Goals win matches and Murphy bags a Hat Trick.
August 28, 2023
Last Saturday in Buttevant, there was a very entertaining game in the Shreelawn Oil Junior C Hurling Championship, when Killavullen prevailed by 4-11 to 1-17 with crucial goals by Barry Murphy, three of them, and Colm Hannon proving to be decisive.
For Killavullen to be able to field a second team in hurling at all, is real progress, and this was up against the 3rd team from Charleville.
We were quickly in arrears and the Charleville centre forward in particular was pulled the strings, and they led by three point within the opening four minutes. Barry Murphy got our opening score from a free but Charleville responded before Colm Hannon, found himself in space and fired over a nice point for us. We were in arrears 0-06 to 0-02 by the 15th minute, but then, Barry Murphy caught a lovely delivery into him by Chris O Callaghan, and with ball in hand, close to goal, Barry is lethal, and scored another goal, for his considerable repertoire to bring us right back into the game. Charleville responded with a point before Ian O Gorman, another tireless campaigner fired over a point. Charleville had pushed out the lead again with another point, before Barry repeating his goal scoring antics of earlier, gathered a nice pass from Barry Cotter and again found the back of the net. Barry followed up that score with a pointed free after Colm Looney was fouled. We pushed on considerably when Colm Hannon scored a lovely intelligent goal after he drifted in from his midfield berth and thus, by the 20th minute, we led by 3-04 to 0-08. Barry added a point from open play and then a free, but Charleville were always in touch and brought the lead back down to a single point, with some converted scores and a goal scored by their corner forward in the 28th minute. Fittingly, Charleville scored a free just before the short whistle, to leave the teams on levels terms at the break, 3-06 to 1-12 in this very open game.
On the resumption, Killavullen young defenders in the half back line seized the initiative for Killavullen with very good play, from the unrelated Walsh’s, Shane and Michael, and their able deputy Barry Cotter. Ian O Mahony drifted back as well to almost be a sweeper and he moped up a lot of ball in that role. Behind them Cian O Connor, and he not long back from his Inter-rail trip around the hot spots of European culture was very good, tidy, unfussy and efficient, ably assisted by Jack Martin, and Colin Carey. Great to see Jack playing in a Killavullen team again, after a horrendous facial injury in a training ground accident in February. Behind them in goals, Mick Cronin was very commanding and assured.
Ian O Gorman scored within the opening minute of the half, but Charleville answered that back with a converted 65 metre shot and a point from open play from their centre forward. Barry answered that back for us, with a converted 65 metre shot, gained in the main by Patrick Cronin and John O Regan pursuing a lost cause, that worked out well for us. Charleville made a burst for the finish line with two unanswered points, but Joe Cagney was sprung from the bench, and his presence and nous on the field occupied the Charleville defenders and suddenly, the ball was not coming out as quickly. Ian O Gorman reduce the arrears to a single point, with another crucial score in the 20th minute and Barry Murphy equalised with 9 minutes to go from open play.
In the context of what was now a very tight game, and scores at a premium, Barry Murphy seized his opportunity, with goal in the 22nd minute after good initial work from Colm Looney. Charleville responded with a converted free but both sets of defenders defended resolutely for close on 8 minutes, of frantic endeavours, but no scores. Great hooking and blocking in this period, displayed by both teams, to be fair. However, Ian O Gorman showed all of his experience to work some space for himself, and fire over another point, which was the final score on the game, to leave Killavullen winning out, by 3 points.
Great effort all around by all of the players, and by the management team of John Brennan, Kennedy Roche and Tim O Neill in getting a team out on the field, with a number of withdrawals, due to work commitments.
Final Score Killavullen 4-11 – Charleville 1-17
The team was;
- Michael Cronin
- Jack Martin
- Cian O Connor
- Colin Carey
- Michael Walsh
- Shane Walsh
- Barry Cotter
- Colm Hannon (1-01)
- Ian O Mahony
- Chris O Callaghan
- Ian O Gorman (0-04)
- Colm Looney
- Patrick Cronin
- Barry Murphy (3-05, 0-02F, 0-01 x 65)
- John O Regan
Substitutes.
- Joe Cagney for Patrick Cronin