Dohenys destroy Saints in mismatch

Dohenys 8-27

St Patrick’s 0-1

JOHN MURPHY REPORTS

UNDERDOGS, St Patrick’s prayers ahead of this Clona Milk South West U21B hurling championship final at pristine Ballinacarriga obviously went unheeded. 

Barely able to muster 16 players and having their first collective outing together, they were looking for a miracle if defeat against a fancied Dohenys side was to be avoided. 

True to form, the result went as expected. 

This skilful Dunmanway outfit didn’t have a weak link from able goalkeeper Ray Jennings to dynamic corner-forward Aidan O’Donovan, as Dohenys inflicted a colossal 50-point drubbing on their outclassed opponents. 

Before going into any further analysis we pose a pertinent question: who benefits from such a farcical situation like this? Certainly, the powers-that-be who are responsible for grading need to take a serious rethink for next year.

‘This was a meeting of two grades of entirely different hurling ability,’ Dohenys boss Declan Lavers said.

‘I feel really sorry for St Patrick’s, they only scored a point in the entire game and certainly would have been expecting to do better. But look, we can only beat what is in front of us. We’ll play the Muskerry champions now and will give it our best shot at county level. 

‘Mark Buckley picked up an injury during the week, both himself and Fionn Herlihy would have been starters tonight and will strengthen us further in our next game. We have got together more over the last few weeks and the improvements are beginning to become evident now.’

Early points from Sean Daly, Jamie Carroll (free), Bill Murphy, a trio from Johnny Kelly, Kevin O’Mahony and Cathal O’Donovan opened up an 0-8 to no-score advantage after eight minutes.

St Patrick’s were battling hard with great efforts from goalkeeper Alan Crowley, Donal O’Donovan, Dermot Hegarty, Ian Jennings, Tiernan Kerrisk and Kevin Minihane – but the difference in class was evident.

After Aidan O’Donovan scored Dohenys’ first goal in the 18th minute, St Patrick’s registered their only score, a fine long distance effort by Kevin Minihane. 

But by half time, Dohenys led 2-16 to 0-1 with Kevin O’Mahony scoring their second goal in the 29th minute.

Dohenys emptied the bench in the second half but it didn’t impact their momentum with a brace of goals from Cathal O’Donovan, and Sean Daly, Jamie Carroll, Aidan O’Donovan and Kevin O’Mahony all adding further goals in this mismatch.

Scorers

Dohenys: Kevin O’Mahony 2-4, Cathal O’Donovan, Aidan O’Donovan 2-2 each, Sean Daly 1-5, Jamie Carroll 1-3 (2f), Bill Murphy 0-5, Johnny Kelly 0-3, Nathan O’Donovan 0-2, Adrian Cronin 0-1. 

St Patrick’s: Kevin Minihane 0-1.

Dohenys: Ray Jennings; Eoghan Murray, Tom Murphy, Adrian Cronin; Darragh O’Connor, Eoin Lavers, Declan Collins; Jerry O’Farrell, Jamie Carroll; Bill Murphy, Sean Daly, Johnny Kelly; Aidan O’Donovan, Cathal O’Donovan, Kevin O’Mahony.

Subs: Conor O’Mahony for Declan Collins (ht), Mikey Kelly for Eoghan Murray (ht), Nathan O’Donovan for Johnny Kelly (ht), Brian Arnopp for Bill Murphy (40), Padraig Crowley for Darragh O’Connor (42), David O’Farrell for Kevin O’Mahony (inj, 55). 

St Patrick’s: Alan Crowley; Donal O’Donovan, Tiernan Kerrisk, Patrick Crowley; Dermot Hegarty, Ciarán French, Sean McCarthy; Ian Jennings, Sean Minihane; David O’Connor, Colm O’Driscoll, Kevin Minihane; Michael Meaney, Hugh O’Neill, Charles McCarthy.

Sub: DJ Glanton for Sean Minihane (52).

Referee: Connie Murphy (Kilbree).