FIFTEENS FIRE FIRST SHOTS!

Carlow U-15 Hurling Division 2

SETANTA 8-6, ST PATRICK’S 0-1

History was created in Bro Leo Park, Tullow on Tuesday evening when Setanta fielded their first ever U-15 hurling team, the teenage terrors making a winning start as a hard working performance was rewarded with a convincing victory.

It’s been a slow burn season so far but the January indoor hurling and the knuckling down to outdoor coaching regardless of numbers kept things ticking over.

Thanks to the co-operation of Coiste na nOg ourselves and Tullow were granted a 'stay of execution' on remaining in the competition due to the fact that both club's had severe difficulty fielding full teams due to clashes with soccer, rugby and other activities.

Happily, despite a damp dreary cold May night borrowed from deepest November, both clubs took to the Bro Leo Park pitch with enthusiasm and even more happily from our point of view it was the Setanta boys who settled the quicker with hard working mid-fielders Ethan Kavanagh and Aaron Langrell winning a world of ball and using it well while half-backs Stephen Lacey (captain for the night by dent of his January birth making his the oldest on the team) and Alan Geoghegan also won a ocean of possession and plied the attack with clever deliveries.

With this outside quartet plying their forwards with ball after ball, the Setanta attack got plenty of shooting practice and by half-time U-13 David Bolger, on a hot streak just now, had racked up 3-1, Conor Murphy had pounced for an opportunist 1-1 while Ethan Kavanagh and also accounted for a green flag,

5-2 to 0-1, then, at half-time, on resumption the Setanta management set their side a target of bringing their white flag tally to 10 and while the visitors did not reach double figures some of this was down to the fact that playing 11-a-side on a full pitch rendered legs tired in the closing quarter.

The hard working Jack Murphy and skilful Conal Hickson contributed hugely from their half forward positions, Jack to all intents and purposes a third mid-fielder while Conal ended up in defence but not before a pile-driver was tipped over the bar by the 'Tullow net guardian, one of two points for Hickson.

Switches which saw David Bolger (having added another major to bring his tally to 4-1) go into goal, freeing another U-13 Conor Treacy for attack and the moving forward of full-backs Rian Payne and Laeuq Ur Rehman ensured everyone got a slice of the action, Setanta adding 3-4 in the second half and there would have been a few more goals but for a the agility and alertness of the St Patrick's goalkeeper. As it was Ethan Kavanagh, having been switched into attack, completed his hat-trick, added a point for good measure.

Tullow were short a few key players who hopefully will be back in harness for the next round while Setanta too were hit by injury but great to see Kyle Nolan in attendance despite nursing a broken collar bone while David Jacob (concussion) and Evidas Preikitis (hand injury playing rugby) were also absentees.

Setanta mentors Mick Mackey, Tommy Corcoran, Fergal Murphy and Leo McGough were very pleased with their charges application and appreciative of the great support from parents and guardians, especially as this match was fixed three different times last Saturday before being finally pinned down for Tuesday!

SETANTA: Conor Treacy; Rian Payne, Laeuq Ur Rehman; Stephen Lacey (Capt), Alan Geoghegan; Ethan Kavanagh (3-1), Aaron Langrell; Jack Murphy, Conal Hickson (0-2); Conor Murphy (1-2), David Bolger (4-1).

Referee: John Hickey