St. Martin’s 0-20 Naomh Éanna 0-15
YLE FIRMAN took centrestage in Chadwicks Wexford Park on Sunday as St. Martin’s superior to a fifth Pettitt’s Senior hurling championship last in eight years with a completely deserved five-point victory over a disappointing Naomh Éanna crew.
The energetic full-forward was impressed from the off, choosing off three first-half factors and doubling that tally after the break as he displayed a deadly eye for the posts.
And making the win all of the extra spectacular was the truth that Jack O’Connor joined youthful brother Rory on the listing of casualties at an early stage, solely lasting twelve minutes earlier than he needed to depart with a heavily-strapped higher left leg.
In robust circumstances, the 2019 champions actually knuckled right down to a attempting activity and have been powered house by a really sturdy defence that solely conceded three factors from play to Gorey attackers over the hour.
Conor Firman caught to fellow captain Conor McDonald like glue, with the Gorey talisman held scoreless for the second sport operating, whereas Philip Dempsey and Patrick O’Connor have been decided leaders after they have been most wanted within the closing levels particularly.
The Naomh Éanna mentors satisfaction themselves on getting their particular person match-ups right, however they have been gradual to react to the fixed menace posed by Kyle Firman on this event as he ran riot with one of many stand-out particular person shows of the marketing campaign.
Whereas he shot the opening vast, he was solely getting his eye in and went on to run riot, though the service into him was additionally prime notch as he availed of a string of excellent deliveries into area for an inside ahead.
Pádraig Doyle bought Naomh Éanna off the mark from a free earlier than Jake Firman intercepted a handpass and levelled within the fourth minute.
Aodhán Doyle responded immediately from the puck-out, just for Jack O’Connor to equalise once more from Dylan Byrne’s restart. Nevertheless, the county participant had seemed in discomfort from his very first run, and his final act was to obtain a yellow card for a foul on Jack Cullen earlier than being changed by Aaron Maddock close to the top of the primary quarter.
One other Pádraig Doyle free had edged Gorey again in entrance at that juncture, and Cullen transformed the positioned ball after his restoration from damage to make it 0-4 to 0-2.
Dylan Byrne darted off his line to smother an tried pull by J.J. Twamley after a harmful Jack Doran supply, earlier than the scorching warmth prompted the return of these annoying momentum-breaking water breaks that many hoped had been consigned to historical past.
Cullen was in discomfort on the time after hurting his proper ankle, and it in the end compelled his late withdrawal from the sport after spending an unproductive second-half on the sting of the sq..
Play resumed with a Mikey Coleman level as he punished hesitancy within the Naomh Éanna defence, however a sloppy St. Martin’s clearance was intercepted by Aodhán Doyle and returned over the bar with curiosity within the 18th minute (0-5 to 0-3).
Midfielder Mark Maloney latched on to the break from the puck-out to drag one again, just for Cian Molloy to pump one over from distance after a free clearance was initially collected by his massive brother, Eoin.
St. Martin’s have been hanging in there with out ever being in entrance, however all that modified in a strong spell from the twentieth to the twenty fifth minutes after they shot 5 factors on the trot to take the lead for the primary time and rapidly stretch it to 0-9 to 0-6.
It additionally marked the blossoming of Kyle Firman as, after the opening rating of that sequence from Jack Devereux, he registered the leveller from a Mikey Coleman handpass following an extended Dylan Byrne free.
It was the primary of his quickfire hat-trick of factors, with the assists arriving after a Luke Kavanagh solo run plus a Joe Coleman line ball for his subsequent two scores.
Jack Cushe saved a goaling try from Mikey Coleman on the following Martin’s assault, however the clearance was slack and Aaron Maddock – an influential alternative for Jack O’Connor – punished it with some extent.
Cian Molloy hit again earlier than Joe Coleman posted his opener from a free, and St. Martin’s went on to carry a slender 0-10 to 0-9 interval lead after Pádraig Doyle despatched over two positioned balls in extra time.
Naomh Éanna resumed with Conor McDonald and Jack Cullen within the full-forward line together with J.J. Twamley, however they encountered an unyielding again line and the blunt Gorey assault by no means appeared able to getting the job carried out.
Having stated that, the north county facet have been nonetheless very a lot in competition on the second water break when the groups have been deadlocked on 0-13 every, the third time they have been degree in that third quarter.
Joe Coleman’s early free on the restart drew responses from a Pádraig Doyle ’65 and free earlier than the large man nudged his facet in entrance as soon as extra from one other positioned ball within the thirty sixth minute (0-12 to 0-11).
An enormous speaking level arrived moments later when referee Gearóid McGrath – usually a stickler for the principles – surprisingly didn’t really feel {that a} card was warranted after a hurl was thrown at Aodhán Doyle as he moved in on objective following good work by Conor McDonald and Charlie McGuckin.
Pádraig Doyle did faucet over the free that was awarded and, after Joe Coleman hit again from his personal 65-metre line, Gorey’s prime marksman struck the only real level from play within the third quarter from a McGuckin handpass.
Kyle Firman had an uncharacteristic poor vast after Mark Maloney discovered him in acres of area earlier than the water break, however when scores have been required within the final quarter he stood tall.
A affected person brief passing transfer on the restart ended with a Jack Doran level from distance that nudged Naomh Éanna right into a 0-14 to 0-13 lead, nevertheless it was shortlived.
Kyle Firman was the principle man as soon as extra, hitting the equaliser earlier than successful a free for Joe Coleman to knock over eight minutes from the top.
Aaron Maddock then made it 0-16 to 0-14 from a Mark Maloney go earlier than Pádraig Doyle replied from a free, however a Philip Dempsey supply resulted in an absolute peach of some extent from Kyle Firman.
It was the primary of 4 on the trot from St. Martin’s as they powered in the direction of the ending line, making up for his or her unlucky exit to Gorey on penalties in final yr’s preliminary quarter-final within the course of.
An inspiring catch and handpass by Patrick O’Connor led to Joe Coleman’s sole level from play, and Firman then accomplished his half-dozen haul after a neat trade of passes between David Codd and substitute Daithí Waters.
That rating left 4 between them and successfully determined the result however, simply to make certain, man of the second Firman was fouled late on after intercepting a Gorey line ball, and Coleman did what he does greatest from a difficult free on the suitable on the Clonard finish.
St. Martin’s: Dylan Byrne; Diarmuid O’Leary, Philip Dempsey, Joe Barrett; Patrick O’Connor, David Codd, Conor Firman (capt.); Mark Maloney (0-1), Jake Firman (0-1); Luke Kavanagh, Jack O’Connor (0-1), Mikey Coleman (0-1); Jack Devereux (0-1), Kyle Firman (0-6), Joe Coleman (0-7, 6 frees). Subs. – Aaron Maddock (0-2) for J. O’Connor, inj. (12), Willie Devereux for M. Coleman (50), Daithí Waters for J. Devereux (57).
Naomh Éanna: Jack Cushe; Tom Stafford, Seán Doyle, Gary Molloy; Cathal Stokes, Cian Molloy (0-2), Eoin Molloy; Jack Doran (0-1), Charlie McGuckin; Conor McDonald (capt.), Aodhán Doyle (0-2), Jack Cullen (0-1 free); J.J. Twamley, Pádraig Doyle (0-9, 7 frees, 1 ’65), Cian Browne. Subs. – Eoin Conroy for Twamley (55), Darragh Hughes for Cullen, inj. (58).
Referee: Gearóid McGrath (St. James’).
