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).
