establish a 1-7 to 1-3 lead by the 24^th minute.

Dungarvan were living on crumbs but they received a timely boost one minute later when Leon Lannon worked his way though for a goal in the corner of the Olivers’ net.  However, Olivers responded in side three minutes with a second goal of their own when Michael McGrath opened up the Dungarvan defence to re establish their 0-4 advantage.

It was all St. Olivers for the rest of the half,  Harry O Donovan repeated his two earlier scores from placed balls either side of a point by Joe Cotter to leave the scoreboard reading 2-10 to 2-3 ahead of the break.  St. Olivers struck five first half wides to Dungarvan’s two.

SECOND HALF

Olivers started the second half as they finished the first.  Harry O Donovan’s seventh score extended their advantage further and Corey Scanlon’s ‘goal’ would have probably finished off the game as a contest.

Perhaps realising that the game was  going out of their reach, Dungarvan upped their performance and the next eight points were scored by Billy Hickey, Leon Lannon, Eddie Burke(f), James Maye, Brian Curran, Lannon and Curran again and Eddie Burke (‘65’).

So with three quarters of the match played , the teams were level pegging at 2-11 each which could not have been anticipated ten minutes earlier.

Credit Olivers, once again, they settled themselves with scores from  Jack Mulhall and Michael McGrath to stop Dungarvan in their tracks. Credit also to Dungarvan who replied with a second Leon Lannon goa, a defining score,l with 52 minutes played and the game was back in the melting pot at 3-11(20) D. To 2-13(19) S.O.

With eight minutes remaining, the next few scores were always going to be vital and in a thrilling battle, it was Dungarvan who claimed them via Luke Power, Brian Curran and Pierce Quann, 3-14 to 2-14 and 59 minutes on the clock.

Dungarvan should also have sealed the win during this period but a combination of wides and terrific goal mouth defending and saves denied them some breathing space. Back down the field in added time, Harry O Donnell pointed a brace of frees with Dungarvan in possession in attack in the final play when the long whistle sounded.

Neutrals say it was a great game as are many of the minor games the past week with huge attendances flocking to venues around the County to support their  favourites.

PRESENTATION

Chairman of the County Board Sean Micheal O Regan presented the County cup to outstanding Dungarvan captain and midfielder Darryl Harty amid scenes of wild excitement.

Dungarvan’s Top Three : Darryl Harty, Leon Lannon, Darragh Healy.

St. Oliver’s Top Three : Harry O Donovan, Joe Cotter, Michael McGrath.

Man of the Match : Darryl Harty.

Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 7. St. Olivers : 6.

Scores From Play : Dungarvan : 3-11. St. Olivers : 2-7.

Frees For : Dungarvan : 6. St. Olivers : 10.

Wides : Dungarvan : 7. St. Olivers : 7.

Score of the Match : Leon Lannon’s 52^nd minute goal for Dungarvan.

Scorers :

Dungarvan : Leon Lannon 2-3, Luke Power 1-1, Eddie Burke 0-4(2f, ‘65’), Brian Curran 0-3, Billy Hickey, James May and Pierce Quann 0-1 each.

St. Olivers : Harry O Donovan 0-10(7f, 2’65’), Michael McGrath 1-2, Joe Cotter 1-1, Corey Scanlon, Eoin Hally and Jack Mulhall 0-1 each.

Teams :

Dungarvan : Tony O Donnell, Billy Hickey, Darragh Murphy, Robbie Wall, Darragh Healy, Calum Bulfin, James Maye, Darryl Harty, Zach Power, Eddie Burke, Brian Curran, Leon Lannon, Luke Power, John Meehan, Luke Irwin, Pierce Quann, Jacob Dalton, Brandon Dillon.

St. Olivers : Jack Daly, Cian Moore, Brian Scanlon, Leo Mulhall, Jack Lonergan, Richie Whelan, Shane O Donnell, Dylan Troy, Jack Prendergast, Corey Scanlon, Michael McGrath, Eoin Hally, Joe Cotter Harry O Donovan, Eanna Tobin, Jack Mulhall, Paddy Osborne, Rian Mernin, Noah Quilty, Daniel Buckley.

Referee : Michael O Brien (Portlaw).

THE LOCAL BAR WESTERN JUNIOR B HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP GROUP  1 ROUND 1

DUNGARVAN 1-16 BRICKEYS 1-14

Nobody could have argued if this all parish local junior hurling derby game had ended in a draw at the well appointed Abbeyside venue last Friday evening. Both club’s second teams provided an entertaining hour’s hurling at the end of which Dungarvan had 0-2 to spare after leading by 0-4 with five minutes remaining .

