Roller coaster double bill in Nowlan Park 28/5/15
Where to begin? Another incredible year ends in high drama this evening in the Park when our A hurlers performed a miraculous comeback to draw with Thomastown, and when our B squad put on a superb display against a much fancied Tullaroan outfit, and came up just short .
Roinn D final
Tullaroan 6-2 St. Canices 2-1
Captain David Walsh lost the toss and we played against the slight breeze towards the town end in the first half. In the early exchanges it was obvious that our young men were " up for it"- they had clearly no intention of allowing Tullaroan an easy victory as had happened in the league.
Tullaroan scored the opening 2-1, including the new "one on one" penalty opening goal that gave Barry little chance in goal. But we now rallied, a great goal from Jack Kelly, followed by another from the impressive Oisin Timmons, and Tullaroan were under pressure. They did add a point before we introduced our second 13 with fifteen minutes gone. Our starting 13 were:
Barry Dunne
David Walsh Sam Tynan
Nick Doheny Charlie Nolan Eamon O Reilly
Mikey Raggett Zac McHardy
Jack Kelly (1-0)Oisin Timmons Kevin (1-0)Moore
Aaron Dorney (0-1)Johnnie Keane
The introduction of a new team caused a little surprise among the large group of supporters, but the new lads were outstanding! The pressure of a final appearance in Nowlan Park seemed to spur them on. The new crew were:
DJ Delaney
Cian Farrell Finn O Brien
Clinton John Jok Duop Josh Culleton
Matthew Kelleher Kian Maher
Conor Kavanagh Andrew B Smyth Mick Carroll
Peter Conroy Kyle Maher
These boys held Tullaroan to just a goal for the remainder of the half.
HT Tullaroan 3-1. Canices 2-0.
The new men continued for the first ten minutes of the second half. Stars here were: Finn, Clinton, JOK, Josh, and Matthew. All others were really impressive and made a huge contribution to a really memorable occasion.
For the last 15 mins, the original starters re entered the fray, and took up from where they left off. They had a wee deficit to overcome, and while they didn't do it on the scoreboard , they did on the field of play. They were brilliant! Not one of the 13 played below par.
Of our 26 hurlers in this Roinn D final, 10 are in 5th class, and 9 are in 4th. Surely these boys will get another chance to win a medal in Nowlan Park.
Roinn A final
Canices 3-4. Thomastown 2-7
With 13 of our vanquished Roinn D warriors joining Eoin Dalton on our bench, we prepared for round 2 of our Nowlan Park saga with hope of a similar commitment from our A team. We had played Thomastown in the opening round of the league and won 2-9 to 2-6. Both teams had changed dramatically since them, and this was a whole new ball game.
Our captain (fantastic) Patrick Fitzgerald lost the toss, and we played to town end against the breeze(again) Thomastown scored first, a 65. Brian Manogue levelled with a free before Cillian Hackett scored a beautiful point with that quick turn and shot. That was to be our last score of the half, while our opponents added 1-4. Three of those points were from frees , and the goal just before half time was due to a defensive error. In spite of being down 1-5 to 0-2 at half time, we were confident things would improve in the second half. We were competing well in nearly all parts of the field, and while the Thomastown lads were much taller and stronger than us, we still fancied our chances.
We had the lion's share of early second half possession but only had a Mikey Clifford free to show for it. And then disaster- another defensive lapse, another Thomastown goal! And they followed with a point. Down 2-6 to 0-3. Dead and buried. In spite of the outstanding performances throughout of Charlie, Stephen, Rory, Sean, David, Harry,, Patrick and Cillian, we were now in deep trouble. An earlier move of David to centre back and Rory to midfield had benefited both. Now, in last chance mode, the brave Eoghan was moved to full back( where he excelled) and Stephen to midfield. This move really worked. Stephen's athleticism showed- he got and delivered a few crucial long strikes that made a difference.
9 down 10 minutes left. Heroes needed. When Cillian Hackett won the ball near the end line, there didnt seem to be much on. But he wormed his way along the line, and somehow got a shot in that deflected off the excellent Thomastown net minder and into the net. Too little too late? A Thomastown point followed. When the immense ( in heart, not size) Patrick Fitzgerald moved the ball towards goal with about 5 minutes left, the clever Eoin Dalton, recently introduced, was in the right place to tap in to bring the score to 2-7 to 2-3. The next score was vital- a point from the superb Harry Shine ( right over the black spot!). One score between the sides. Surely we couldn't have a repeat of last year's late late show!
We were now playing incredibly well. Thomastown players who had earlier looked like giants were now struggling. We won the next puck out. The ball found its way to the left corner where the brave Timmy collected. The day hadn't gone great for him; he had received a heavy knock in the first half; lesser players would have given up - but Timmy headed along the line towards goal, took a couple of tackles and won a hard earned free from ref Pascal Connolly. Up stepped Stephen Dermody- he lifted and blasted, blocked by a Thomastown defender, pulled on ( sort of) by Rory, picked up , caught and buried in one movement by that man Cillian again. WOW. 3-4 to 2-7. Another 30 secs, final whistle, game over, hand shakes.
Not sure how: but we get a chance to do it all over again!
Charlie Delahunty
N. Rowe. S. Dermody T. Carroll
M. Clifford(0-2f)R. O. C. S. Maher
E O Neill . D. Walsh
H. Shine (0-1) P. Fitzgerald B. Manogue
C. Hackett (2-1)T. Clifford . J. Carroll
Eoin Dalton (1-0)
ABSmith Finn O Brien
Jok Duop Tadhg O Brien
Zac McHardy Charlie Nolan Eamon O Reilly Aaron Dorney Mikey Raggett. Kevin Moore. Oisin Timmons. David Walsh Kian Maher
Roinn D final
Tullaroan 6-2 St. Canices 2-1
Captain David Walsh lost the toss and we played against the slight breeze towards the town end in the first half. In the early exchanges it was obvious that our young men were " up for it"- they had clearly no intention of allowing Tullaroan an easy victory as had happened in the league.
