Portroe hold their nerve once more to beat Carrick Swan

GAA: FBD Insurance County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4

Portroe 1-17

Carrick Swan 0-19

Report: Michael Brophy in Boherlahan

John Sheedy’s 49th minute goal swung momentum in Portroe’s favour as they surged late to secure a valuable opening day win over Carrick Swan in the County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship on Saturday.

Playing with a strong breeze in the first half, Carrick Swan hit eight wides and would have been disappointed to return to the dressing rooms with a mere two point advantage, 0-9 to 0-7.

But Portroe also failed to master the conditions in the second half, and Carrick held their lead until the 54th minute when Sheedy’s goal was followed by the first of five unanswered points for the Green and Gold.

Occasionally ill-tempered but always intense and physical between these divisional champions, this was a hugely competitive and skilful display of O Riain Cup hurling. Ruadhan Mulrooney and Sam Madden were the pick of the Portroe forwards, contributing seven points from play between them.

Carrick were more reliant on placed balls with former Tipperary senior hurler Danny O’Hanlon scoring ten of their nineteen points from frees. Carrick scored four of the first six points in the opening ten minutes, with Aaron Dunne getting the pick of them as his long ranger off his left sailed with the wind between the posts. The Swan were showing greater urgency in the middle-third, forcing turnovers but struggling to build the lead they desired.

When Mark Gennery collected a breaking ball to score off his left, Portroe would have been pleased to trail by just two points midway through the half. Gavin O’Halloran and Robert Byrne traded long range efforts, and Portroe started to grow in confidence as the half progressed. Kevin O’Halloran levelled the game briefly after finishing off good link up play with Mulrooney, but Cory Ryan and O’Hanlon scored the final two points of the half to give Carrick a lead they needed.

Portroe struggled to assert themselves in the second half despite having the breeze at their backs. Sam Madden scored the first of three second half points for Portroe but Carrick responded with three of their own through a brace of O’Hanlon frees and a point from Jamie Holloway.

The Swan were keeping their North opponents at arm’s length during the third quarter, with two more excellent Mulrooney points being traded with further O’Hanlon frees and a second point for Kevin Lanigan.

Trailing by four points in the 49th minute, the industrious Brian Keating carried the ball through Swan tackles before feeding John Sheedy in space 30 metres out from goal. The Portroe marksman took the strike on early and the ball flashed past Adam Kerwick to resurrect their hopes.

Sheedy levelled the game minutes later with a free and it was only in the 59th minute that Portroe finally hit the front with Kevin O’Halloran dispatching a free between the posts from his own 65.

Sheedy set up Sam Madden for his third of the second half. When that was followed by AJ Willis’s first and another placed ball from Sheedy, it gave Portroe what looked like an unassailable four-point lead four minutes into injury time.

However, the North side were made to sweat with excellent points from Aaron Dunne and Gavin O’Halloran being quickly followed up by a tenth placed ball from Danny O’Hanlon.

Carrick were given one last chance to find an equaliser, but Portroe held on for what’s likely to be a hugely valuable two points in Group 4.

Player of the Match: Ruadhan Mulrooney (Portroe)

Portroe: Diarmuid Boyle (7); John Moroney (6), Michael Breen (6), Justin Conroy (6); Brian Keating (7); Robert Byrne (0-1f, 8), Colm Gleeson (6); Jack Maloney (7), Kevin O’Halloran (0-2, 1f) 7); Sam Madden (0-3, 8), John Sheedy (1-5, 0-4f, 0-1 65) 8), Anthony Bourke (6); Ruadhan Mulrooney (0-4, 8), Mark Gennery (0-1, 6), AJ Willis (0-1, 6).

Subs: Ian O’Donnell (6) for Bourke (45); Kieran McKeogh (NR) for Conroy (57); Anthony Bourke (NR) for Moroney (60+6).

Carrick Swan: Adam Kerwick (6); Daniel Walsh (6), Stephen Hahessy (7), Billy Murphy (7); Scott Hogan (6), Colin Loughman (7), Gavin O’Halloran (0-2, 8); Aaron Dunne (0-2, 7), Ryan Waters (6); Owen Harrigan (6), Kevin Lanigan (0-2, 7), Dean Waters (6); Cory Ryan (0-2, 7), Danny O’Hanlon (0-10f, 7), Jamie Holloway (0-1, 6).

Subs: Jack Murphy (7) for Harrigan (38), Ben Mulcaire (6) for Lanigan (52), Colin Waters (NR) for Loughman (57); Aidan Waters (NR) for Ryan (59).

Referee: Joe Leahy (Moyne-Templetuohy).