City clubs to face off in minor county final
Roanmore's Benjamin Meistas wins possession ahead of De La Salle's Darragh Doyle
The Division 1 Minor Hurling semi-Finals took place on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week in Walsh Park and were expected to be closely contested games but the opposite was the case as Roanmore and Ballygunner comfortably advanced to a final confrontation at the expense of De La Salle and Mount Sion respectively.
Beaten by De La Salle when the sides met earlier in competition, Roanmore reversed that result in no uncertain manner in Walsh Park on Tuesday last. Playing with the aid of the stiff breeze in the first half Roanmore dominated from the start moving into a 1-5 to 0-1 lead inside the opening ten minutes with the goal coming from Stephen Cooke in the 4th minute. De La Salle looked like forcing their way into the game when Shane Power put Matthew Mulally through for a goal on the 10th minute with Toby Ryan and Darragh Doyle following up with points to leave just two between the sides going into the second quarter.
Roanmore quickly regained the initiative with points from Alex Furlong, Keydan Kavanagh, Eoin Burke and Adam Dobbyn before Eoin Burke finished a 20 metre free to the net in the 22nd minute. Further points followed from Dobbyn and Burke before Shane Power’s point from a free left De La Salle trailing by 1-11 to 1-4 going into the second half.
After Eanna McHugh and Eoin Burke (F) had pointed either side of a Shane Power point on the resumption Stephen Cooke shot his second goal in the 37th minute to give his side a fourteen point lead and thereafter the issue was never in doubt. In the remainder of the game Roanmore outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-4 as De La Salle’s best efforts for the goals they needed came up short with Roanmore’s fourth goal from an Eoin Burke penalty in the 45th minute sealing the issue.
Eoin Burke 2-7 (1-5Fs, 1-0 Pen.), Stephen Cooke 2-1, Adam Dobbyn , Dylan Murphy and Keydan Kavanagh 0-2 each, Eanna McHugh and Alex Furlong 0-1 each.
Toby Ryan 0-4 (Fs), Matthew Mulally 1-0, Shane Power 0-3 (1F), Darragh Doyle, Conor Power ans Jack Mulally 0-1 each.
Defending champions Ballygunner were quick out of the blocks here racing into a 0-4 to 0-0 lead in as many minutes with points from Conor Spain (2), Mark Hartley and Andrew Power. Mount Sion looked like they were going to make a game of it when Donncha Flannery sent over two points from frees and a Michael Sanderson point left just one between the sides after ten minutes but a goal by full forward Darragh Hickey followed by points from Cormac Spain, Mark Hartley and Cian O’Sullivan put the champions firmly in control as Moun Sion missed chances from frees and shots dropping short to goalie Ben Power. Mount Sion added points from Tommy Kennedy, Michael Sanderson and two Donncha Flannery points before the break to points in reply from Cormac Spain (2FS) and Darragh Hickey. HT Ballygunner 1-10 Mount Sion 0-7.
The second half was totally one sided as Ballygunner never allowed their opponents to gain a foothold in the game, outscoring them by 1-14 to 0-2 with Cormac Spain Mount Sion’s chief tormentor as he accounted for 1-6 of his side’s second half total.
Cormac Spain 1-11 (0-5Fs), Darragh Hickey 1-2, Mark Hartley 0-4, Jack Power 0-3, Cian O’Sullivan, Andrew Power, David Cullen and Jamie Bowe 0-1 each.
Donncha Flannery 0-5 (Fs), Michael Sanderson 0-3, Tommy Kennedy 0-1.
Dungarvan advanced to the Division 1 Shield Final with an emphatic 4-27 to 2-10 win over Brickey Rangers where they will face Ballyduff Upper who repeated their league section win over Abbeyside on a score of 0-15 to 0-13.
In the Division 2 Championship Erins Own advanced to the final following an exciting 1-10 to 1-8 win over Passage and they will face an unbeaten Lismore who defeated St. Saviours/Ferrybank, 2-14 to 0-14.
The Division 3 final will see Western sides Cois Bhride and St. Olivers in opposition while Stradbally remain firm favourites to take the Division 4 title following their decisive 5-15 to 2-7 win over Portlaw/Ballyduff.
