Courcey Rovers 2-15, Shamrocks 0-11
Shamrocks lost to Courcey Rovers in Ballinspitle on Saturday evening in their first league game of the league this season. Courcey Rovers were fully deserving winners overall and their greater speed of hurling and thought at this point of the season gave them the upper hand throughout.
However, the Shamrocks players played with great heart throughout and can point to some instances throughout the game where a goal chance or two could have brought the game much closer. This was a Shamrocks team missing some central players and indeed, fielded a few minors (three debubants), all of which aquitted themselves very well. Some of the older players drove them on and while the touch was out a little bit at times, there is much more to look forward to with increased training, coaching and games.
Courcey Rovers got an early enough goal after a few points, they started well. Andrew O’Grady, Darragh Scriven, Chris O’Neill and Fergus O’Neill with some excellent scores mainly kept Shamrocks in touch throughout that first half. Half time score was Courcey Rovers 1-7, Shamrocks 0-6.
The early stages of the second half were even enough with the first turning point arriving 10 minutes into the half. Shamrocks missed a penalty which was replied by a point first from that play, then a further goal and two points at the other end by Courceys. That was the difference between the teams on the day there and then. Courcey Rovers had stretched their lead to 2-10 to 0-6 at this stage and the rest of the game was played out in an even manner. Shamrocks had a goal chance expertly saved by the Courcey Rovers goalkeepers but it wouldn’t have made the slightest difference. Shamrocks finished with some great scores from play from Darragh Scriven, Barry Mulqueen and David Andrews.
It was an extremely young Shamrocks team, perhaps the youngest in a long time, and hopefully the young lads will learn a lot from today from their first ever Junior hurling match. The next game is on Ballinhassig in football on Tuesday at home at 6.45pm. The next hurlers game is next Sunday against Tracton at home at 3pm.
Team: C. Scriven, J. Browne, S. Andrews, C. Kidney, R. Murphy, B. Mulqueen, S. Kidney, D. Scriven, A. McCarthy, A. Boland, F. O’Neill, J. Tuohy, A. O’Grady, C. O’Neill, D. Andrews. Subs used – R. Twomey, J. Wilson, S. Downey.
