By: Mary Dunne
Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 2 Round 3
Belmont: 4-14
Tullamore: 3-13
Belmont despite looking extremely comfortable midway through the second half, just about held off a late Tullamore onslaught to take their second win of the championship in what was a very intriguing affair on Saturday afternoon last in Kilcormac.
It was a strange game in the sense that Belmont should have been well out of sight, they lorded the possession in the second half in particular, and with fifty minutes on the clock they were 10 clear and worth every inch of it, but they almost folded and Tullamore almost caught them.
Belmont despite being well in control backed off Tullamore and with two goals in the space of sixty seconds, the Blues brought it back to a three point game.
It was frantic in the dying stages as Belmont tried to batten down the hatches and Tullamore pushed forward in an aim to get it to at least a draw.
In the end Belmont did regroup and with three of the last four scores they held on for the crucial win and one that could well be the catalyst to get their year off the ground.
There is no doubting it was an improved Belmont performance. They were quiet sluggish and slow to get into the rhythm of their opening game against Lusmagh two weeks ago, whereas on Saturday they looked a lot sharper and while their shooting left a lot to be desired with sixteen wides in total, they will be glad to take the win no matter how it is done.
Tullamore will be disappointed. They have played a great campaign so far and with a win under their belts over Shinrone and a good performance against Ballinamere, they came into the game with a lot going for them.
For long spells they gave Belmont way too much space and they paid the price for it at times, but when it looked like the game was going away from them they never gave up and they almost pulled it off.
The scoring was close in the early exchanges and by the 6th minute the sides were level at 0-2 each after an exchange of scores between Mark Egan, David Nally and two from Shane Dooley.
Belmont then pushed on and with a brilliant pass from Mark Egan, he found David Nally on hand to drive home the game’s opening goal and with two follow up scores from Oisin Kelly and David Nally, Belmont led 1-4 to 0-2 by the 12th minute.
Niall Houlihan landed a nice and much needed score for Tullamore by 13th minute but Paddy Clancy was hot on his heels with his first of what turned out to be three for the number ten.
Michael Feeney and Shane Dooley responded for Tullamore, and left three between the side 1-5 to 0-5 with sixteen played, but once again Belmont pushed on.
David Nally caused all sorts of havoc for Tullamore and he tore off down along the sideline and with a rasping shot, it took the best from Arron Hensey in the Tullamore but Adam Nugent was on hand to bat the rebound to the net to leave six between the sides 2-5 to 0-5 with twenty played.
David Nally and Shane Dooley traded scores before Shane Dooley stole a march on the Belmont defence and with a cracking goal to the top of the net and with that the gap was back to three 2-6 to 1-6 with twenty four played.
The goals were coming thick and fast and within the puck out Belmont attacked again and this time it was the impressive Paddy Clancy who found the net and in the blink of an eye Belmont led by six, 3-6 to 1-6.
Tullamore were finding it hard to get primary possession, but they did have the two final scores of the half thanks to Shane Dooley to leave the half time scores reading 3-6 to 1-8, after a long injury time which saw Mark Egan stretchered off the field.
Ronan Flynn stretched the Belmont lead on the resumption, but with Shane Dooley in flying form again, he landed two more scores and despite all of Belmont’s hurling they gap was only four, 3-7 to 1-9 with thirty six played.
Tullamore were holding on, but Belmont were launching attack after attack on the Tullamore goalmouth and it was only a matter of time before they caved under the pressure.
David Nally landed a ’65 after a goal bound shot from Oisin Kelly was saved, but it wasn’t long until Tullamore were caught.
Once again it was David Nally who set it up and with Brian Carroll on hand her drove home goal number four to leave the scores reading 4-8 to 1-9 with forty three played.
Pat Taaffe and David Nally pointed either side of a fine score from Ger Crowe, but with another score Oisin Kelly left ten between the sides 4-11 to 1-10 with fifty played
It certainly looked like it was going to be Belmont who would romp home from there but that was far from the case.
Michael Feeney pointed and then with fifty four on the clock Killian Wynne found the net and the gap was back to six 4-11 to 2-11.
It still look impossible for Tullamore, but straight from the puck out they attacked again with Niall Furlong despite being pulled and dragged he got the sliothar to the net and with that we had a three point game.
Diarmuid Egan whittled it back to two and all signs were on for a Tullamore comeback. Belmont were certainly rattled but they didn’t panic and with a nice score from Brian Carroll they stopped Tullamore in their tracks.
Mike Fox landed a massive score for the Blues, but it was Belmont who finished strongly and with a brace from Paddy Clancy they sealed the win. The final scores reading 4-14 to 3-13.
The Scorers
Belmont: David Nally 1-5 (0-1 Free, 0-1 ’65), Paddy Clancy 1-3, Brian Carroll 1-1, Adam Nugent 1-0, Oisin Kelly 0-2, Ronan Flynn 0-1, Pat Taaffe 0-1, Mark Egan 0-1 (’65).
Tullamore: Shane Dooley 1-7 (0-4 Frees), Killian Wynne 1-0, Niall Furlong 1-0, Michael Feeney 0-2, Ger Crowe 0-1, Mike Fox 0-1, Niall Houlihan 0-1, Diarmuid Egan 0-1.
The Teams
Belmont: Damien Egan; Aron McCabe, Ciaran Cahill, Darragh Flynn; Leon Fox (Capt.), Conor Grennan, Jack Clancy; Pat Taaffe, Ronan Flynn; Oisin Kelly, Mark Egan, David Kelly; Adam Nugent, Paddy Clancy, David Nally.
Subs: Brian Carroll for Mark Egan (inj. 30+4 mins), Colin Egan for Conor Grennan (38 mins), Conor Butler for Adam Nugent (57 mins).
Tullamore: Arron Hensey; Jack Daly, Dylan Hensey, Kevin Waters; Luke Egan, Niall Houlihan, Ger Crowe; Mike Fox, Cormac Egan; Peter Fox, Aaron Leavy, Martin Keogh; Niall Furlong, Shane Dooley, Diarmuid Egan.
Subs: Michael Feeney for Luke Egan (inj. 10 mins), Killian Wynne for Jack Daly (inj. 27 mins).
Referee: Adam Kinahan (Clodiagh Gaels).
By Offaly Secretary Sat 8th Aug
