Fraher Field Classics
Western Junior Hurling Championship
Year : 1968
Courtesy of the Editor of the Dungarvan Observer
From the Pen of John A. Murphy
.
Newspaper Saturday August 17th.1968
Dungarvan 9-6 Brickey Rangers 2-2
THE expected closely contested first round junior hurling championship game at the Fraher Field on Sunday last between Dungarvan and Brickeys never materialised as the Brickeys were but a pale shadow of some very useful combinations that they have fielded in the past.
Over the hour Dungarvan played some excellent hurling and the forwards showed a real hunger for scores and they can await their nest outing against Tallow with some justifiable confidence.
The Brickeys fell into arrears early on and they trailed at half time by 5-2 to 0-2. They did stage a spirited closing rally that brought them a brace of goals but theirs was a side that was totally unprepared for championship battle.
Dungarvan were complete masters from the start. Their midfield pairing of Christy Whelan and John Egan gave them a very definite pull in the sector and from the lavish service supplied by this pair, the Dungarvan attack began to pick off the scores. Mickey Mahony had two well taken goals inside ten minutes but Brickey points by Richie Whelan and Willie Terry, to which Mahony replied with one from Dungarvan, left the winners 2-1 to 0-1 ahead at the end of the first quarter.
Dungarvan finished the half in absolute control and goals by Jim Nagle, Jim Dee and Sean Power and a Tom Cunningham gave them an unflattering 5-2 to 0-2 half time lead.
Brickeys restarted with their forces almost completely regrouped. Richie Whelan had now taken over from Charlie McAllister in goal with the latter moving to the full line of attack. Peter Ferncombe moved from corner back to centre forward but Dungarvan continued to dominate.
The winners had further goals by Christy Whelan,Jim Nagle,John Egan and Mickey Mahony and points by the latter (2) and Tom Cunningham followed. The Brickeys did succeed in scoring a brace of goals in the closing minutes per Charlie McAllister and John Woods but Dungarvan fittingly had the final say with a Jim Dee point.
For Dungarvan Michael Flynn played well in goal but if the full line of John Clancy, Sean Murphy and Michael Lewis made no mistakes, it was the superb hurling of half backs Eddie Sheehan (in particular), Michael Norris and Timmy Healy that caught the eye most.
John Egan and Christy Whelan were on top all through at midfield and all six forwards shared in the triumph, although Mickey Mahony, Tom Cunningham and Jim Dee formed a particularl effective half line.
The Brickeys stars were few and far between but defeat was certainly no fault of John Woods, Nicholas McGrath, Peter Ferncombe, Richie Whelan and Willie Terry, who hurled tirelessly in a vain bid to stem the tide that flowed so strong against them.
Dungarvan- M. Flynn; J. Clancy, S. Murphy, M. Lewis; E. Sheehan, M. Norris, T. Healy; J. Egan, C. Whelan; M. Mahony, T. Cunningham. J. Dee; S. Power, M. Fitzgerald, J. Nagle. Sub- J. Fennell for Fitzgerald.
Brickey Rangers- C. McAllister; B. Spratt, N. McGrath, P. Ferncombe; J. Cooney, J. Spratt, J. Cooney; P. Curran, J. Woods; J. Mansfield, W. Terry, V. Curran; R. Whelan, M. Spratt, M. Whelan.
Referee : T. Scanlon (Affane).
