Cummins brothers blast Lismore to minor county final glory
Neil Moore vice chairperson of the Waterford Co.Board presents winning Lismore capt Ben Cummins with the Div 2 Championship trophy after his side defeated Erins Own in the J.J. Kavanagh & Sons Minor Hurling Championship Div 2 Final which was played in the Fraher Field. Photos: Eddie Dee Photography.
Black and amber bodies piled on top of one another as the Lismore minors celebrated Division 2 success under the Thursday night lights. The Cummins brothers scored 1-16 between them to shake off a never say die Erin’s Own in a lively finale.
This was a free ridden game overall. Ben Cummins finished with fifteen points (thirteen frees) for the victors while younger sibling Adam got 1-1 and won four second half frees. Adam is still only Under 15 but fronted up to a tough tackling defence and found the top corner of the net with four minutes left. Joshua Kiely also put himself about at midfield. Patrick Moloney (0-11) and Jamie Shanahan (1-2) spearheaded the Erin’s Own attack.
After losing to Lismore by 6-12 to 0-15 in the group stages, the Eastern side decided to batten down the hatches. Jack Waring went back as a seventh defender while Thomas Bresnan and Dean O’Connor double marked Ben Cummins. Blue and gold shirts swarmed the full forward whenever he threatened a goal.
The teams were level five times in a stop start first quarter. Patrick Moloney got four points for Erin’s Own (three frees) while full forward Jamie Shanahan sidestepped his marker in front of the stand and struck over a screamer off the hurley. Ben Cummins converted three placed balls for Lismore with his brother Adam and Joshua Kiely on target from play.
On sixteen minutes, Shanahan latched onto a long ball and beat Rian O’Dwyer at his near post (1-5 to 0-5). The Waterford minor scored 1-1 and won two frees during a productive first half. Two more Moloney frees saw them open up a 1-7 to 0-6 advantage.
At the other end, Ben Cummins completed the half with seven frees. On 25 minutes, the Munster medallist with Blackwater went low but goalkeeper Evan Flynn blocked the shot. Moloney increased his total to eight as the Easterners went in a goal up at the interval (1-9 to 0-9).
After a frustrating first half, Cummins managed to break free at the start of the second. The Déise minor beat three defenders before he fired over the bar off the stick. Four frees followed to make it 0-14 to 1-9 in favour of the black and amber by the 42nd minute. Erin’s Own defender Dean O’Connor received a yellow card for a cynical foul on the number fourteen. Adam Cummins won two other frees.
Entering the last quarter, Lismore goalkeeper Rian O’Dwyer flicked away a shot from Charlie Dunne that seemed destined for the bottom corner. Adam Finnerty missed the resultant 65. It took Erin’s Own eighteen minutes to get the scoreboard ticking from a Moloney free. He then levelled the match for the seventh time from another placed ball.
Hugo Quann replied a point from 50 metres before Ben Cummins slotted a free for another foul on Adam. Moloney tapped over a free but Kealan Dunne soloed through the middle and split the posts to cancel that out.
On 56 minutes, Adam Cummins darted past two defenders and cracked a shot to the top corner (1-17 to 1-12). Erin’s Own never threw in the towel. Adam Finnerty blasted over a free before Jamie Shanahan pointed from an acute angle.
Three minutes of injury time were signalled but six were played. In an exciting finish, Ben Cummins smacked the sliotar off the ground and delivered his fifteenth point much to the approval of Maurice Shanahan on the sideline. It wasn’t over yet as Conor McCabe advanced on goal and passed the ball beyond the onrushing Rian O’Dwyer. A two point game five minutes into added time. Erin’s Own had one more chance but Jack Waring’s effort dropped short.
Ben Cummins 0-15 (13fs), Adam Cummins 1-1, Joshua Kiely, Kealan Dunne, Hugo Quann 0-1 each.
Patrick Moloney 0-11 (10fs), Jamie Shanahan 1-2, Conor McCabe 1-0, Adam Finnerty 0-1 (1f).
Rian O’Dwyer; Ryan Oakham, Dara O’Brien, Tiarnan O’Keeffe; George Morrison, Hugo Quann, Kealan Dunne; Joshua Kiely, Callum Kingston; Ruairi Duffin, Adam Cummins, Iarlaith Meagher; David O’Farrell, Ben Cummins, Liam Duffy.
Tadhg Ormond for Duffy (HT), Dylan Cunningham for Oakham (59), Brian Hegarty for Meagher (60), Finn O’Connor for Duffin (64).
Evan Flynn; Ben Smith, Thomas Bresnan, Dean O’Connor; Ciaron Hayes, Adam Finnerty, Eoin Knox; Conor McCabe, Jamie Cuddy; Patrick Moloney, Paul Kiely, Harvey Swift; Charlie Dunne, Jamie Shanahan, Jack Waring.
Lennon Quilty for Kiely (43), Bernie Patrick McDonagh for Smith (43), Jack Dowling for Hayes (46), Jamie Sauvage for Knox (60).
Timmy Organ
