Played in Trim on a sunny.nippy day,in competition with the count for the Meath West Presidential ballot,which was concurrently being executed in the Clubhouse.
There were more at the match.
The team.
Conor Farrell
Brendan Wright Davy Stephens Damian Bruton
Darren Callaghan Ivan Mc Cormack Dylan Keenan
Conor O Shea Ted Dowd
Killian Minogue Bob Doherty Jordan Martin
Paddy Gorey Evan Stephens Davy Gilkinson.
Davy Mc Cormack,team captain was sidelined having broken bones in his hand in the last match.Would the lads cope in his absence?
From the throw in we work the ball to Finn,who shoots wide under pressure from Miley Donnelly ,the ageless and wily Kilmessan full back.A mouth watering battle in prospect.Neither will back down.The heavens burst and play is held up for about three minutes.Must compliment Messieurs. Gaynor and Mc Gee from Trim,who looked after yours truly during downpour and kept me dry and comfortable.
KiIlmessan hit wide from play.Against a strong wind our puck out is short and we concede a line ball.Play develops ,both sides playing strong and Kilmessan score a point from play.Scrappy play in our back line ,where Bruton and Sprog get down and dirty is relieved by a Keenan clearance to Martin,who passes to Gorey .who is fouled.Gilky converts. Martin pulls on ball ,Finn pulls hard and ball breaks to Minogue,who uncharacteristically takes the wrong option,ignoring the obvious free man,and tries the impossible shot.Ball works to Finn ,thence to O Shea and Kilmessan clear at expense of a line ball to us.We are competing well but not scoring.Doc hits it well but ball cleared and Minogue retrieves it.Pass goes astray and we concede line ball.Farrell relieves an under pressure Bruton and finds Martin,who is bested,but ball breaks to Gorey and back to Martin ,who delivers to Gilky ,who parts to Finn.Good point.Kilmessan attack halted by a magnificent Bruton catch,passes to Sprog ,whose clearance is intercepted by KIlmessan,but Minogue makes brave retrieval and passes to Gilky,who just fails to reach it and we concede a line ball.Dowd wins ball,to Finn to Gilky to Martin,who loses control.Ball works to Dowd who mishits it and KIlmessan clear only for Ted to regain possession after a throw in and a Kilmessan clearance.Ted to Red to Ivan to Minogue ,but attack peters out.Kilmessan attack is repelled and KIlmessan attacker finds that Doc is a man you ought not run into.Kilmessan hit a wide from play.KIlmessan win the puckout and the resulting attack culminates in a well taken goal.The pressure is on.Under pressure Sprog is hit on the hand by a Kilmessan Hurley when clearing the ball.Ivan's free finds Gorey ,then O Shea ,who is growing in stature and influence as the game goes on.He takes a fine point.Dylan Keenan's clearance goes to Kilmessan ,who gratefully take their point.1-2 to 0-3 to KIlmessan.Ted rolls back the years with a catch that Mick O Connell would be proud of but we don't capitalise.A top class Dunderry move involving Ted,Red,Minogue ,Gilky,Minogue and Ivan ends in Finn being fouled by Miley.Gilky convertts the tricky free.We are not lying down.Good defending ending with a Sprog clearance and exemplary persistence by Minogue works the ball to Martin ,who produces a goal from the top drawer.We are on a roll.Paddy Gorey Senior ,who is beside me forgot his glasses and can see little.
He roars approval.Paddy is following this team a long time now,through thick and thin.He thinks a lot of Paddy Junior .And why wouldn't he.Both teams commence hard hurling.No quarter given .A foul on Doc..free by Ivan to Minogue,who in the vernacular ,scores a "fatherly "point.We own the ball for a while,but defensive excellence involving Wright ,Sprog,O Shea and Keenan is necessary to work the ball to Gorey ,who catches the ball in the clouds and takes a first class point.We lead 1-6 to 1-2.Attack and counterattack ends with a Dunderry free for over carrying by Kilmessan.Gilky converts.Half time whistle blows.
We have wind in backs for second half.We get first wide from Martin.Anton O Neill comes on for Kilmessan.Kilmessan rattle off three points in succession.We have taken the foot off the pedal.Gilky misses a scorable free awarded for a foul on Minogue.Wright is fouled.Ivan's free ends up with Gilky ,who atones for previous miss with a fine point.Kilmessan changes are working.They score a minor from play.Keenan is fouled and Ivan converts from 80 yards.That's more like it.Minogue hits wide from play.Keenan catches in the clouds and parts to Doc.,whose shot is collected by the goalkeeper.Gilky gains possession and passes to Gorey ,who points.Harrow and Coogan come on and Doc.registers a minor from play.Finn passes to Gorey.Wide.KIlmessan take point from free.Score 1-11 to 1-7 in our favour.Finn scores a good point following a fine Dowd pass.Doc. scores following good O Shea lead up.KIlmessan player had thrown hurl at Doc.,who threw hurl over the line.He is booked for this.Sloppy play from both sides ends with a 21 yard free for KIlmessan.O Neill opts for point.Gilky points from play.Kilmessan attack terminated by Bruton who parts to Keenan,whose shot goes wide. Kilmessan get free of sympathy kind and take point.Sprog clears a ball ,Kilmessan gather and hit wide.Gilky scores point from a free.Keith Callaghan comes on.Fin goes midfield,Sprog clears to Ted ,who is fouled.Ivo misses free.Tom Doc.gets a run for red Callaghan.Keenan takes masterful line ball to Finn ,who gives sweet pass to Gilky who misses .Pity ,some move.
Full time.We win 1-15 to 1-9.Well deserved.
Ted Murtagh presents the first adult hurling silverware won in a long time.A sizable Dunderry contingent materialise on the pitch for the presentation,headed by the ever enthusiastic Vince Rattigan ,with grand daughter Sarah in tow.You would get hard to imagine where they came from.
This is a good Dunderry team.They are physically strong and skillful.The older man have nothing to prove and the younger lads are strong and skillful to boot.
They blend well together and with a bit of luck will make a serious assault on all competitions next year.All played well and O Shea opened his shoulders and showed a glimpse of the promise we always knew he has in abundance.
Post script.
The lads had a feed in the Lodge after.I was damp and headed home for a bit of drying and heat.Had no intention of moving out until Gerry Mc Loughlin,Whacko,Tommy Keenan and spouse and a few more landed over from Horans with a Naggin of bacardi ,a few cokes and a few pints of their own to celebrate.I was dragged ,shouting and screaming (not ) across to Nancy's where the celebrations were wild and prolonged.Any Dunderry person will know exactly what I mean.Great day lads.
No comments:
Post a Comment