Shels hold on to win first round encounter V Dunamaggin.
The senior hurlers had their first outing of the season in Hollymount last Monday playing Kilkenny club team Dunamaggin.
Playing with the wind Shels opened their account within the first minute courtesy of a Chris McGrath free. Stephen Banville added two more points in quick succession after being put through by Colin Kehoe for the latter. Chris McGrath and Tommy Barron with two points each widened the gap before Ibar (Hurler) Murphy pointed his first score of the day. A foul on Alan Griffith earned Shels their 3rd free which Chris McGrath duly converted.
Stephen Banville and Dessie Kehoe combined then to put Ibar Murphy in a goal scoring position and he needed no prompting to put the ball in the back of the net. Chris McGrath popped over a 65 before Dunamaggin got their first score of the day in the 20th minute. Shels converted two more free’s with Dunamaggin adding two points before the half time whistle to leave the score 1-12 to 1-3 in favour of Shels.
On the resumption, the visitors goaled in the first minute and added two more points from free’s before Tommy Barron pointed in the fourth minute after Colin Kehoe put in a fine pass to him. Goal keeper Declan Murphy was then called on to make a superb save but Dunamaggin assisted by the wind in this half started to pick off their scores, converting three points in quick succession. Chris McGrath pointed a free before Shels were let off by a very close wide. Three more free’s converted by Dunamaggin, left the final score at 1-14 to 1-11 with Shels winning their first game of this Leinster league.
This was a strong performance for the first game of the season and amongst those to shine were Aidan Murphy, Chris McGrath, Colin Kehoe, Alan Griffith, Ibar Murphy and Tommy Barron.
Team: 1 Declan Murphy, 2 Seamie Harding, 3 John Kelly, 4 Mick Kelly, 5 Conor Walsh, 6 Aidan Murphy, 7 David Cloney, 8 Alan Griffith, 9 Ciaran O’Shaughnessy, 10 Tommy Barron, 11 Colin Kehoe, 12 Stephen Banville, 13, Chris McGrath, 14 Dessie Kehoe, 15 Ibar Murphy.
Subs introduced Denis Kelly, Eoin Doyle, Joe Kelly, Vinnie Parker