Second-half goals essential to ‘Nure success

BY DAIRE WALSH – 13 NOVEMBER 2014 02:30 PM

Quick-fire second-half goals from Jake Moore and Evan McDonnell proved to be the turning points of this tie on Tuesday, as Terenure College booked their place in the Dublin Schools Senior Hurling ‘C’ showpiece alongside Oatlands College.

A goal from a long-range free by Daire Kerr had provided Terenure with the perfect start to the proceedings against Pobalscoil Neasáin on their home patch, and this opening three-pointer was subsequently followed by a second goal from Dylan Walsh.

Things were looking ominous for the Baldoyle school at this point, but they soon came to life with two well-worked goals of their own. The concession of these scores came as a set-back to Terenure, but thanks to the considerable efforts of Kerr and John Murphy, they ended the first half on level terms with their opponents (2-7 apiece).

This ensured that an exciting second period of play was in store, and with the elements continuing to take a turn for the worse, there was little to separate the teams during the early stages upon the resumption.

However, towards the end of the third quarter, Moore and McDonnell found the Neasáin net from consecutive attacks to create serious daylight in this penultimate round encounter.

This effectively placed the tie beyond the reach of the Northsiders, and even though they persisted, it was ‘Nure who inevitably progressed to the decider.