ACHL Division One
Naomh Eanna 3-13 Ballygalget 0-17
Wednesday 27 July
Brendan McTaggart reports from Pairc Eanna
The old adage of ‘goals wins games’ came true yet again on Wednesday evening as Naomh Eanna saw off the challenge of Ballygalget with five points to spare. The majors were the difference overall with two in the space of 60 seconds in the first half for the home side and the third at a time when Ballygalget had reduced the deficit to two points and had just missed an opportunity themselves.
On reflection, the home side played with more intensity and controlled aggression throughout and were worthy victors by the end of the hour.
It was an entertaining game of hurling and there’s no doubt Naomh Eanna started the game with more intensity. They made all the early running with their passing game and ability to recycle the ball shinning.
The sides were tied on four points each after ten minutes with Cormac Ross opening his shoulders and scoring from distance on three occasions in that period while Ballygalget looked to the free taking of Cormac Coulter along with scores from John Hughes and Michael Og Dorrian in the same time.
The home side had just edged ahead thanks to a Ryan Bogue score when they fired in the first goal of the game. Matthew O’Hare sending the sliotar high to the edge of the square where Joe Maskey doubled in mid-air, giving Eoin Coulter no chance. The crowd were still buzzing from Maskey’s major when they found the back of the net once more and from a similar play. This time it was Niall O’Connor who sent the ball high and the ‘Galget struggled to clear the danger. Conor McAllister was on hand to sweep the sliotar to the back of the net and open a six point advantage.
The visitors to Pairc Eanna were rocked but they steadied the ship in the time that remained with James McGrath dropping back to mark Maskey in an attempt to nullify their aerial threat. Ballygalget outscored the home side three points to two in the last quarterwith Cathal Coulter firing over a brace while Cormac Coulter added another free, a brace of points from Ross (one ’65) the Naomh Eanna response with the scores 2-7 to 0-7 at the short whistle.
In a half where there was plenty of big hits and defences largely working well, Ballygalget lacked the same intensity shown by the home side in the opening half an hour. The same couldn’t be said however after the restart. Just seven minutes had lapsed from the break when they had reduced the deficit to two points. The introduction of Tim Prenter giving them more of an edge in attack while Cormac Coulter’s accuracy from frees increased their belief with every score.
Cormac Jennings got the scoreboard ticking once more for the home side, splitting the uprights in the 39thminute and while Cathal Coulter and Maskey swapped frees, the game changes in the minutes that followed. Goal chances for Ballygalget were few and far between but Prenter’s work rate forced an error and he released Gerard Roddy through on goal only for his shot to be well saved by Martin Curran between the sticks with Cathal Coulter firing over the resulting ’65.
The Naomh Eanna response was game defining. Ruairi Donaghy fired their second point of the half before Maskey was involved once again to create their third goal. Playing on the ’45, Maskey collected the sliotar and hared through the heart of the Ballygalet defence luring defender. He passed to Eoin Conlon and despite the awkward angle, Conlon managed to beat Clarke at his near post.
The third major seemed to take any momentum from the Ballygalget challenge and Naomh Eanna a sense of control in the time that remained. Defensively the home side set up superbly with every ball falling to a player in black and gold. Ballygalget never looked like getting the major needed to get back into the game as Naomh Eanna finished their league campaign with a morale boosting performance and win.
The win secures Division 1 status for the Hightown men while Ballygalget now face Cloney Gaels in play-offs to see who will play Division 1 hurling next season.
TEAMS
Naomh Eanna: Martin Curran; Conor McAllister, Rian Gillen, Ruairi Diamond; Cormac Ross, Niall O’Connor, Matthew O’Hare; Owen Kennedy, Ryan Bogue; Cormac Jennings, Manus Mullan, Conor Bradley; Ruairi Donaghy, Joe Maskey, Eoin Conlon
Subs: Oisin O Cuinn for R Gillen (19); Brendan Cormican for M O’Hare (30); Killian Jennings for C Bradley (37); Ronan Eager for B Cormican (56); Niall McGivern for C McAllister (60)
Scorers: J Maskey 1-3 (3f); C Ross 0-5 (1f, 1 ‘65); E Conlon 1-00; C McAllister 1-00; K Jennings 0-2; R Bogue 0-1; C Jennings 0-1; R Donaghy 0-1
Ballygalget: Eoin Clarke; Michael Toner, Joseph Smyth, Paul McManus; Conall Fay, Ciaran Watson, Caolan Coulter; Eoin Pucci, Cathal Coulter; Gerard Roddy, Daineal Doran, Michael Og Dorrian; Cormac Coulter, James McGrath, John Hughes
Subs: Tim Prenter for C Fay (HT); Jordan Doran for E Pucci (46); Marc Fisher for G Roddy (51)
Scorers: Cormac Coulter 0-6 (all frees); Cathal Coulter 0-5 (3f 1’65); Caolan Coulter 0-1; M Og Dorrian 0-1; J Hughes 0-1; O McDermott 0-1; T Prenter 0-1; M Fisher (1 f)
Referee: Paddy Tumelty (Lamh Dhearg)
In the other games played in Division 1B Ballycran and Rossa played out a high scoring 0-25 to 0-25 draw while Ballycastle travelled to Cushendun and beat the Emmet’s by 3-22 to 1-14
