Éire Óg continue good form as delayed fixture sees them to win over Moyne Templetuohy

FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling - Round 1

Éire Óg Annacarty 0-25

Moyne Templetuohy 1-18

By Mark Dunne 

Éire Óg Annacarty commenced their County Championship with a convincing and commanding display of hurling over Mid-side Moyne Templetuohy in Golden last Saturday. 

While the scoreboard will show a four-point win for the West Finalists, it was much more than this, a late spurt by their opponents putting some gloss on the scoreboard. 

Both sides were eager to claim the all-important round 1 victory and the opening stages reflected this. Aidan Griffin opened Annacarty’s account with a close-range free, which was quickly followed up by a Paudie Bradshaw point. Moyne’s Gearoid O’Connor was causing difficulty inside with his physical presence and chipped in with the side-opening score. 

The exchanges were heating up around the middle third but Annacarty's ability to find the loose player proved pivotal to the overall outcome. Seanie Ryan and Dee Fogarty exchanged scores before O’Connor tied up the encounter on nine minutes. 

Annacarty then hit the next three scores, a Griffin free and two fine points from wing-back Donal O’Dwyer. Conor Bowe halted the Annacarty attack with a good score from the sideline but the west side returned to good form with the next scores, two from play and a monster free from Darragh Mooney back on his own 65. 

O’Connor brought the game back to four at the 15-minute mark. David and Brian Fox though were proving their worth at full and centre back respectively creating the building block for their attack. Bradshaw and Dee Leahy traded scores once more before both sides shot a handful of poor wides. 

Underage star Darragh Kelly was steadily growing into the game and got his first on 20mins, a fine take and quick turn to point. Tom Fox added to their lead from midfield before O’Connor tagged on one more for his side. The half concluded with both sides vying for possession but Annacarty finished the stronger and took a commanding 0-15 to 0-9 lead at the break.    

The West side emerged reinvigorated after the break and tagged on the first two scores, Kelly and O’Dwyer the providers. Annacarty felt that the game was there for the taking and pushed hard in the third quarter. 

Mooney added another monster free from inside his half to push the gap to nine. Moyne Templetuohy knew that the next score was pivotal to their cause and ip stepped cornerback Dee Leahy for his second of the day. 

O’Connor again pointed from a placed ball to reduce the deficit to 7. Bowe quickly added another to make it a two-score game before substitute Finn Jones made an instant impact and pointed. Annacarty stalwart Conor O’Brien deservedly got his name on the score sheet, the former Tipp hurler giving a masterclass for his side. 

O’Connor continued his fine form on free to try and reduce the gap once more. A notable observation was the ease of the Annacarty scores as Griffin and Seanie Ryan scored. O’Brien and Mooney kept all the momentum with the west side as they sought to finish the encounter. 

With minutes left on the clock, the teams once again traded scorers but one felt that the sting had long been taken out of the game. Moyne Templetuohy did finish strong though, a Finn Jones goal on 31 minutes and an O’Connor free brought the deficit to four but in reality, the game had long been out of reach for them.

Eire Óg Annacarty will be delighted with the victory. Their big player stood up to the game with Mooney, Brian Fox, Conor O’Brien, and young man Darragh Kelly all super for the side that pushed Cashel King Cormacs in the West decider. As it happens the sides will meet again this year but not until round 3 as Annacarty now set their sights on the other team Gortnahoe Glengoole. 

Moyne Templetuohy will ultimately be disappointed in the loss. While they are missing a couple of players with long-term injuries, the concern for the Mid-side would be with the battle. They will take positives from the encounter, however, as they now set up a Round 2 meet with Cashel King Cormacs next Sunday afternoon. 

Eire Óg Annacarty: Darragh Mooney (0-3f); Mixie Bradshaw, David Fox, Conor O’Brien (0-2); Paul Devlin, Brian Fox, Donal O’Dwyer (0-3); Seanie Ryan (0-2), Tom Fox (0-2); Connie Bradshaw, Dinny Crosse (0-2), Paudie Bradshaw (0-2); Aidan Griffin (0-5, 0-4f), Kev Fox, Darragh Kelly (0-2). 

Subs used: Eoin Bradshaw (0-1) for Aidan Griffin; Jack Kingston (0-1) for Connie Bradshaw.

Moyne Templetuohy: Paul Maher; Diarmuid Leahy (0-2), Ciarán Lloyd, Mark Ryan; Pierce Meade, Tossy Hamill, Paudie Gleeson; Kieran Larkin, Conor Bowe (0-3); Éanna Guilfoyle, Gearoid O’Connor (0-11, 0-9f), Diarmuid Fogarty (0-1); Tomás Hassett, Martin Kelly, Sean Hayes. 

Subs used: Finn Jones (1-1) for Diarmuid Fogarty; Danny Moore for Kieran Larkin; Shane Lowe for Sean Hayes.

Referee: John Lillis (Drom Inch)