Sligo Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 3– Kent
Park, Sunday 3rd October 2021
Tourlestrane 0-6 Naomh Eoin 6-20
This third and final round game in Group 1 of the
Sligo Senior Hurling Championship was switched from Tourlestrane to Kent Park
(St. Mary’s) due to a waterlogged pitch last Sunday afternoon, but the move was
not the deciding factor, as Naomh Eoin romped to a decisive win against the
hard-working and game Tourlestrane. Naomh Eoin have now qualified for the
semi-finals on the weekend of 16th/17th October against
city rivals Calry/St Joseph’s but will have learned little from this encounter
played in excellent conditions despite previous heavy rainfall.
The winners took an early advantage with 1-5 on the
scoreboard before Tourlestrane registered their first score. Paul Kilcoyne
pointed first after a goal chance was saved and he had an excellent game,
firing over four points from play from a range of scoring positions, winning
and retaining possession all across the half-forward line. Captain Gerard
O’Kelly-Lynch, on free-taking duty for Naomh Eoin, was also very accurate,
converting 0-9, including six expertly-taken frees.
Full forward Matt Davey scored the opening goal in the
7th minute following a scrambled clearance, with corner forward
Fergal O’Kelly-Lynch, Kilcoyne with a second point, and Tony O’Kelly Lynch
adding to the tally before Tourlestrane responded with two fine points from
Cathal Surlis on the run from the right wing and a long range monster of a
score from centre-back Ciaran Walsh. However this did not prove to be the
turning point as Naomh Eoin turned the screw with converted frees from Gerard
O’Kelly-Lynch and scores from play from the industrious Donal Fidgeon to make
it 1-8 to 0-2 at the first water break. Upon resumption of play Naomh Eoin
piled on the scores with Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch firing over tow fine points from
play and brother Liam nabbing a goal with a turn, solo and fine strike to the
back of Jerome Quinn’s net.
Joe Molloy took advantage of a rare foray into opposition
territory to point with 26 minutes gone but it was too little to stem the flow
of scores from Naomh Eoin as Donal Fidgeon grabbed a third goal for the town
team, and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch and Paul Kilcoyne added to their haul with two
fine points from distance before the half-time break, making the score 3-12 to
0-3.
Naomh Eoin made some changes at half-time and in the
third quarter. but it didn’t upset their rhythm too much. Sub Ed Mullane fired
home from close range for an early goal, following a very early converted free
from Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, and it was clear that the scoring sequence would
mirror the first half. Rory Brennan struck over a nice point to counter the
Naomh Eoin scoring, but it had little effect, as another substitute Stephen Crowe
added to the tally. Brennan pointed again from a free on the 38th
minute but Tony and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Paul Kilcoyne, and Ed Mullane with a
second 3 -pointer, added to the considerable total to give Naomh Eoin a sizable
5-18 to 0-5 lead at the second water break.
The final quarter was a little scrappy with a number
of wides and spurned chances from both sides before Tony O’Kelly-Lynch broke
the barren spell with a fine point from centre-field and Tourlestrane’s most
impressive performer, lobbed over a nice point on the run, before Michael
Munnelly crashed in a 6th goal for the victors. Referee Michael
Connolly blew the final whistle just after Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch capped a super
performance with a sixth free and ninth point overall to give Naomh Eoin the
two points to top the group on a final score-line of 6-20 to 0-6.
Naomh Eoin: Stephen Fleming; Paul Gallagher, Cathal
Jordan, Darragh Cawley; Arthur Wall, Ryan Feehily, Donal Keaveny; Michael
Munnelly (1-0), Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (0-3); Paul Kilcoyne (0-4), Gerrard
O’Kelly-Lynch, capt. (0-9, 6f), Donal Fidgeon (1-1); Liam O’Kelly-Lynch (1-1), Matt
Davey (1-0), Fergal O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1).
Subs used: Ed Mullane (2-0), Stephen Crowe (0-1),
Stephen Henry, Stephen Mahon, Aaron Macken.
Tourlestrane: Jerome Quinn; Colm McVeigh, Griffin
Gallagher, Shane Neary; Rhys Henry, Ciaran Walsh (0-1), Diarmuid Brennan; Kevin
O’Kennedy, capt. (0-1), Patrick Burke; Conor Surlis (0-1), Tom Brennan, Joe
Molloy (0-1); James Mc Sorley, Enda Gallagher, Rory Brennan (0-2, 1f).
Subs used: JP Lang, David McSorley, Daniel O’Dowd, Ben
Henry, Keelan Brennan.
Referee: Michael Connolly