Tullaroan scored the opening 2-1, including the new "one on one" penalty opening goal that gave Barry little chance in goal. But we now rallied, a great goal from Jack Kelly, followed by another from the impressive Oisin Timmons, and Tullaroan were under pressure. They did add a point before we introduced our second 13 with fifteen minutes gone. Our starting 13 were:
Barry Dunne
David Walsh Sam Tynan
Nick Doheny Charlie Nolan Eamon O Reilly
Mikey Raggett Zac McHardy
Jack Kelly (1-0)Oisin Timmons Kevin (1-0)Moore
Aaron Dorney (0-1)Johnnie Keane
The introduction of a new team caused a little surprise among the large group of supporters, but the new lads were outstanding! The pressure of a final appearance in Nowlan Park seemed to spur them on. The new crew were:
DJ Delaney
Cian Farrell Finn O Brien
Clinton John Jok Duop Josh Culleton
Matthew Kelleher Kian Maher
Conor Kavanagh Andrew B Smyth Mick Carroll
Peter Conroy Kyle Maher
These boys held Tullaroan to just a goal for the remainder of the half.
HT Tullaroan 3-1. Canices 2-0.
The new men continued for the first ten minutes of the second half. Stars here were: Finn, Clinton, JOK, Josh, and Matthew. All others were really impressive and made a huge contribution to a really memorable occasion.
For the last 15 mins, the original starters re entered the fray, and took up from where they left off. They had a wee deficit to overcome, and while they didn't do it on the scoreboard , they did on the field of play. They were brilliant! Not one of the 13 played below par.
Of our 26 hurlers in this Roinn D final, 10 are in 5th class, and 9 are in 4th. Surely these boys will get another chance to win a medal in Nowlan Park.
Roinn A final
Canices 3-4. Thomastown 2-7
With 13 of our vanquished Roinn D warriors joining Eoin Dalton on our bench, we prepared for round 2 of our Nowlan Park saga with hope of a similar commitment from our A team. We had played Thomastown in the opening round of the league and won 2-9 to 2-6. Both teams had changed dramatically since them, and this was a whole new ball game.
Our captain (fantastic) Patrick Fitzgerald lost the toss, and we played to town end against the breeze(again) Thomastown scored first, a 65. Brian Manogue levelled with a free before Cillian Hackett scored a beautiful point with that quick turn and shot. That was to be our last score of the half, while our opponents added 1-4. Three of those points were from frees , and the goal just before half time was due to a defensive error. In spite of being down 1-5 to 0-2 at half time, we were confident things would improve in the second half. We were competing well in nearly all parts of the field, and while the Thomastown lads were much taller and stronger than us, we still fancied our chances.
We had the lion's share of early second half possession but only had a Mikey Clifford free to show for it. And then disaster- another defensive lapse, another Thomastown goal! And they followed with a point. Down 2-6 to 0-3. Dead and buried. In spite of the outstanding performances throughout of Charlie, Stephen, Rory, Sean, David, Harry,, Patrick and Cillian, we were now in deep trouble. An earlier move of David to centre back and Rory to midfield had benefited both. Now, in last chance mode, the brave Eoghan was moved to full back( where he excelled) and Stephen to midfield. This move really worked. Stephen's athleticism showed- he got and delivered a few crucial long strikes that made a difference.
9 down 10 minutes left. Heroes needed. When Cillian Hackett won the ball near the end line, there didnt seem to be much on. But he wormed his way along the line, and somehow got a shot in that deflected off the excellent Thomastown net minder and into the net. Too little too late? A Thomastown point followed. When the immense ( in heart, not size) Patrick Fitzgerald moved the ball towards goal with about 5 minutes left, the clever Eoin Dalton, recently introduced, was in the right place to tap in to bring the score to 2-7 to 2-3. The next score was vital- a point from the superb Harry Shine ( right over the black spot!). One score between the sides. Surely we couldn't have a repeat of last year's late late show!
We were now playing incredibly well. Thomastown players who had earlier looked like giants were now struggling. We won the next puck out. The ball found its way to the left corner where the brave Timmy collected. The day hadn't gone great for him; he had received a heavy knock in the first half; lesser players would have given up - but Timmy headed along the line towards goal, took a couple of tackles and won a hard earned free from ref Pascal Connolly. Up stepped Stephen Dermody- he lifted and blasted, blocked by a Thomastown defender, pulled on ( sort of) by Rory, picked up , caught and buried in one movement by that man Cillian again. WOW. 3-4 to 2-7. Another 30 secs, final whistle, game over, hand shakes.
Not sure how: but we get a chance to do it all over again!
Charlie Delahunty
N. Rowe. S. Dermody T. Carroll
M. Clifford(0-2f)R. O. C. S. Maher
E O Neill . D. Walsh
H. Shine (0-1) P. Fitzgerald B. Manogue
C. Hackett (2-1)T. Clifford . J. Carroll
Eoin Dalton (1-0)
ABSmith Finn O Brien
Jok Duop Tadhg O Brien
Zac McHardy Charlie Nolan Eamon O Reilly Aaron Dorney Mikey Raggett. Kevin Moore. Oisin Timmons. David Walsh Kian Maher