MEMORABLE SETANTA DAY IN COUNTY GROUNDS!
Carlow U-12 Hurling Championship (Division 2A) Final
Setanta 3-3; Naomh Eoin 0-4
SCORES BY THE CLOCK!
3: A long Liam Ryan delivery turns defence into attack, the dropping ball strongly contested by Ronan O’Sullivan who in half-gaining possession is fouled and and from in front of the posts 30m out Conor Treacy confidently slots the free. Setanta 0-1, Naomh Eoin 0-0
9: Cian Quirke levels proceedings when converting a mid-distance free. 0-1 apiece.
10: Myshall hit the front with a smartly taken point by Sean Treacy who slightly to the left of the posts found the range. Naomh Eoin 0-2, Setanta 0-1
13: Ronan O’Sullivan perseverance wins him possession and a free, this one is on the right wing, awkward angle 25m from the posts but Conor Treacy rifles a perfectly judged stroke between the posts. 0-2 apiece.
18: David Jacob doesn’t stand on ceremony when breaking up a Myshall attack, getting the ball to hand, clearing his lines, Dylan McGrath collecting and moving the ball down the right wing to Ronan O’Sullivan who from 20m out quickly dispatches the ball over the bar. Setanta 0-3, Naomh Eoin 0-2
20: Cian Quirke converts a well struck free to level the sides again. 0-3 apiece
Half-time: SETANTA 0-3, NAOMH EOIN 0-3
6: GOAL! A lobbing ball to the Myshall square was cleared to safety and in the subsequent chase Setanta conceded a line-ball on the terrace side. Just as it seemed danger had been averted the line-ball was intercepted, Conor Treacy getting the ball to hand and essaying a point-shot under-pressure which sailed towards the posts, dipped at the last second and wound up in the net, a chasing in Setanta forward playing his part in a major score. Setanta 1-3, Naomh Eoin 0-3
9: GOAL! AND WHAT A GOAL! Once again Liam Ryan was deeply involved in the build-up delivering the ball into space to the right of goal where David Bolger collected and with a stunning left-hand shook the net. Setanta 2-3, Naomh Eoin 0-3.
15: Cian Quirke landed a great point from play to revive his sides fortunes. 2-3 to 0-4
20: GOAL! AND YET AGAIN, WHAT A GOAL! Marc Mulhall’s sweeping clearance is collected by Ronan O’Sullivan who makes tracks for goal, then pops a sweet pass over the head of a would-be tackler and into the grateful hand of substitute Shane McCarthy who takes a few steps and unleashes a bullet that comes to a crashing halt in the roof of the Deerpark end net! Setanta 3-3, Naomh Eoin 0-4
Full-time: SETANTA 3-3, NAOMH EOIN 0-4
THE SETANTA HEROES......
JOE BIRMINGHAM: After his semi-final heroics against MLR in Fenagh the word was out Setanta had a good goalkeeper and he lived up to that reputation, a confident second half catch and subsequent long clearance a highlight while Joe’s puck out’s were consistently long and as per instruction perfectly placed.
CIAN GEOGHEGAN: Still bearing the scars of semi-final battle, the little U-10 was hit by injury again early in the final but recovered to put in a typical warrior performance, not only getting stuck into group tussles involving players bigger than him, but emerging with the ball on a number of occasions.
DAVID JACOB: Probably one of the biggest compliments you could pay the team captain is to repeat a phrase heard from a few spectators: “he’s a real old style full-back”. For ‘old style’ read a defender who attacks the play with ferocious determination and when he gets the ball, belts it, hard and far!
MARC MULHALL: Again we call on the help of other observers to describe Marc’s input. “He’s a cool customer, never gets too high, never gets too low” as in with Marc there is always the next ball and when he gets on the ball he uses it well, as he did in this final when a cleverly placed clearance set-up a crucial goal.
SINEAD THOMPSON: An immense contribution, had a constant presence on the half back line that saw her tackle, block, hook, pick, clear, every thing you’d expect and more, only Sinead did it time and time again, was probably in the play and on the ball more than anyone else and everything she did she did extremely well.
DYLAN McGRATH: Work-ethic and use of the ball are crucial requisites on a mid-fielder’s CV and by God does Dylan tick both boxes, he ranged all over the field, helping out in defence, drifting into attack but most importantly of all serving as an absolutely vital link in the middle of the park.
LIAM RYAN: What an engine! Liam will run and run all day but when those runs are with the ball hopping on his stick and raiding towards the opponents goal they are runs worth their weight in gold, one such run leading to the opening score of the game which helped settle Setanta.
AOIFE WHELAN: Unlucky not to locate the net just before half-time, her first time shot smartly saved, Aoife, whose Dad Conor was a mentor, was busy on the half-forward line, keeping the ball moving towards the posts while her experience as a defender ensured that the Myshall defenders had to work harder than normal to clear the ball.
CONOR TREACY: Any day you score 1-2 in a county final is a good day, especially when your father is the manager but apart from the scores - his second pointed free from an awkward angle was a peach - Conor put in a huge shift, especially in the second half when he worked hard, won invaluable possession and put in to good use.
RONAN O’SULLIVAN: If you read the Scores by the Clock you will devine that Ronan won two frees that were converted into points, scored a beauty of a point himself and then made the run and gave the pass that set up the clinching goal. That’s what you call a massive contribution and there was more besides from the U-10.
DAVID BOLGER: “Stay patient, stay in around the goal, the chance will come, you’ll stitch it!” You can almost hear manager Liam Treacy giving his full-forward astute advice. Getting your full-forward to take heed is another matter! Not so with David! He stayed patient, the chance came and boy did he stitch it, a rasper!
SHANE McCARTHY: “He’s a finisher” was our answer to an enquiry as to what Shane, a first cousin of Waterford great Kevin Moran was like at the hurling. And so who else would you like to see in possession with a county final in the balance only a finisher and what a finish, a rising shot to the roof of the net celebrated with pure glee.
TRISTAN McENTEE: Entered the fray in the second half and did his bit in battening down the hatches.
ROSS O’HANLON: Another who got on in the second half and was immediately busy as he had all year.
CILLIAN BYRNE: Got a run late on and featured in a couple of attacks.
BEN YEATES: Another who entered the fray late on, did well, a vital member of the panel all year.
SINEAD MURPHY: Played some fine games during the year including semi-final.
NIAMH BYRNE: Also enjoyed a good year, cameo appearance in semi-final was central to victory.
ABBIE RATH: An U-10 girl on an U-12 hurling panel tells you how good Abbie is.
SEAN COAKLEY: A lively operator, did his bit when called on.
SORCHA AHEARNE: A versatile player who could do a job fore or aft.
RODRIGO LACEY: Injury interrupted his year but back for the business end of the season
LIAM TREACY: Tipperary steel, Tipperary fire were part of the manager's modus operandi but great tactical awareness, a great rapport with his players, a mighty motivator and an advocate of hard work paying off were also central to this victory.
CONOR WHELAN: Started the year as the U-12 camogie manager and with the older girls beginning to train with the boys he soon brought his expertise to the hurling table and struck up a great working relationship with the manager and the entire panel.
