Twin Powers shoot De La Salle to victory over Roanmore
The De La Salle panel who defeated Roanmore in their Co. Minor Hurling Championship Division 1match played in Gracedieu on Wednesday night. Photos: Maurice Hennebry.
One week on from their impressive first round win over neighbours Mount Sion, Roanmore were given a timely reminder that there is a long way to go in this championship in Gracedieu on Wednesday last when losing out to a battling De La Salle side, driven on to victory by county minors Shane and Conor Power who, between them, accounted for 17 of their side’s points.
While the Power twins must gain the plaudits for their efforts much credit must go to a tenacious De La Salle defence that gave nothing away against a Roanmore attack that was rampant a week earlier against Mount Sion.
A strong cross field breeze was of no advantage to either side in the sunny conditions as Roanmore got off to the best possible start with a long range free from Caolinn Reville being fumbled over the goal line by goalie Fionn Phelan in the opening minute. A Roanmore goal rush such as we had seen the previous week might have been anticipated but did not follow.
Shane Power opened De La Salle’s account from a free in the sixth minute but Roanmore had the better of the exchanges in the first quarter moving into a 1-4 to 0-3 lead after fifteen minutes with all four points coming from Eoin Burke frees to two more for De La Salle from Darragh Doyle and a second Shane Power free. In the remainder of the half the De La Salle defence gained the upper hand while Shane Power added five points (4Fs) and Darragh Doyle a second point to give their side a 0-9 to 1-4 halftime lead.
Roanmore made one change up front for the second-half with Adam Dobbyn coming into the attack and it took him just 25 seconds to announce his arrival as he sent over the first point of the half to leave just one between the teams.
De La Salle quickly reasserted their authority with Shane Power being fouled as he raced towards goal and sending over from the free before following up with three further points one from play, before Conor Power made it five unanswered points for a 0-14 to 1-5 lead in the 40th minute.
The game seemed to be going De La Salle’s way but Roanmore hit back strongly with points from Eoin Burke (F) and Adam Dobbyn before Dylan Murphy shot a breaking ball to the De La Salle net in the 45th minute. Eoin Burke followed up with a point from a free and the sides were level for just the second time in the game.
Roanmore appeared to have the momentum with them but it was quickly stalled as Shane Power replied with three points (2Fs) between the 48th and 51st minutes. Points from Dylan Murphy and Eoin Burke (F) either side of a Matthew Mulally point for De La Salle left two points between the teams but when most needed Conor Power stepped up to the plate with two great points from play in the closing minutes to give his side a four point lead going into added time. Roanmore pressed hard for a late goal but could only add one further point from top scorer Eoin Burke’s late free as De La Salle chalked up their second win in two outings.
Apart from the Power boys De La Salle had big performances from fullback Darragh Keane who held the previous week’s four goal hero for Roanmore, Stephen Cooke, scoreless, Charlie O’Callaghan, Toby Ryan and Darragh Doyle.
In a Roanmore side that never reached the heights of the previous week Eoin Burke was the stand out player with Best support coming from Dylan Murphy and second half sub Adam Dobbyn.
– Shane Power 0-14(12Fs), Conor Power 0-3, Darragh Doyle 0-2, Matthew Mulally 0-1.
– Eoin Burke 0-8 (6Fs), Dylan Murphy 1-1, Caolinn Reville 1-0, Adam Dobbyn 0-2.
– Fionn Phelan, Tom O’Mahony, Darragh Keane, Darragh O’Connor, Sean Keane, Oisin Power, Charlie O’Callaghan, Conor Power, Jeff Fanning, Toby Ryan, Shane Power, Cillian Sheridan, Darragh Doyle, Matthew Mulally, Jack Mulally.
– Daniel Barry, Ben O’Riordan, Darragh Hearne, Dylan McNamara, Alex Furlong, Cian Reville, Benjamin Meistas, Eoin Burke, Sean Murphy, Eanna McHugh, Dylan Murphy, Daniel Ryan, Ollie Delahunty, Stephen Cooke, Kayden Kavanagh-Drenna. – Adam Dobbyn, Charlie Murphy.
Nicky Barry (Passage).
