Our junior hurling team were unlucky not to come away with at least a draw when they met Ballymurn’s first team in Piercestown last Sunday evening in the first round of the championship.
Shels were missing the services of some of the lads doing their exams. It was two goals that were the undoing of the Shels one in the first minute and one in the final few minutes, through no fault of goalie Ciaran (Gooch) Walsh who made several excellent saves on a busy day for him.
Shels, playing against the wind, went into the break 2 points down, 0-5 to 1-4, with all our first 5 points coming courtesy of free’s by the accurate John (Peb) Redmond.
Shels came out the stronger in the second half and were playing a better style of hurling and quickly overturned the deficit to go into a three point lead, with points from Conor Byrne, John Redmond, Ibar (hurler) Murphy, Noel Mythen and Brian Tobin. Ballymurn got a second wind at this stage and brought the sides back level, before Ibar Murphy pointed again. Further points from Ballymurn before Conor Byrne levelled the sides again first with a free and then with the shot of the match a long range 65’ accurately despatched in windy conditions over the bar. Disaster struck then on the resulting puck out when Ballymurn collected the ball and with several accurate passes finally struck for goal over the heads of Fergie Parker and goalie Ciaran Walsh. Time was almost up and whilst Shels had one late chance to equalise the match when Garrett Dunne having beaten 3 opponents and passing to a loose forward, the resulting shot was unlucky not to cross the line. Final score 0-13 to 2-10. Best on the day were Ciaran Walsh, Vinny Parker, Fergie Parker, Ibar Murphy & Brian Tobin.
Team: Ciaran Walsh, John Breslin, Fergie Parker, Darren Malone (Capt), Conor Byrne, Vinny Parker, Shane O’Connor, Denis Kelly, Cathal Gaule, Brian Tobin, Garret Dunne, James Murphy, Ibar Murphy, Ronan Kavanagh, John Redmond.
Subs introduced. Willie O’Shaughnessy and Noel Mythen