Match of the Week: Commercials brave show in Leinster showdown
By Daire Walsh
THERE was heartbreak for Commercials at the Halo Tiles Centre of Excellence on Saturday as the Rathcoole side suffered a 1-18 to 3-11 defeat at the hands of Wexford champions Horeswood in the AIB Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship decider.
Eight points in front with 37 minutes gone on the clock, Commercials had found themselves in a strong position to add a provincial crown to the Dublin Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship title they accrued at the expense of Lucan Sarsfields at the end of October.
Having accounted for Kilkenny’s Black and Whites in the last-four of the competition, the Metropolitan outfit were extremely hopeful of booking a spot alongside Ballygiblin (Cork) in this weekend’s All-Ireland Club JHC semi-final.
However, Horeswood subsequently rallied and a Cathal Parker goal with nine minutes of normal time remaining ultimately propelled them towards a maiden Leinster triumph.
Owing to the inclement weather conditions that had spread across the nation from last Thursday onwards, there was considerable doubt as to whether this game was going to take place.
Originally fixed for Chadwick’s Wexford Park, it was subsequently moved to St Patrick’s Park in Enniscorthy after the former venue was declared unplayable.
Although the latter pitch was also ruled out of the equation late on Saturday morning, the eagerness amongst both teams to fulfil the fixture saw it being moved once again to Wexford GAA’s Centre of Excellence just outside of Ferns.
While Horeswood initially settled with back-to-back points from Jamie Myler and Seán Nolan, excellent approach work from Adam Drewett and Gearóid Keogh provided the platform for Jack O’Keeffe to strike a fourth-minute Commercials goal.
Their Wexford counterparts proceeded to regain the initiative, only for the Collegeland men to gradually assume control of the contest. Dublin U20 star Diarmaid Ó Dúlaing came to the fore with a plethora of points – including efforts from open play, frees and a ’65’ – in advance of Kyle Butler bagging another goal in the 29th minute.
This left Commercials 2-9 to 0-9 in front at the break and they continued to make hay on the resumption. Jack Kehoe initially narrowed the gap for Horeswood, before Drewett fired home off an Ó Dúlaing sideline cut seven minutes after the restart.
This threw down the gauntlet to Horeswood, but the response from the host county was emphatic. Six points without reply (five of them coming from either Conor Foley or Declan Murphy) turned it into a two-point game and the tables were later turned on Commercials inside the final-quarter.
Following great persistence in attack, the aforementioned Parker flicked the ball to the opposition net, helping his side to move back ahead in the process.
Despite the lively Drewett splitting the uprights for an equalising score, Horeswood responded with further white flag contributions courtesy of Nolan and Foley. Commercials defender Callum Morris did register a point late on to leave the bare minimum between the teams, but his side ultimately fell just short in the end.
Ó Dúlaing led the way in the scoring stakes for Commercials with seven points, but Adam Drewett (1-2), Kyle Butler and Jack O’Keeffe (1-0 apiece) also played their part in a strong effort from the visitors.
It may have been a disappointing end, but these Commercials hurlers can nonetheless reflect positively on what was a terrific club season overall.