Report by Martin Delahunty
Graigue Ballycallan U14s visited Grennan in Tomastown on Friday 22nd April for the 2nd round of the Hurling League. Both teams were coming off the back of first round defeats and were very keen to make amends and collect the 2 points on offer.
Despite the pre- match warnings from the mentors on getting off to a snappy start the boys were again sluggish and tardy and were been put to the sword from an extremely stylish Tomastown outfit. GBC did manage to win out on a few midfield battles and deliver some smart balls to the full forward line but unfortunately the radar was off and decent chances were going a begging. After 20 minutes of play the modern scoreboard didn’t light up too kindly for our boys with it reading 1-8 to no score. Things could only get better and they did slightly with the ref blowing up the first 30 with a score line of 1-9 to 2 points.
The mentors gathered the boys and advised on a bit more composure and to just let loose with absolutely nothing to lose. A few shrewd moves were agreed on with Dan Cahill leaving the goal to line up on the forward line, Jack Walton went between the posts, Paddy Brennan went to the middle of the Park and Oisín Egan went to centre forward. Cue the best 30 minutes of hurling this group has put together since they sidled into Tom Ryall Park nearly 10 years ago. From the first ball the boys lifted their work rate, blocked, hooked and out fought their opponents on every breaking ball, the scores surely had to come. And come they surely did, Dan Cahill struck two smart points, Paddy Brennan ran the midfield like he owned it and Oisín Egan ran them ragged. The Graigue boys outscored Tomastown 4-7 to 7 points in the second 30 minutes to win out by 2 points.
An outstanding effort by all accounts and puts 2 points on the table for the boys and an interest in the league with a few games to play. Mentors absolutely realise there’s lots to work on and the team is begining to show better shape but they do acknowledge they have a fabulous bunch of young men with a terrific attitude .
Scorers: Oisín Egan 3-2, Paddy Brennan 1-4, Dan Cahill 0-2 and John Muldowney 0-1
Team – Dan Cahill, Mark Brennan, JJ Ryan, Eoin Delahunty, Kevin Ging, Shane Comerford, Craig Lawlor, Brendan Dunne, Oisín Egan, John Muldowney, Paddy Brennan, Scott Lawlor, Jack Walton, Tom Brennan, Liam Cleere.
Subs: Jack Butler, Conor Walton, Liam Walsh, Stephen Robinson, Oisín Conway, Billy Egan, Billy Dowling, Eoin Egan, Ciaran Dowling, Finn O’Byrne.