Tracton 0-23, Shamrocks 1-16
Shamrocks and Tracton u21 hurlers had their own “First Sunday in September” on Sunday evening in the BHC final and it was Tracton who prevailed by 4 points. Considering the wet and greasy conditions, this was a great and high class game of hurling and Tracton showed that bit more experience towards the end to fight off the brave challenge from the Shamrocks team.
Tracton led for the entire match but there was only ever a few points in it. Tracton led 0-4 to 0-0 after five minutes and they looked like steamrolling Shamrocks. Shamrocks managed to get into the game somewhat and Andrew O’Grady was responsible for most of their scores from placed balls. Aongus Boland, Darragh Scriven and David Andrews were on the scoresheet for Shamrock as well in that first half. Tracton had opened up a 0-9 to 0-3 lead after fifteen minutes and that was the widest gap between the teams throughout the match. Shamrocks just hung in there up until halftime; they trailed 0-12 to 0-8 at the break with all to play for.
The teams were evenly matched in the second half. Importantly for them, every Shamrocks score was matched by a Tracton score at the other end. Twelve minutes into the second half, Shamrocks sub Tom Murphy pulled on a loose ball in the Tracton square and the ball ended up in the net. Tracton 0-13, Shamrocks 1-8. At this point it was game on and the two teams really went at it until the end – nut once again, Tracton kept Shamrocks at bay by two or three points at all times. Shamrocks got the deficit down to one point with eight minutes left after great points from Darragh Scriven and David Andrews and a few frees from O’Grady. However, Tracton weathered the storm and finished with three points to seal the victory.
Panel: Cormac Scriven, Seán Kidney, Joe O’Keeffe, Mark Hitchmough, Rory Meighan, David Barry, Oisin Boland, David Andrews, Andrew O’Grady, Coby O’Grady, Darragh Scriven, Shane Kelleher, Brendan Crowley, Christopher Hayes, Tom Murphy, Shane Flavin, James Lynam.
Shamrocks, defeated by Tracton in the SE U21BHC final in Ballinhassig on 4/9/16. Back row, l to r: S. Kelleher, J. Lynam, J. O’Keeffe, C. Scriven, A. O’Grady, D. Barry, D. Scriven, R. Meighan, S. Flavin. Front, l to r: B. Crowley, T. Murphy, M. Fleming, M. Hitchmough, C. Hayes, D. Andrews, A. Boland, C. O’Grady, S. Kidney