The goals in the second half were the key scores here. Brickeys’ Tadhg Tobin’s strike at the end of a good team move  gave the Brickeys a 44^th minute lead at 1-10 to 0-12 while a 53^rd minute goal by Sean Ryan left the winners  1-15 to 1-11 clear before an exciting finale.

Brickeys fielded a young fit side that enjoyed much of the play while Dungarvan could have made their task that bit easier if they had taken more of their scoring opportunities,  especially major ones.

The game was level at the end of the first quarter on a score of 0-4 each with Stevie Ahearne and former Dungarvan player Brendan Cullinane(3f) on the mark for Brickeys and  Kyle Healy and Sean Ryan(3) on target for the Blues.

There was never much between the teams and at half time, Dungarvan held a 0-8 to 0-7 lead after further scores by Healy 0-3(2f) and Ryan and James Hahessy, Darragh O Grady and Ahearne replying for the Bushy Park men. Dungarvan struck seven first half wides to Brickeys’ four. Both teams had goal opportunities with Dungarvan goalie David Flynn doing well to field two attempts from under the cross bar in that first moiety.

SECOND HALF

Dungarvan started the second half the brighter, outscoring their opponents by 0-3 to 0-1 thanks to further strikes by Kyle Healy 0-2(1f) and Mark McGarry with Brickeys best player Stevie Ahearne keeping Brickeys in contact at 0-11 to 0-8.

As the game progressed, Brickeys fitness and training saw them enjoy more possession. Brendan Cullinan, from play, and Kyle Healy(f) traded minors and then Tadhg Tobin restored Brickeys’ early match lead when he slammed home the sliotar at the end of  his team’s defence splitting move in the 44^th minute.

Credit Dungarvan, though labouring in areas around the field, they equalised with a Kyle Healy point from play. Both Healy and Brendan Cullinan traded minors from play at the start of the final quarter and it was Healy, again, who gave Dungarvan the minimum lead with a fine score from play.

The defining score came from Dungarvan in the 53^rd minute when Sean Ryan slotted home a fine individual effort to open some daylight at 1-15 to 1-11 for the Blues. Brickeys displayed great character in accounting for three of the remaining four scores of the match. Brendan Cullinan(f) and Sean Ryan(‘65’) traded points before Brickeys ensured a grand stand finish with a magnificent long distant free by Darragh O Grady and Stevie Ahearne’s third score from play.

Both teams will be happy enough with their performances, Dungarvan with the win but not with their general play and Brickeys with their fitness and display but not with a first defeat.

Dungarvan’s Top Three ; Sean Ryan, Kyle Healy, Kenny Moore.

Brickeys : Stevie Ahearne, Brendan Cullinan, Tadhg Tobin.

Observer’s Man of the Match : Sean Ryan.

Number of Scorers : Dungarvan : 4. Brickeys : 6.

Frees For : Dungarvan : 8. Brickeys : 9.

Wides : Dungarvan : 13. Brickeys : 7.

Score of the Match : Brickeys team goal scored by Tadhg Tobin.

Scorers :

Dungarvan : Kyle Healy 0-9(5f), Sean Ryan 1-5(1’65’), Joe Allen and Mark McGarry 0-1 each.

Brickeys : Brendan Cullinan 0-6(5f), Stevie Ahearne 0-4, Tadhg Tobin 1-0, Darragh O Grady 0-2(1f), James Hahessy and Justin Whelan 0-1 each.

Teams :

Dungarvan : David Flynn; Kevin Collins, Gary Donnolly, Sean Hyslop; Daniel Flynn, Conor Sheridan, Sam Dalton; Gabriel McGovern, Joe Allen; David Hayes,  Kenny Moore, Mark McGarry; Ivan Fitzgerald, Sean Ryan, Kyle Healy. Subs : Lorcan McGovern for Conor Sheridan (inj.), James O Callaghan for Ivan Fitzgerald.

Brickey Rangers : Cian O Halloran;  S. Fennell, Sam Lombard, Nigel Whelan; Eoin McGrath, Darragh O Grady, Hugo Harty; James Hahessy, Alan Curran; Stephen Ahearne, Michael O Dwyer, Tadhg Tobin; Mikey Sheehan, Brendan Cullinan, Justin Whelan. Subs :

Referee : Stephen Pratt (Tallow).