St Mary’s 1-20

St James 1-20

TOM LYONS REPORTS

BOTH teams entered this third-round RCM Tarmacadam junior A hurling championship game with qualification on the line.

A draw would suffice for St Mary’s while St James needed to win by at least two points to qualify.

At the end, it was honours even as Mary’s snatched a draw with a controversial last-gasp point. That late point didn’t really matter as a single-point loss would still have sent Mary’s through, with St James bowing out.

In truth, St Mary’s shouldn’t have found themselves in that position as they had deservedly opened up a six-point lead by the 50th minute.

For a long time, it looked as if Brian Everard’s fourth-minute goal would be the score that separated the sides as Mary’s threatened to pull away at various times in the game but dogged St James just refused to fly a surrender flag, hanging in.

A goal from Joe O’Sullivan in the 53rd minute, touched in from a long-range shot from Conor Dooley, and three unanswered points from Seán Whelton, Cristeoir Hayes and James O’Driscoll had the sides level by the 54th minute.

St Mary's Jack Hurley goes past St James' Ciarán Campbell. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

When Cathal Hennessy pointed to put St James in front in the 61st minute, for the first time since the second minute, the Ardfield/Rathbarry supporters were in full voice as their side were only a point short of qualification.

It was not to be as Mary’s super sub Niall Kelleher, two points to his name already, saw his shot from the wing dropping just over the crossbar. Goalkeeper Diarmuid O’Donovan got his hurley to the sliotar to keep it in play but the umpire had no hesitation in raising the white flag, judging the ball to have been over the bar.

‘A really good game and enough done to put us through,’ said a satisfied St Mary’s manager Dermot Curtin.

‘We made hard work of it there at the end but that’s the way we’ve been going all season. We’re just starting to put it together now, getting better. The lads have really bought in, having a crack off it, and going well in football, too, the same bunch of lads in both.

‘The big thing now is for them to really believe in themselves, that they’re in with a good chance to lift the ‘Flyer’ Nyhan.’

St James' Aaron Hayes defending against St Mary's Jason Collins. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

Despite the opening point from St James’ impressive centre back Aaron Hayes, it was St Mary’s quickly into their stride. Everard’s goal in the fourth minute, plus points from the outstanding Olan Corcoran, Jason Collins and Everard had them five in front within a blistering six minutes.

St James steadied subsequently and actually outscored the Ballineen/Enniskeane men by 0-11 to 0-8 for the remainder of the half, driven on by the Dooley brothers, Liam and Conor, Cristeoir Hayes, Cathal Hennessy, Aaron Hayes, Joe O’Sullivan and James O’Driscoll.

It was 1-11 to 0-12 at the break and there was nothing between the sides in the third quarter, St Mary’s edging the scoring, five to four, to lead by 1-16 to 0-16 as the game entered the last quarter.

St Mary's manager Dermot Curtin. (Photo: Paddy Feen)

When centre back Darren O’Donovan hit three in a row to open a six-point gap, St Mary’s supporters had visions of direct passage to the semi-final as one of the top two qualifiers but there was still some bite in the St James men, which resulted in the hectic finish. So, qualification for St Mary’s, but the end of the road for gallant St James.

‘We didn’t quite click tonight, some of our top forwards were slightly off,’ said a disappointed St James’ mentor Damian Whooley.

‘We’d be disappointed not to really hit form but we will look now to the future, and our winning U21 side. Close tonight but not close enough.’

OUR STAR: The plaudits go to Brian Everard, centre forward for the winners, for a storming all-round display and great shooting, hitting 1-5 from play.

Scorers

St Mary’s: Brian Everard 1-5; Darren O’Donovan 0-5 (3f, 1 65); Olan Corcoran 0-4; Niall Kelleher 0-3; Jason Collins, Rory O’Connor, Michael O’Driscoll 0-1 each.

St James: Liam Dooley 0-6 (5f); Joe O’Sullivan 1-1; James O’Driscoll 0-4; Aaron Hayes (1f), Cathal Hennessy, Seán Whelton 0-2 each; Cristeoir Hayes, Conor Dooley, Mark Evans 0-1 each.

St Mary’s: Gearóid Harrington; Paul McMenamin, David Curtin, Eoin Cullinane; Ryan Scannell, Darren O’Donovan, Rory O’Connor; Michael O’Driscoll, Eoin Keohane; Jack Eady, Brian Everard, Finghin O’Driscoll; Jack Hurley, Olan Corcoran, Jason Collins.

Subs: Niall Kelleher for F O’Driscoll (ht), Brian McCarthy for J Eady (36), Paudie McNamara for J Collins (56, blood).

St James: Diarmuid O’Donovan; Ciarán Campbell, James O’Sullivan, David Hayes; Cristeoir Hayes, Aaron Hayes, Conor Dooley; Cathal Hennessy, Cathal Buchanan; Mark Evans, Liam Dooley, Mícheál McCarthy (B); Seán Whelton, Joe O’Sullivan, James O’Driscoll.

Subs: Joseph O’Sullivan for C Campbell (22), Cathal O’Loghlin for M McCarthy (60).

Referee: Gavin Daly (Randal Óg).