Shamrocks 3-9, Crosshaven 4-5
Shamrocks B team got their first league win of the season with a lucky one point win over Crosshaven on Tuesday evening at Shanbally.
Shamrocks started brighter and were 2 points to the good ahead after 10 minutes, Stephen Downey and Brian Cusack applying the finishing touches to some nice moves. Crosshaven eventually got into the game and after firing over 0-2 themselves to level it, they scored 2 goals in 5 minutes. And once again, and this has beena feature, the goals that Shamrocks conceded were of the very soft variety and should have never happened. Crosshaven led 2-3 to 0-2 at this stage but in fairness, and unlike the earlier games, Shamrocks didnt allow the concession of those goals to derail them this time.
Cian Ronayne, who was excellent throughout the game put over a lovely point and then Cian Ronayne and Darragh Collins scored quick Shamrocks goals and the game was back on. Half time score was Crosshaven 2-4, Shamrocks 2-3.
Shamrocks came out at the start of the second half and played brilliant football for the first 10-12 minutes. They drove at the Crosshaven defence and opened it up at will. Steve Downey finished off a full pitch length team move with as good a goal as you’d see anywhere all year and soon after Cian Ronayne (x2) and Darragh Collins had Shamrocks fully in the driving seat 3-7 to 2-4.
And once again, after Crosshaven had been reduced to 12 players, Shamrocks seemed to go to sleep and Crosshaven roared back into the game with some much needed scores. Despite Jamie Sweeney and Roy Twomey slotting over two Shamrocks points, Crosshaven brought the 7 point lead down to a point into injury time and can count themselves unlucky not to have snatched at least a draw.
For now though, from a Shamrocks point of view, a win is a win and goes somewhat towards justifying rentering a Junior B team after an absence of years. Also, just 2 dayes after the A team put a reshaped team on the pitch in the championship, it was great to see 20 players togged out for the B’s and shows the interest is there amoung the lads. Next game next Tuesday at home to Ballinhassig, 7.15pm start. Looks like hurling training for the rest of the week.
Panel: J. Wilson, A. Hickey, K. O’Mahony, R. Murphy, P. Prout, J. Browne, S. Andrews, S. Keane, C. Ronayne, J. Brady, B. Cusack, D. Collins, S. Downey; R. Twomey, S. Hurley, J. Sweeney, J. Raleigh, T. O’Mahony, S. Jordan, P. Andrews.
Junior B V Crosshaven, 8/5/12
