Meaney’s second-half heroics fire Mount Sion to an opening victory
Mount Sion senior hurling team that beat Lismore in the JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship Group B Rd 1 game played in Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field. Photos: Eddie Dee
Jamie Meaney proved the match-winner as Mount Sion opened their JJ Kavanagh & Sons Senior Hurling Championship campaign with a hard-earned 1-26 to 1-21 victory over Lismore at Cappoquin Logistics Fraher Field on Sunday evening last.
The Mount Sion full-forward came to the fore after the interval, scoring 1-4 in a decisive second-half display as Jamie O’Meara’s side overturned a one-point half-time deficit. Meaney’s influence grew as the game progressed, with his goal on 46 minutes proving a pivotal score in the contest.
Lismore had dominated much of the opening period and enjoyed the perfect start when Jack Prendergast opened the scoring inside 20 seconds before Ben O’Sullivan struck for goal just 43 seconds into the game. The early major left Lismore leading 1-1 to 0-1 inside the opening minute.
Jamie Gleeson, who finished with nine points, kept Mount Sion in touch through a series of accurately struck frees, while O’Sullivan continued to impress at the opposite end. The sides traded scores throughout a lively opening quarter, with Gavin Power and Oisín O’Gorman among those on target as Lismore held a 1-3 to 0-3 advantage after ten minutes.
Prendergast was a constant threat for Lismore and added another fine point on 11 minutes, while Gleeson responded from placed balls. In testing conditions, O’Sullivan maintained his excellent start with a point from play after good work from Prendergast, but Mount Sion capitalised on Lismore indiscipline as Gleeson converted three frees to reduce the gap to a single point by the 17-minute mark.
Charlie Lineen and David Prendergast helped Lismore maintain their momentum, while Martin F. O’Neill and Tommy Kennedy replied for Mount Sion. Kennedy opened his senior championship account with an excellent score after getting the better of Aaron Whelan.
Mount Sion gradually found their rhythm and were level on 24 minutes when Alan Kirwan converted after being picked out by Donal Power. However, Joe Lenihan immediately restored Lismore’s lead with an excellent point from the stand side.
Prendergast added a long-range free after Jordan Shanahan was fouled, while Stephen Roche landed an outstanding score for Mount Sion approaching half-time. Further exchanges between Prendergast and Gleeson left Lismore narrowly in front, 1-10 to 0-12, at the interval.
Meaney made his intentions clear immediately after the restart, scoring twice inside the opening minutes of the second half. Although Charlie Lineen responded to leave the teams level, Mount Sion were beginning to win the key battles around the middle third.
Meaney set up captain Stephen Roche for a fine score on 35 minutes, and points from Ben Cummins, Prendergast, O’Neill and Meaney saw the sides deadlocked at 1-14 to 0-17 entering the final quarter.
A pointed free from O’Neill edged Mount Sion ahead before Roche struck again following excellent work from Donal Power. The decisive moment arrived on 46 minutes when Bradley Penkert, outstanding on his senior championship debut, won possession in defence and initiated a move that ended with O’Neill feeding Meaney. The corner-forward made no mistake, finishing neatly past Seanie Barry to put daylight between the sides.
Further scores from Gleeson, O’Neill and John Kennedy stretched Mount Sion’s lead to ten points at 1-23 to 0-16 with ten minutes remaining.
To their credit, Lismore mounted a spirited response. Stephen Barry, Joseph O’Keeffe, Jack Prendergast, Charlie Lineen and Paudi Prendergast all found the target as they rattled off five unanswered points to leave just two between the sides entering stoppage time.
However, Mount Sion finished strongly. Tommy Kennedy, Meaney and Roche all pointed late on to extinguish any hopes of a Lismore comeback and secure a deserved five-point victory for the Monastery men.
Jack Prendergast 0-7 (5f), Ben O’Sullivan 1-2, Charlie Lineen 0-3, Stephen Barry 0-2, Oisín O’Gorman, David Prendergast, Joe Lenihan, Ben Cummins, Jordan Shanahan, Paudi Prendergast and Joseph O’Keeffe 0-1 each.
Jamie Gleeson 0-9 (8f), Jamie Meaney 1-4, Martin F. O’Neill 0-4 (4f), Stephen Roche 0-3, Tommy Kennedy 0-2, Gavin Power, Alan Kirwan, Donal Power and John Kennedy 0-1 each.
Seanie Barry; Josh Kiely, Iarlaith Daly, Connor Howard; David Prendergast, Jack Prendergast, Jordan Shanahan; Joseph O’Keeffe, Joe Lenihan; Aaron Whelan, Ben O’Sullivan, Ben Cummins; Stephen Barry, Oisín O’Gorman, Charlie Lineen.
Paudi Prendergast for Josh Kiely (39), Ray Barry for Oisín O’Gorman (49).
Ian O’Regan; Aaron Coughlan, Stephen O’Neill, Ben Frisby; Mikey Daykin, Bradley Penkert, Gavin Power; Jamie Gleeson, John Kennedy; Tommy Kennedy, Stephen Roche, Alan Kirwan; Martin F. O’Neill, Jamie Meaney, Donal Power.
Tadhg Corcoran for Gavin Power (30), Jack Byrne for Ben Frisby (39), Austin Gleeson for Alan Kirwan (46), Adam Regan for Martin F. O’Neill (53), Ben Frisby for Aaron Coughlan (54).
Nicholas Barry.
