Spain steers impressive Gunners to another minor title triumph
County Board Chairman Sean Michael O'Regan presents the cup to Ballygunner captain Fiacra Cooney after they defeated Roanmore in their Co. Minor Hurling played in Walsh Park. Photos: Maurice Hennebry.
Ballygunner’s domination of the Minor Hurling Championship, interrupted briefly by De La Salle in 2022, continued apace in Walsh Park on Thursday last with a decisive final win over a good Roanmore side that was expected to test the champions’ title credentials. After a reasonably competitive first half Ballygunner turned the screw on the resumption as they piled on the scores never allowing their opponents a route back into the game.
The outstanding feature of the game was the brilliance of Ballygunner’s Cormac Spain who finished with a personal tally of 2-15 having kept the Roanmore defence at full stretch from start to finish and looked like scoring every time he won possession.
Playing with the breeze in the first half Roanmore started confidently but with Dylan Murphy and Steven Cooke off target with early chances Ballygunner made no mistake in their first attack with Cormac Spain opening the scoring following a foul on CIan O’Sullivan after two minutes. The Gunners’ hit man previewed what was to follow as he outpaced defenders to send over a brilliant point in the 4th minute before Eoin Burke opened Roanmore’s account with a fine point a minute later.
Cian O’Sullivan created the opening for Spain’s third point before the scorer became the provider in the 8th minute as he set up full forward Darragh Hickey for his side’s first goal. Roanmore were still competing strongly in the outfield exchanges and enjoying a fair share of possession as points from Kayden Drennan and Eoin Burke (F) left a goal between the sides at the end of the first quarter.
That picture changed quickly with another Spain point from a free in the 16th minute and after James Comerford returned the puck out along the left flank Cormac Spain raced out to gather the ball and soled goal ward, evading tackles along the end line, before crashing the ball to the net.
Roanmore hit back with points from Eoin Burke (F)), Adam Dobbyn and Eanna McHugh to cut the deficit to four points again and that margin was retained as the next four points were shared with Spain and Hartley on target for Ballygunner and Dobbyn and McHugh again finding the range for Roanmore. By halftime however, Ballygunner had extended the lead with a further point from Mark Hartley followed by two more scores from Cormac Spain for a slightly flattering 2-9 to 0-8 halftime lead.
After Eoin Burke shot wide from a 20 metre free on the resumption there was no way back for Roanmore as Cormac Spain sent over two points and in the 36th minute he virtually sealed the issue when finishing good approach work by Tom Shanahan to the Roanmore net.
Spain continued to pile on the points backed up by three points from midfielder Ollie Fives and scores from Mark Hartley and Darragh Hickey. Roanmore’s only scores of the half came from two Eoin Burke frees and an earlier point from Dylan Murphy.
It was a solid all round display by Ballygunner embellished by the brilliance of Cormac Spain and backed up by confident performances from Ben Power in goal, James Comerford, captain Fiachra Cooney, Ollie Fives, Cian O’Sullivan and Darragh Hickey.
In a Roanmore side that battled on to the end goalie Daniel Barry, Caoilinn Reville, Eanna McHugh, Adam Dobbyn and Eoin Burke were best.
Cormac Spain 2-14 (0-7Fs, 1 ‘65’), Darragh Hickey 1-1, Ollie Fives and Mark Hartley 0-3 each, Cian O’Sullivan 0-1.
Eoin Burke 0-5(4fs), Adam Dobbyn and Eanna McHugh 0-2 each, Dylan Murphy and Kayden Drennan 0-1 each.
Ben Power, Richard Crowley, Adam Dawson, James Comerford, Andrew Power, Fiachra Cooney, Eoin Kelly, Ollie Fives, Eddie O’Reilly, Jack Power, Mark Hartley, Tom Shanahan, Cian O’Sullivan, Darragh Hickey, Cormac Spain.
David Cullen for Shanahan (46), Adam Mills for Crowley (47), James Bowe for A Power (50), Ryan Sheridan for Comerford (57).
Daniel Barry, Darragh Hearne, Benji Meistas, Tom Halligan, Alex Furlong, Conor Melo, Noah McCormack, Caollinn Reville, Eanna McHugh, Adam Dobbyn, Eoin Burke, Aaron McCabe, Dylan Murphy, Steven Cooke, Kayden Drennan.
Oliver White for Halligan (35), Ollie Delahunty for McCabe (41), Conor McNanara for Melo (43), Charlie Murphy for Drennan (56), Sean Murphy for D. Murphy (58).
Nicky Barry (Passage).
