Last week on this website, we reported on a Championship Football match where the winner would win home advantage in the Championship Quarter Finals. We have exactly the same situation here as St Brendan’s and Na Gaeil Óga renew rivalries in the latest chapter of “An Clásico Nua!”
This time it’s the St Brendan’s Hurlers, Sponsored by Bodibro, who took on their Na Gaeil Óga counterparts in the final round of the Go Ahead Junior C Hurling Championship. Like week, win and your Home in the Quarter Finals.
It took The Dark Force five minutes to get a foothold on the contest with three quick fire points within a minute. The first came from JJ ‘72’ Lennon from play, the second from Gary ‘The Heavyweight’ Mason, after a spectacular catch, from an NGÓ puckout by The Wexican Oisin Carley, and the third from Ciaran Ludden who turned 180 degrees to get his puc in.
The Lucan based team then got three points of their own to level the contest. A free in by Lennon had St Brendan’s back in the lead after NGÓ fluffed a sideline cut, but still got another free in to level the match 4 point each, but that didn’t last long as Lennon hit his third and his sides fifth point, then the away side also got their fifth point.
This ding dong battle continued when the away side took the lead with a point from play. Yet again the sides were level with another Lennon free in after NGÓ over carried when in possession, but again the away side retook the lead 7 point to 6. Yet again Lennon level matters, from, rather aptly, 72 meters with a free in after NGÓ chopped down Michael Harte.
Both sides traded points again with Shane ‘Harry Styles’ Nolan from play, NGÓ retook the lead with their 9th point and then took a two point lead in the half with their 10th point. However, The Goal Getter Gavin Muldoon had to settle for a point in a move in which Michael Harte won the turnover and Cathal ‘The Jester’ Kelly supplying the final pass.
A fluffed sideline cut by the home side was the last action of a contest on a true knifedge, St Brendan’s 0-9 Na Gaeil Óga 0-10.
In the second half and after a free in went wide, JJ ‘72’ Lennon won possession and passed to Muldoon who went on a solo run and his shot was half blocked down, only as far as LIam Kennedy, who couldn’t handle the greasy slioter properly, but found Ciaran Ludden whose first time shot rocked the NGÓ net for the first goal of the contest. The away side responded with a converted free in, 1-9 to 0-11.
The two point lead was restored thanks to Gary ‘The Heavyweight’ Mason following a pass from Jack ‘The Relegator’ McCarron, who won a turnover. But NGÓ still hit a brace of points to level the contest as the rain started easing off.
But St Brendan’s turned the screw the again and after Jack ‘The Prop’ McGrath won a turnover, Lennon continued to add to his personal tally, 0-6 so far, with a point from play. Make that 0-7 and 1-12 overall with a free in after a Nolan jersey tug.
For the first time since the 5th minute, St Brendan’s opened a three point lead after Pa Carey won the NGÓ puck out and pass to Lennon and his 8th point of the contest.
Both sides traded points with Ciaran Ludden scoring the 14th point after a long Eoin Ryan puck out found Liam Kennedy, 1-14 to 0-14.
After NGÓ fluffed another sideline cut, JJ ‘72’ Lennon whipped in a free in which fell short, but Shane ‘Harry Styles’ Nolan just got the edge of his Hurley onto the airborne slioter into the back of the NGÓ net 2-14 to 0-14. The ding dong nature of the contest seemed to zap away the energy of the away side.
Lennon made it 0-9 for himself with a free in after a Ludden foul. Gavin Muldoon was wrestling for possession with his marker when the slioter went over the sideline for a sideline cut. When the referee gave possession to NGÓ, the player yelled out a loud “YES!”, only to get a telling off from his captean na foirne for using such foreign words.
Nothing materialized in that move as Mark Kinsella made a timely interception, Pa Carey got nutmegged when trying to get goal number 3, the referee moved the ball straight in front of goal which allowed Lennon with the most delicate of shots for his 10th and his sides 16th point.
That became 11th and 17th respectively, this time from a 65 after Muldoon, desperate for a goal, saw his shot saved for the aforementioned 65. The referee accused NGÓ of Cute Kerry Hoorism by placing the slioter for a sideline cut two meters in front of where it left play. That did not worry St Brendan’s who were getting a Home Quarter Final in style with point 18 from Ciaran Ludden, after Kelly won possession after that NGÓ sideline cut, then Gavin Muldoon found Stephen Dunne for a point from play.
But Cian Walsh demanded his side get a 20th point, and got it thanks to Liam Kennedy, to round off a tremendous contest that was still in the melting pot but after Nolans goal, Na Gaeil Óga’s heads just dropped.
So The Dark Force will have a home Quarter Final to look forward to in two weeks time, But for Cian Walsh, he’s out again next Sunday when the St Brendan’s Camogie team faces Lucan Sarsfields in the Camogie Junior 3 Championship.
Final Score from Longmeadows, St Brendan’s 2-20 Na Gaeil Óga 0-14.
