Diarmuid Ó Mathúnas’ response delights boss Pat Lucey

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna 0-15

Kilbree 1-10

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

AFTER a mundane opening half with hosts Kilbree shading the scoring stakes at the interval (0-6 to 0-5), this Dubliner Cheese Carbery Division 1 hurling league opening round tie exploded into life on the resumption, producing a rip-roaring closing 30 minutes.

It was visitors Diarmuid Ó Mathúna who finally garnered the brace of league points on offer, albeit by a narrow two-point margin, staving off the strong opposition provided by the Blues on a perfect Rossmore sod on Sunday.

‘When we conceded the penalty (in the 40th minute), straightaway we replied positively, scoring four unanswered points from Jamie Lucey, Shane Corcoran and a brace from William Horgan inside the next five minutes,’ Mathúnas manager Pat Lucey said.

‘We have very little training done, the legs were weary at the finish, but our response was something I am delighted with.’

Against the stiff breeze it was Mathúnas who came flying out of the blocks. Cracking scores by Gearóid O’Donovan and Jamie Lucey, with a brace each, put the winners in pole position at the close of the opening quarter. It was the Castletownkenneigh lads who were calling most of the shots, the aforementioned duo causing huge problems for an overworked Kilbree defence.

When Kilbree did breach the losers’ defensive structure, Mathúnas full-back line of the Mangan brothers Eoin and Cathal and Nick Hilliard were giving away little easily.

However, in the second quarter Kilbree’s hard grafting began to pay dividends. Jim Shanahan got them up and running in the 16th minute. It was the start of a productive patch as two delightful points by MD Keohane and a score by Don McCarthy had them level by the 26th minute, 0-4 to 0-4, somewhat against the run of play. Conor O’Sullivan nosed Mathúnas ahead, but a Jim Shanahan free and Keohane’s third score made it all to play for in the closing half.

On resumption, scores from Caolán O’Donovan (free), Jamie Lucey and Joe O’Driscoll inside the opening nine minutes had Mathúnas on a roll. But Darragh Coakley’s jinking runs for the Blues were about to come to fruition and from one such incursion into enemy territory a penalty ensued. Unerringly, Coakley blasted the ball high into the rigging past the reliable Micheál O’Driscoll.

Game on again, but that quartet of Mathúnas white flags that followed proved crucial. Shanahan converted two frees, impressive Mathúnas substitute James Fleming got one back, O’Donovan and Shanahan bisected the uprights, then followed a fantastic save by O’Driscoll from Coakley as the pressure intensified.

Fittingly, it was Jamie Lucey who had the final say, the game ending amidst a welter of excitement.

Our Star: MD Keohane excelled for Kilbree but Mathúnas were invigorated by the display of Jamie Lucey in a fine team performance.

Scorers

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Jamie Lucey 0-5 (2f); Gearóid O’Donovan 0-3; William Horgan 0-2; Conor O’Sullivan, Shane Corcoran, Joe O’Driscoll, James Fleming, Caolán O’Donovan (f) 0-1 each.

Kilbree: Jim Shanahan 0-6 (4f); Darragh Coakley 1-0 (1-0 pen); MD Keohane 0-3; Don McCarthy 0-1.

Diarmuid Ó Mathúna: Micheál O’Driscoll; Eoin Mangan, Cathal Mangan, Nick Hilliard; Jack O’Callaghan, Jeremiah Hurley, Robbie Lucey; Conor O’Sullivan, Ronan McCarthy; Shane Corcoran, Gearóid O’Donovan, William Horgan; Jamie Lucey, Caolán O’Donovan, Joe O’Driscoll.

Subs: James Fleming for Caolán O’Donovan (45), Jack Hilliard for Jack O’Callaghan (45), Micheál O’Sullivan for Ronan McCarthy (55).

Kilbree: Aidan O’Shea; Barry Kirby, Kevin Keohane, Joe Bailey; Patrick Shanahan, Conor O’Sullivan, John Clancy; Brian Deasy, MD Keohane; Don McCarthy, Darragh Coakley, Jack Coffey; Jim Shanahan, Joseph O’Donovan, Martin O’Donovan.

Subs: Brian O’Donovan for Conor O’Sullivan (ht), Killian Twohig for Jack Coffey (ht), Seamus Tobin for Joseph O’Donovan (49), Conor O’Sullivan for John Clancy (56).

Referee: Jack Forbes (Dohenys).