South Leinster journey ends for Pres De La Salle Bagenalstown hurlers
Alex Doyle (PDLS Bagenalstown) keeps his eye on the ball before scoring a fine point. All Photos: Pat Ahern
There was disappointment for Pres De La Salle in this South Leinster Schools Senior Hurling C Championship encounter on Monday at The Training Centre, Fenagh.
The Bagenalstown college never really got going and long before the end, the result was all but a foregone conclusion.
Playing with the aid of a considerable breeze in the opening half which was coming from Fenagh the Barrowsiders held the lead for almost the entire 30 minutes. Four of their starting forwards, Ruarc O’Neill, James Brennan, Alex Doyle and John Lillis, all scored from play with midfielder, AJ Dooley, also on the mark.
Yet the Carnew side dug in and led by Ryan Doran they kept chipping away with their full forward on target as was Tom Brennan and Colin Lawrence.
Both keepers made good stops in the first quarter with Daithi Roche, between the Bagenalstown sticks, bringing off a great reflexive save to keep out a shot from Brennan.
Minutes later at the other end, it was the turn of Ross Weld to deny Lillis. At the break the game was finely balanced with De La Salle leading 0-8 to 0-6.
It took only five minutes for Colaiste Bhríde to make full use of the wind and go into the lead. Jack Sheridan initiated the comeback with a nice point and his colleagues followed up when Doran off-loaded to Lawrence who goaled from close range.
Slowly but surely, the eventual winners stretched further ahead. They had the momentum and never let it slip. Pres De La Salle lived on scraps and from the losers point of view Doran and Brennan did most of the damage.
Only scoring two points in the second half spoke volumes as the combination of a strong wind and a County Wicklow side who saw their chance and turned the screw with deadly effect, particularly when the teams changed ends after the interval.
Ryan Doran 0-9 (65 6fs), Colin Lawrence 1-2 (2fs),Tom Brennan 0-4, Jack Sheridan 0-1.
John Lillis (1f), A Doyle, R O’Neill 0-2 each, C O’Reilly (f), Ben Kelly, AJ Dooley, James Brennan 0-1 each.
Ross Weld; Nicky Cosgrave, Eoin Tompkins, Conor Faulkner; Rory Dee, Daniel Duffy, Bobby Cosgrave; Rian Buttle, Rian Rooney; Pearse Byrne, Jim O’Brien, Colin Lawrence; Jack Sheridan, Ryan Doran, Tom Brennan.
Marc O’Shea for Dee (36), Nicky Ryan for Byrne (46), Fionn Macken for Lawrence (51).
Daithi Roche (Bagenalstown Gaels); Frank Cushen (Bagenalstown Gaels), Charlie Byrne (Ballinkillen), Tadgh O’Connor (Barrow Rangers; Conor Stanley (Naomh Bríd), Ben Kelly (Ballinkillen), Aodhan Hickey (Bagenalstown Gaels); Brian Mahon (Barrow Rangers), AJ Dooley (Ballinkillen); Ruarc O’Neill (Naomh Bríd), PJ McHugh (Barrow Rangers), James Brennan (Bagenalstown Gaels); Alex Doyle (Bagenalstown Gaels), Cian O’Reilly (Barrow Rangers), John Lillis (Bagenalstown Gaels).
Seamus Brennan (Barrow Rangers) for Lillis (40).
Seamie Doyle
