LISMORE 6-18 DUNGARVAN 4-19.

JJ KAVANAGH AND SONS COUNTY SENIOR HURLING CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 3 Goals Prove Crucial as Lismore Advance Lismore 6-18 Dungarvan 4-19 Lismore scored 24 times in this most entertaining third round senior hurling championship game at the Fraher Field last Sunday evening and Dungarvan did so on 23 occasions but the crucial difference between the sides was the amount of goals each scored. Lismore deserved their win as they led from the second minute and the ability of their forwards to ‘lose’ their markers and strike for major scores denied a workmanlike Dungarvan side from upsetting pre match predictions. Ray Barry and sub Oisin O Gorman were the goal heroes for the winners striking five between them and these major scores often came at a time when Dungarvan were challenging Lismore’s superiority. Kieran Power did very well in policing Maurice Shanahan, confining him to 0-2 from play but the damage was done inside where Dungarvan fielded two first time corner backs, a difficult task for any player in such a big fixture and not tested in challenge games at the first time of asking. After an opening score by Patrick Curran, Jack Prendergast set the scene for a hatful of goals at the Shandon venue when he finshed a pass from Maurice Shanahan to the town end goal. Gavin Power did well to deprive Maurice Shanahan a similar score before the latter opened his account with a pointed free on three minutes, 1-1 to 0-1. Championship newcomers for the Blues, Johnny Burke and Tristan Loftus, who were among Dungarvan’s best players, settled their side with scores from play but three uninterrupted minors per Jack Prendergast, Finbarr Reaney and Maurice Shanahan kept Lismore on the front footing at 1-4 to 0-3 and nine minutes played. Patrick Curran was off target with two frees but their fortunes changed when Colm Curran pointed and Gavin Crotty finshed a Loftus/ Burke move to the net in the 13th minute. An exchange of minors by Maurice Shanahan and Patrick Curran ensured parity at 1-5 each but Dungarvan could never get ahead of their opponents. Jack Prendergast saw a good goal opportunity sail over the bar at the end of the first quarter and every time Lismore advanced they threatened a goal. Darragh Lyons had a superb game for the locals and he levelled proceedings for the second time before Lismore took a firm grip. Following a Maurice Shanahan pointed ‘65’ and an opening score by Ray Barry, the latter burst on to the scene with a brace of goals in the 24th minute from deliveries by Shanahan and Carthach Daly, the latter cutting through the centre. Maurice Shanahan popped over his fourth pointed free in the 25th minute and with the scoreboard reading 3-9 to 1-6, the outcome indeed looked bleak for the Blues. Yet, Lismore were not to score for the remainder of the half and Dungarvan stuck to their task to get back into the game. Johnny Burke started the comeback with 0-3(2f) and Colm Curran supplied 0-2 from play before Luke O Callaghan was quickest to react to a Burke free coming back off the upright and he placed Patrick Curran for Dungarvan’ s second goal. The momentum was with the locals when the half time whistled sounded but as the action unfolded at the start of the second half, the break in play didn’t do them any favours. Dungarvan looked poised to mount a real challenge but when an early second half ball was lost in their half back line, sub Oisin O Gorman, just on, finished a pass from Ray Barry to the net and the Blues were on the back foot once more. Paudie Prendergast and Patrick Curran traded points from play as did Johnny Burke(f) and Prendergast again before Seane Barry saved from Tristan Loftus at the expense of a ‘65’. Maurice Shanahan pointed from play and Lismore were ahead by 4-12 to 2-13 with five minutes of the second half played. Joe Allen replaced an unlucky Gavin Power for Dungarvan and the Blues may have been better served if they had replaced their other corner back who was on a yellow card. Johnny Burke pointed a ‘65’ but Dungarvan were again put back in their box when Oisin O Gorman was quickest to react to a superb save by Darren Duggan from Ray Barry, with a look of a square ball about it, to change the scoreboard to 5-12 to 2-14 and 38 minutes played. Seven points the difference and Johnny Burke and Maurice Shanahan traded pointed frees but Dungarvan kept battling and a Colm Curran fourth point from play left a clear two goals between the teams at the end of the third quarter. Five minutes later Dungarvan’s hopes were raised again when, after Shanahan and Burke swopped minors once more, the industrious throughout Darragh Lyons placed Patrick Curran for his second goal from play, 5-14 to 3-17. Then misfortune hit the Blues when Kealan Daly was sidelined on a second yellow card with Maurice Shanahan punishing the necessary indiscretion on Carthach Daly heading for goal. By the 53rd minute, Lismore’s advantage was whittled down to 0-2 thanks to scores by Jamie Nagle and Patrick Curran before Ray Barry pointed two minutes later. Dungarvan’s all match weakness in front of their own goal surfaced for the defining time in the 57th minute when Finbarr Reaney and Paudie Prendergast combined to feed a loose Ray Barry in front of the country end goal to complete his hat trick and to finish off the game. Reaney and Maurice Shanahan(f) added minors , 0-8 the gap, before a Colm Curran delivery was sent to the net by Johnny Burke to put a better look on the scoreboard. The scoreline suggest two good forward divisions and two not so good defences. Lismore will be concerned with handing over 4-19 ahead of their quarter final clash with Abbeyside this weekend while Dungarvan will be required to get their injured players back and concentrate on building their team from the back if they are going to be a force in 2021. Lismore’s Top Three : Ray Barry, Jack Prendergast, Carthach Daly. Dungavan’s Top Three : Johnny Burke, Darragh Lyons, Patrick Curran. Observer’s Man of the Match : Ray Barry. Number of Scorers : Lismore : 6. Dungarvan : 7. Scores From Play : Lismore : 6-12. Dungarvan : 4-13. Frees For : Lismore : 9. Dungarvan : 12. Wides : Lismore : 7. Dungarvan : 8. Score of the Match : Tristan Loftus’ 6th minute point for Dungarvan. Scorers : Lismore : Ray Barry 3-2, Maurice Shanahan 0-10(7f, 1’65’), Oisin O Gorman 2-0, Jack Prendergast 1-2, Finbar Reaney and Paudie Prendergast 0-2 each. Dungarvan : Johnny Burke 1-8(5f, 1’65’), Patrick Curran 2-4, Colm Curran 0-4, Gavin Crotty 1-0, Tristan Loftus, Darragh Lyons and Jamie Nagle 0-1 each. Teams : Lismore : Seanie Barry; Aaron Whelan, John Prendergast, Conor Howard; Carthach Daly, Iarlaith Daly, Shane Heaphy; David Prendergast, Anthony McClone; Maurice Shanahan, Paudie Prendergast, Finbarr Reaney; Jordan Shanahan, Jack Prendergast, Ray Barry. Subs : Oisin O Gorman for Jordan Shanahan (h/t), Jordan Murphy for Shane Heaphy(39), Dan Shanahan for Jack Prendergast (inj.) 61. Dungarvan : Darren Duggan; Kealan Daly, John Curran, Gavin Power; Jamie Nagle, Jack Lacey, Kieran Power; Darragh Lyons, Michael Kiely; Johnny Burke,Patrick Curran, Tristan Loftus; Gavin Crotty, Colm Curran, Luke O Callaghan. Subs : Joe Allen for Gavin Power(36), Joe Duggan for Luke O Callaghan(55). Referee : Anthony Fitzgerald (Passage).