Na Piarsaigh 2-23
Mungret 3-15
The first round of the 2025 minor hurling championship had us fixed for a tough away trip to Mungret on Wednesday evening. We entered the mid-week fixture having 10 starters that featured in last year's county final loss to Monaleen. Conditions were dry and without much sign of a breeze. An ideal night for hurling.
We started the game with Shane Waters and Bermo both getting on the scoresheet but Mungret looked dangerous and had 4 points of their own inside the opening minutes. Our hosts struck a goal to add to our troubles, their centre forward finding the corner of the net, beyond Marcus’ outstretched hurley. We responded with a brilliantly taken score from the stick of Danny, off the back of solid work by Brian Connolly to find him open around Mungret’s 45. We unfortunately slipped further behind not long after with Mungret scoring a fortuitous goal off a long free from their keeper. Marcus jumped to save the ball from going over the bar for it to fall to the Mungret 11, to whip to the net. We were 8 behind with 15 minutes played. We weren’t playing particularly bad by any means but the scoreboard wasn’t looking great. That said, it’s not a habit of our lads to panic.
We needed to cut Mungret’s lead. Shane slipped over a valuable free, along with a cool point to lessen the margin. Bermo floated a pass into Danny at 14. Danny found Shane in space for the Ashbrook man to convert. He would slot 3 more frees before the break to keep us within touching distance. These added to Paul McDonogh’s 2 points saw us enter halftime with nice momentum. We entered the break 3-points behind but well in the hunt. Mungret’s wing back was given his marching orders around the 28-minute mark following two yellow cards for what the referee deemed to be a couple of rash challenges. Halftime score: Na Piarsaigh 0-11 Mungret 2-08
We burst out of the blocks in the second period with Danny burying a great goal. David O’Keeffe won possession straight from the throw-in, landing a high ball on top of Danny on the edge of the square. Fielded masterfully by Danny, he shook off his man and rolled the ball to the net. The scores were level but not for long. Our goal looked to have given us a false sense of security with Mungret proceeding to score 5 unanswered points. Another bit of mountain to climb for the lads, but weren’t they well able. Shane slotted a free to get us going again. Danny registered his first point of the second half followed by Alex getting his first score of the game. A beauty from out on right, close to the opposition 45. Shane chipped in with a 65 and a free along with his second from play to see us take the lead around the 47-minute mark. Some response from our lads.
Our back 6 were solid and assured in the second 30 with Mike Duggan giving a commanding performance at full back while being well propped up by Sam Murray and Conor Kelly in the corners. The score of the evening started in our full back line with 5 minutes of normal time to play. Mike won a dirty ball at his feet, finding Brian Connolly on the wing. Brian’s clearance was well contested by Danny, for Alex to carry it from the centre of the field to strike around the Mungret 45. The ball sailed over the bar to put us 3-points to the good. A wonderful team score. Ferdia Minihan gathered possession straight from the puck out to find Eoin Brosnan storming down the wing. Brozie picked out a free David O’Keeffe for him to land one from long range. We were 4 points up with close to an hour played but Mungret weren’t dead yet. A free followed by a speculative goal from 20 yards out saw the sides level yet again. We were responding well to setbacks all day and this was no different. A ruck developed from the subsequent puck out with Danny looking more determined than ever to win possession. He managed to break it free to Sean O’Brien, him racing towards goal. Seanie gave a pinpoint pass to Paulie Mc for him to blast it past the Mungret keeper.
Harry McGann and David O’Keeffe made for an impressive pairing in the centre of the field, David getting on the end of 2 scores while Harry did trojan work to assist the Na Piarsaigh backs. Bermo, while only getting the solitary point, looked unmarkable at wing forward. At one stage, he was like a human pinball, shipping 4 huge hits as he carried the ball from our 65 all the way into the opposition 21.
We would run out 5-point winners following a cracker of a game. A belter of a start to the 2025 minor hurling campaign. The next round pits us against Kilmallock in Páirc Uí Dromgúil on Wednesday the 16th of July. Next Wednesday sees our minor footballers make the trip out to Galbally for round 2 of the minor football championship.
Team: Marcus Murphy, Conor Kelly, Mike Duggan, Ben Murray, Brian Óg Connolly, Eoin Brosnan, Ferdia Minihan, David O'Keeffe(0-02), Harry McGann, Alex Kearns(0-02), Shane Waters(0-14, 0-10f, 2’65), Conor Bermingham(0-01), Sean O'Brien, Danny Sheehan(1-02), Paul McDonogh(1-02).
Subs: Edmund Hillery for Conor Kelly, Alex Harris for Danny, James McGann for Sean O’Brien.
