Senior Hurling: Carnew Emmets 3-10 Eire Og Greystones 1-12
Two goals scored in a two-minute spell in the early minutes of the second-half were to prove crucial for Carnew Emmets in their battle in the Lightning Protection Ireland Senior Hurling Championship against Eire Og, played at Pearse’s Park, Arklow on Sunday last.
The game was played on a rock hard playing surface in blistering warm conditions. Carnew were first on the scoreboard after three minutes when a great cross-field angled pass from Jack Doyle set up Eoin Kavanagh and the corner-forward made no mistake, beating goalie Dan O’Neill from fourteen metres out.
Eire Og full-forward Andy Walsh responded straight from the puck-out with a point from play and the Greystones men went into the lead briefly when Anto Byrne buried a goal straight from the restart.
Owen Young levelled play again with a pointed free and the score stood at 1-1 each after five minutes with two goals already on the scoreboard. The game settled down into a period of Carnew dominance with the Emmets playing well and gradually adding to the scoreboard with some well-constructed scores.
Jack Doyle, Adrian Myers, Martin O’Brien, Aaron Kinsella, Eoin Kavanagh and Tommie Collins were controlling the middle third and by ten minutes the Emmets had points on the board from Eoin Kavanagh, Padraig Doran, Jack Doyle, Wayne Kinsella, and Eoin Kavanagh again to lead by 1-6 to1-1 at that stage.
Eire Og had struggled badly but James Cranley stopped the rot when he pointed after thirteen minutes. Wayne Kinsella responded with a Carnew point just before we had a stoppage for a water break.
This was a feature of games during the recent Covid pandemic and certainly was welcomed in the heat that was in Arklow on Sunday last. Just like in many a game previously the water break broke the Carnew good spell and they were not to score again when the game restarted.
James Cranley hit a purple patch in the second quarter and slowly brought Eire Og back into the game. He pointed three frees and was set up for a fourth point by Andy Walsh. In addition he was off target on a couple of occasions. Eire Og could have led going into the half-time break but Carnew held a slim 1-7 to 1-6 lead.
Eire Og began the second half as they had ended the first. James Cranley pointed a free in the opening minute to bring the sides level. Mick Walsh scored from play a minute later to put the Greystones men ahead for the first time in the game.
Carnew had not scored since the quarter hour mark in the first half. However, the outcome of the game was decided in the two-minute period from five to seven minutes.
Wayne Kinsella was fouled in front of goal and Jack Doyle converted the resultant penalty. Dan O’Neill got to the shot but was unable to prevent the ball entering the net.
Two minutes later O’Neill brought off a fine save from Kinsella but Owen Young was following up to whip the rebound to the net. When Young added a point from a free it left a cushion of two goals between the sides at 3-8 to 1-8.
Michael Walsh reduced that lead by a point before the water break. Eire Og probably enjoyed more possession in the last quarter as they pushed forward but the Carnew defence looked comfortable, with Conall McCrea, John Young, Cormac Redmond and Jack Doyle repelling anything that came their way.
Eire Og had one chance of a goal late on but a smart save by Aaron Redmond from an Anto Byrne half chance was the nearest the Greystones side came to scoring a major.
Stephen Kelly, Michael Arrigan, Shaun and James Cranley, Shane Nolan and Michael Walsh kept plugging away. They added points from Nolan, James Cranley (free) and Anto Byrne but Carnew seldom looked to be in danger.
Despite the loss of Owen Young to a red card for the final ten minutes or so, they managed to confidently hold their lead as Padraig Doran converted two frees to leave them running out winners by four points on a scoreline of 3-10 to 1-12.
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