Mellows end GOH’s good run
Newly-wed Carty caps special week with two-point haul
THERE WAS more at stake for Liam Mellows than already-qualified Geraldine O’Hanrahans in sun-splashed Oylegate on Saturday, and it showed in the eventual outcome as the Coolgreany side removed themselves from any potential relegation issues with a hard-earned win in Group A of the Joyces Expert Intermediate ‘A’ hurling championship.
And it marked a successful end to a very special week for one of their most dedicated players, as county footballer Conor Carty made a vital contribution with a point per half after his marriage to Aisling (née Twamley) in Italy on Wednesday!
The happy couple returned to the same kind of beautiful weather they had left behind on their wedding day on the Amalfi Coast, and it certainly wasn’t easy to play hurling in such sweltering heat.
However, with both sides enjoying spells of scoring supremacy, the outcome remained in doubt until the very last piece of action, when a free lobbed into the goalmouth by Ross top scorer Michael Cullen accounted for their 16th wide (one more than the winners).
This was the first glitch for the Geraldines in a very promising campaign thus far, but they have plenty of time to iron out any issues that may have arisen before their quarter-final bout in early October.
Liam Mellows will now face St. Mary’s (Rosslare) in the preliminary quarter-final, although one suspects the hurls will be nowhere to be seen for the next few days at least as Castletown’s big football clash with arch-rivals Kilanerin takes precedence.
The sides were level on five occasions in the opening half before Geraldine O’Hanrahans veteran Garry Hill availed of an unselfish pass across the square by Diarmuid Kehoe to drill home their goal in the 28th minute.
That left the town side with a 1-9 to 0-9 lead, and the full-forward certainly played his part despite defeat as he added another three points to the 1-1 he posted before the break.
Conor Carty’s solo score had left Liam Mellows with a 0-2 to 0-1 lead after four minutes, following earlier contributions from Dylan Wickham (GOH) and free-taker Eoin Cullen respectively.
Enda Kelly struck a peach of a point from distance for the Ross men, but Liam Mellows were getting a lot of joy down their right flank as Brendan Halpin and Jack Higgins (three) split the posts on the way to establishing a 0-7 to 0-3 lead after twelve minutes.
Indeed, they hit five on the bounce, and Higgins was the creator for the last one too as he won a free for Eoin Cullen to convert.
That pattern was then repeated, albeit at the other end of the field as the Geraldines hit six without reply between the 13th and 21st minutes, courtesy of Michael Cullen (three, two frees), Garry Hill, Enda Kelly and Barry Roche.
Brandon Gardiner made one fine save to thwart Robbie Brooks, and he also tipped a late Frank Kavanagh drive over the bar to ensure his side retained a 1-9 to 0-10 interval lead.
The Geraldines looked like they might push on for a fifth successive win when Hill and Cullen (free and play) reeled off the first three points when play resumed.
However, Liam Mellows dug in, with Alex Murphy (two), Joe Gardiner, Eoin Cullen (free) and Robbie Brooks keeping them in touch before they hit the front with their goal in the 45th minute.
Gardiner’s move in to full-forward paid off in rich measure, as Murphy also enjoyed the extra freedom afforded to him as a result. The Liam Mellows captain beat his namesake between the GOH posts with a rebound tapin after a Jack Higgins shot was saved, leaving the north county side ahead by 1-15 to 1-13.
Free-taker Cullen (two) and Conor Carty then picked off points to widen the gap, but they had to work hard to hold on in the last ten minutes plus additional time as GOH outscored them by four to one.
Barry Roche, Michael Cullen and Garry Hill hit three on the trot before Eoin Cullen responded with a beauty from the right sideline – his sole score from play, and the last for Liam Mellows to leave them clear by 1-19 to 1-16 in the 55th minute.
The Geraldines created ample late chances but could only muster one more point from the prolific Hill amid another four wides, while Mellows substitute Risteárd Kinsella also got a vital touch away from danger at the expense of a fruitless ’65 when a Diarmuid Kehoe delivery caused consternation around the small square.
Liam Mellows: Gavin Stamp; Dylan Goland, Frank Roche, Andy Merrigan; Brendan Halpin (0-1), Richard Farrell, Aaron Condren; Colin Kennedy, Eoin Cullen (0-7, 6 frees); Jack Higgins (0-3), Joe Gardiner (capt., 1-1), Frank Kavanagh (0-1); Conor Carty (0-2), Alex Murphy (0-3), Robbie Brooks (0-1). Subs. – Risteárd Kinsella for Kavanagh (35), Chris Callanan for Condren (46).
Geraldine O’Hanrahans: Brandon Gardiner; Keenan Stacey, Conor Cleere, Craig McDonald; Pádraig Bailey (capt.), Dylan Egan, Neil Hickey; Jack Foran, Diarmuid Kehoe; Enda Kelly (0-2), Dylan Wickham (0-1), Michael Cullen (0-8, 4 frees); Barry Roche (0-2), Garry Hill (1-4), Ned Connors. Subs. – Eoin Rhodes for Roche, temp. (20-22 and 47-49), Matt Crowdle for Wickham (52).
Referee: Niall O’Loughlin (Monageer-Boolavogue).