Report by Bill Cuddihy
Conor Murphy points another free for GBC.
Graigue Ballycallan intermediate hurlers were denied a first win of the new season against a high-flying Lisdowney in Urlingford on Sunday evening. After months of hard training and preparation it was finally time to get the campaign underway.
Against a strong breeze, GBC started in determined fashion and opened the scoring with a pointed free from corner forward, Conor Murphy. Minutes later Eddie Brennan was denied a goal by a good save by the Lisdowney goalkeeper. Newly promoted Lisdowney went on to score the next three points, before Gearoid Cleere steadied the ship with Graigue’s first point from play.
GBC’s full back line of Darragh Egan, Jimmy Murphy and Darragh Walton were solid throughout, but on twenty four minutes the Lisdowney corner forward broke through on goal. PJ Trant brought off a fantastic double save to the relief of the sizeable Graigue crowd. Conor Murphy added a point to leave the half time score Lisdowney 0-6 to GBC 0-3.
GBC started the second half with work to do and began promisingly, with substitute Paddy Kennedy scoring a fine long range point. Lisdowney’s half-back line was proving to be an impenetrable barrier and the GBC forwards found possession very hard to come by. Conor Murphy kept GBC in touch with accurate free-taking, while Eddie Brennan was causing trouble on the edge of the square, adding two points.
Lisdowney regained their composure and pushed on again with some good long range points. James Ryall and Ger Teehan worked hard to the end, with Ryall putting over a fine long range point. Subs who came on: Willie o’Connor, Billy Ryan, Thomas Ryan and Paddy Kennedy all made an impact. However, Lisdowney were the better team on the night and they deserved their victory, 0-13 to 0-9.
GBC: PJ Trant, Darragh Egan, Jimmy Murphy, Darragh Walton, Adrian Burke, James Ryall (0-1), Shane Butler, Ger Teehan, Bob Murphy, Eddie Brennan (0-2), Niall Millea, James Smith, Conor Murphy (0-4 fs), Gearoid Cleere (0-1), John Purcell, Subs: Paddy Kennedy (0-1), Willie O ‘Connor, Thomas Ryan, Billy Ryan.