St Mary’s, Galway............ 2-6
St. Joseph’s, Ballinasloe.... 4-4
Having played a draw when the sides last met, both teams took the field in the Duggan Park’ on Thursday last determined to decide group one of the Connacht Colleges senior hurling championship. St. Josephs, with a forward line more willing to take the chances offered, had the edge at the final whistle by a margin that about reflects their superiority.
A heavy shower just before the game started made accurate, striking difficult in the early stages but, nevertheless, there were many passages of really good hurling. St. Mary’s started off with the advantage of wind and sun and were early laying siege to the Garbally posts. In the second minute St Mary’s Donnie Campbell put a 21 yard free in the net. Garbally steadied somewhat and came a little more into the game and mounted some good attacks before their center-half forward, Andy Fenton, lobbed in a high, rather speculative ball that caught Mary’s goalie unawares and went into the net over his head.
St. Mary’s Donnie Campbell was soon back with a point. Constant Garbally pressure saw St. Mary’s goalkeeper T. Heavey bring off some very fine saves but Joe Kelly sent a rasper to the net to put the home side ahead once more. A couple of minutes’ later, when the Ballinasloe goalie was slow to clear his lines, Michael Grady, a lively St. Mary’s full forward, nipped in and helped himself to a good goal. But shortly after, a well-taken point by lomar Barren of Garbally leveled matters once more. St. Mary’s soon ran into a two-point interval lead when Donnie Campbell sent a 21-yard free over the bar and shortly added a lovely long range point.
The second half opened in a flurry of fast, open hurling with the advantage not going to either side but in the 7th minute Garbally’s Ignatius Clarke and Martin Barrett combined in a neat move that gave Clarke a very well-taken goal and Andrew Fenton stretched the lead further with a point from a 21-yard free. Around about this time, St Mary’s “man-of-the-match” Donnie Campbell was forced to retire with a head injury arid this loss of their best player had a marked effect on the visitors’ play. Garbally now seemed to take a firmer grip on things and, with A. Fenton having plenty of room to move, the forwards were often on the attack.
Center half-back, Martin Leonard had two points from frees in quick succession to bring St Mary’s back on level terms. Excitement was high among supporters at this stage and the hurling was fast and furious, if not always accurate. In the 20th minute, Andy Fenton gathered a pass from Martin Barrett and shot a goal. Now it was St, Mary s turn to attack, and they came back into the game in very spirited fashion indeed and Mattie McMahon sent over a long range point. Garbally rallied and slowly got on top again and Fenton, surely the architect of his side’s victory, slipped past tiring defenders for two more points that put the issue beyond doubt.
For the winners their captain Andrew Fenton had an excellent game and he was very ably assisted up front by the Barrett’s, Iomar and Martin, while Ignatius Clarke with another industrious forward. Johnny Farrell, Tom Finn and Jim Lynch were mort dependable in defence for St Joseph’s. Up to the time of his retirement, St. Mary’s Donnie Campbell was having an excellent game at center field and his withdrawal certainly affected the liter play of his team-mates. In a Mary’s attack that did not appear to move as smoothly as that of the winners, Michael O’Grady, George Morris and Tom Collins were best, while Liam Mulryan, Martin Leonard and Dona! Daly were the pick of the back. St Mary’s goalie, Tommy Heavey, did some really fine work for the side and with some really remarkable saves, particularly in the first half, may well have saved his team from a heavier defeat.
Scorers:
St Joseph’s: A. Fenton (2-3), T Clarke (1-0), J, Kelly (1-0), L Barrett (0-1).
St Mary’s: D. Campbell (1-3), M. McMahon (1-0), M. Leonard (0-2), M. O’Grady (0-1).
Teams:
St. Joseph’s: E. Campbell, J. Farrell, T. Finn, P. Ridge, J. Lynch, I. Carey, 0, Colohan, B. Donnelly, J. Kelly, A. Fenton, I. Barrett, L Clarke, M. Barrett.
St. Mary’s: T. Heavey, L. Mulryan, D, Daly, H. Tracey, M. Leonard, M, McMahon, D. Campbell, B. Lydon, S. Noonan, T. Collins, S. Grealish, M. 0’Grady, G. Morris.
Referee: Mr. Tom Boyle, Ballinasloe.