Ballyragget played host to the minors of O’Loughlin Gaels and Freshford in the Roinn A M.H.C. quarter-final on Saturday evening last. The winners were guaranteed a shot at the boys from the Village – so there was a lot to play for.
Daniel O’Connor started brightly and won possession in the danger zone, only to be pulled to the ground. Dead ball specialist Shane Maher went through his deliberate pre-shot routine before calmly tapping over for the opening score of the game. Freshford’s Goalie Darren Brennan would cancel this score out with an expertly taken free from all of eighty yards in the fourth minute. Robbie Buckley made a great catch moments later to lay down a marker on behalf of the OLG defence. Buckley then combined well with the commanding Gary Bryan – to once again clear OLG lines.
Shane Maher stood over another dead ball with five minutes on the clock – the result was never in doubt. The next five minutes though, would prove crucial to the game’s outcome. A point from the rock steady DOC as well as a Shane Maher sixty-five preceded arguably the most important score of the game. Gary Bryan found Cian Loy, who in turn released Danny Bolger. The Freshford boys pulled down their man and the ref parted his arms ominously.
Shane Maher top-spinned the ball brilliantly to the back of the St Lachtains net and now the gap was six. Lyndon Brannigan was introduced to the fold in the closing minutes of the first half. Two more Daniel O’Connor points along with strikes from Danny Bolger and Ben Leydon would send the St John’s Parish Boys in for the half time cuppa with a healthy seven point lead.
H/T: O’Loughlin Gaels 1-08, St Lachtains 0-04
The second half saw the introduction of Sean Bolger, Sean Kiely, Eoin Croghan and Robbie Murphy. Freshford were nothing if not brave in adversity and hit OLG for a brace to try to get back in the game. In truth this if anything, only spurred our boys to see out the game emphatically.
Michael Holohan and his players know they have a much tougher task ahead of them in a week’s time – when they take on the Village in the semis. It is safe to assume our boys will not be afforded the time and space to pick off points or passes at ease, without meeting fierce resistance. Our boys must prepare well in the week ahead in order to see that challenge and raise it some!
F/T O’Loughlin Gaels 2-19, St Lachtains 1-08
Robbie O’Driscoll, Shane Mahony 0-1, Huw Lawlor, Brian Buckley, Jack Lawlor, Robbie Buckley, Gary Bryan, Thomas Gleeson, Cian Loy, Danny Bolger 1-2, Luke Rafter, Ross Butler, Shane Maher 1-6 (1 P, 1 65 & 4 f’s), Daniel O’Connor 0-6, Ben Leydon 0-3 Subs Used: Lyndon Brannigan, Sean Bolger, Sean Kiely, Robbie Murphy 0-1, Eoin Croghan
Daniel O’Connor started brightly and won possession in the danger zone, only to be pulled to the ground. Dead ball specialist Shane Maher went through his deliberate pre-shot routine before calmly tapping over for the opening score of the game. Freshford’s Goalie Darren Brennan would cancel this score out with an expertly taken free from all of eighty yards in the fourth minute. Robbie Buckley made a great catch moments later to lay down a marker on behalf of the OLG defence. Buckley then combined well with the commanding Gary Bryan – to once again clear OLG lines.
Shane Maher stood over another dead ball with five minutes on the clock – the result was never in doubt. The next five minutes though, would prove crucial to the game’s outcome. A point from the rock steady DOC as well as a Shane Maher sixty-five preceded arguably the most important score of the game. Gary Bryan found Cian Loy, who in turn released Danny Bolger. The Freshford boys pulled down their man and the ref parted his arms ominously.
Shane Maher top-spinned the ball brilliantly to the back of the St Lachtains net and now the gap was six. Lyndon Brannigan was introduced to the fold in the closing minutes of the first half. Two more Daniel O’Connor points along with strikes from Danny Bolger and Ben Leydon would send the St John’s Parish Boys in for the half time cuppa with a healthy seven point lead.
H/T: O’Loughlin Gaels 1-08, St Lachtains 0-04
The second half saw the introduction of Sean Bolger, Sean Kiely, Eoin Croghan and Robbie Murphy. Freshford were nothing if not brave in adversity and hit OLG for a brace to try to get back in the game. In truth this if anything, only spurred our boys to see out the game emphatically.
Michael Holohan and his players know they have a much tougher task ahead of them in a week’s time – when they take on the Village in the semis. It is safe to assume our boys will not be afforded the time and space to pick off points or passes at ease, without meeting fierce resistance. Our boys must prepare well in the week ahead in order to see that challenge and raise it some!
F/T O’Loughlin Gaels 2-19, St Lachtains 1-08
Robbie O’Driscoll, Shane Mahony 0-1, Huw Lawlor, Brian Buckley, Jack Lawlor, Robbie Buckley, Gary Bryan, Thomas Gleeson, Cian Loy, Danny Bolger 1-2, Luke Rafter, Ross Butler, Shane Maher 1-6 (1 P, 1 65 & 4 f’s), Daniel O’Connor 0-6, Ben Leydon 0-3 Subs Used: Lyndon Brannigan, Sean Bolger, Sean Kiely, Robbie Murphy 0-1, Eoin Croghan
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