Offaly 3-24
Galway 3-19
It was a high
scoring and unexpectedly entertaining affair between the junior A hurlers of
Galway and Offaly on an oppressive Saturday afternoon at the ICC in
Canton. Offaly just about pulled the
game out of the fire in injury time.
Galway held the edge for most of the first half and hurled extremely
well, with some wonderful points put over the bar. Offaly came out in the second and visibly
lifted their game both in defence and attack, and pulled out the win to
maintain their winning record. Galway
fielded 6 American kids who came up through the underage ranks and each gave an
excellent account of themselves.
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| Offaly just edged out Galway Saturday afternoon. |
Offaly were
ahead by 2 points early after Gavin Walsh netted. The man from Kilcock won a ball that was sent
in high and fired on the turn off his left side into the net. Galway soon had the goal, and the lead
restored. Cormack Kelly netted with a
goal as well taken as Walsh’s. Galway
proceeded to hurl very well in their half back line, and produced some fine
points from distance. James Burke, Corey
Buckley, and Ken O’Callaghan all hit the mark, while youngsters Mike Moylan,
Colm O’Malley and Eoin Morissey did well as Galway opened an eight point
lead.
Offaly remained
in touch and managed to rein in the deficit, reducing it to four before the
break. Ronan Coffee at corner forward
and Victor Costello, who started at center back, pointed as did midfielder
Brian Murray. Galway were still able to fire over the scores however, and by
the time the half time whistle sounded one might have favoured the westerners
and their 4 point lead to end up winners.
The second half
saw Offaly turn the tables and gain parity after 8 minutes. The level of urgency was stepped up and the
Offaly men visibly lifted their game.
After two points from Murray and another from Jimmy Rigney, Robbie Croft
leveled the scores and then put Offaly ahead with a point from a tight
angle. Rigney was all over the field now
and winning ball in the back line and then was to be found up front.
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| Galway had the Faithful County on the Ropes Early on. |
Galway hit back
with a Michael Lennon goal, but Offaly did not get deflated and had the teams
level again following points from Ronan Coffee who started to look much more
dangerous in the second period. Cormac
Kelly Put Galway ahead again, but after Victor Costello leveled with a
wonderful point and was followed by a massive free from Murray inside his own
half Offaly took the lead and would not fall behind again.
Rigney netted
to put his side five points to the good after Walsh found him with a pass,
Rigney and Coffee points had put their side in the lead. It was Galway’s turn not to catch up, and
catch up they did as the final 10 minutes was as exciting as any. Each side picked off points, and with Offaly
up six, Galway halved the deficit with a Lennon goal from an Eoin Morissey
pass. Three quick points on the trot
from Burke (2) and Ken O’Callaghan saw the team level with the 30 minutes
played, but it was Offaly who won the critical ball in the final stages. Two Murray frees, followed by a goal with the
final puck of the game from Coffee saw the faithful county to the victory and a
hard earned 2 points.
Offaly: Simon Sinnott, Oisin McCormack, Denis
Harrington, Chris McMahon, Victor Costello, Emmet Moran, Killian Campbell,
Brian Murray, Jimmy Rigney, Robbie Croft, Sean Whitley, Gavin Walsh, Ronan
Coffee. Subs: Sean Kinsella, Mickey
Markham.
Galway: Aidan Joyce, Greg Lundy, Pat Moylan, Colm
O’Malley, James Burke, Sean Melville, Ken O’Callaghan, Michael Moylan, Eoin
Morissey, Corey Buckley, Cormac Kelly, Stephen Potter, Michael Lennon. Sub; Aidan O’Malley.
Junior C
Hurling
Seán Óg’s 4-13
Providence HC 1-3
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| Colm O'Malley on the ball. |
In their maiden
season, the Seán Óg’s hurlers are impressing in the junior C championship. The youth program graduates recorded another
win, this one against Providece Hurling Club on Saturday afternoon at the ICC
in Canton. The result sets up a big game
between the young Americans and last season’s champions, the New Hampshire
Wolves, for a tie for top spot in the table and a possible automatic place in
the final.
In the first
half Steven Joyce and Eoin Morissey netted, while there were some impressively taken
points by Michael Moylan, Jack Martyn, and Dylan Coyne. Providence got themselves on the scoreboard
with a goal from Mike Walsh, while Arlow Heimer-Bumstead popped over a nice point,
with Jimmy Glendenning and Matt Parks adding to the tally.
By Rory O'Donnell
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