MAUR’S WIN – A RUSH JOB
Kelleher points the way to JHC ‘B’ title
DUBLIN JHC ‘B’ FINAL
NAOMH MAUR………………………………..2-21
FAUGHS………………………………………..1-14
Daire Walsh
OLAN Kelleher delivered an outstanding performance at Parnell Park last Saturday, as Naomh Maur secured the Dublin Junior ‘B’ Hurling Championship title with a magnificent final victory over Faughs.
After losing out to St Vincent’s in last year’s decider, Faughs were eager to go one better in 2017. However, with Kelleher contributing an impressive personal tally of 1-11, it was the Rush outfit who triumphed at the Donnycarney venue.
The Rush men were defeated by Faughs at the semi-final stage of last year’s competition, but they enjoyed a whirlwind opening to their latest meeting.
With just 15 seconds gone on the clock, Kelleher found the back of Shane Curley’s net, and this was swiftly followed by a point from Dublin senior panellist Eoghan Conroy.
Faughs suffered a further set-back in the fourth-minute, when Conor Donegan secured a second goal for Maur’s, but they finally got their account up and running with back-to-back scores from David Donohue and Darragh O’Shea.
However, a rampant Maur’s continued to make significant attacking inroads against their Wellington Lane counterparts. Kelleher (two), Donegan and Danny Butterly (free) were all on target for Dermot Crowe’s charges, and even though Faughs eventually responded with an Ed Fitzgerald point, further unanswered scores from through Kelleher (two) and Craig Harford helped Maur’s to establish an 11-point lead at the end of the first-quarter.
It was beginning to look quite ominous for Faughs, until they worked their way back into contention with a strong purple patch. In addition to a Trevor Donohue point, the reliable David Donohue significantly reduced the gap with a 1-2 salvo – including a coolly-dispatched penalty on 27 minutes.
This put Maur’s under sustained pressure for the first time, but courtesy of additional points from Kelleher and Donegan, they still held a commanding 2-10 to 1-6 interval cushion.
They reinforced their superiority after the restart with points from Kelleher and Harford, but to their credit, Faughs persevered with their challenge.
A brace of David Donohue points was supplemented by Fitzgerald’s second of the tie, and while Maur’s replied through Kevin O’Connor and Kelleher, Faughs developed serious momentum heading into the final-quarter.
Timmy Murnane joined half-back partner O’Shea on the scoresheet, and after David Donohue registered 0-3 without reply, just four points separated the sides.
Yet, it was at this point that Maur’s discovered an extra gear, and placed the outcome beyond any doubt. Conroy showed his class when he superbly found the range in the 48th-minute, while Kelleher adding five points to his already impressive haul.
Faughs finally added another point through David Donohue on the hour mark, but with Joe Gleeson and Donegan finding the target either side of this score, Maur’s finished with all of 10 points to spare.
MATCH FILE
Scorers – Naomh Maur: O Kelleher 1-11 (0-5f, 0-1 ’65′), C Donegan 1-3, C Harford, E Conroy 0-2 each, D Butterly (f), J Gleeson, K O’Connor 0-1 each. Faughs: D Donohue 1-9 (1-0 pen, 0-5f), E Fitzgerald 0-2, T Murnane, D O’Shea, T Donohue 0-1 each.
NAOMH MAUR: J Higgins; P Kavanagh, K Reade, L Hosford; T O’Neill, M Mulvey, J Gleeson; P McAllister, A Benson; G Weldon, C Harford, D Butterly; C Donegan, O Kelleher, E Conroy. Subs: K O’Connor for Weldon (22), C Halpin for Benson (h-t), C Niall for McAllister (37), M Skelly for Harford (52), J McNamara for Butterly (54).
FAUGHS: S Curley; K O’Brien, S O’Dea, D Murnane; T Murnane, A Ryan, D O’Shea; J Hanney, E Fitzgerald; C Brew, D Donohue, T Clifford; T Donohue, C O’Shea, K Prendergast. Subs: M Saunders for Prendergast (40).
MENTORS – Naomh Maur: D Crowe, D Conroy, W Egan. Faughs: S Brew, P Donohue, S Doyle, V O’Shea, T Donohue.
REFEREE: Tom Tansey (St Oliver Plunkett’s/Eoghan Ruadh).
WIDES – Naomh Maur: 11 (6+5). Faughs: 5 (1+4).
CONDITIONS: Dry and warm weather throughout.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Olan Kelleher (Naomh Maur).