Saint Mary’s advance to Western Final for second year in a row

Saint Mary’s are through the Western Junior Hurling Final for the second year in a row after they overcame the challenge of Abbeyside at a wet Fraher Field this evening.

Eoin Kearns proved to be the hero for Saint Mary’s hitting 1-9, 1-2 of which came from play and also saved a fifty eight minute penalty from Eoin Kiely after he stood between the posts in place of John Patrick Fitzpatrick for the one on one strike from twenty one metres.

Saint Mary’s were on top throughout this game and were unlucky not to have hit a point from Kevin Sheehan inside the first minute of the game with an effort that went narrowly wide.

Saint Mary’s however were not long more waiting to get the scoreboard in operation as Eoin Kearns put over a brace of frees on two and six minutes.

Eoin Kiely pulled back a point for Abbeyside from a free on six minutes, but points from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Kevin Sheehan both on seven minutes had daylight between the sides on the score board.

Abbeyside hit the next two scores of the game, the first from Eoin Enright on ten minutes and Eoin Kiely put over his second free of the evening two minutes later.

A brace of Eoin Kearns points, the first from play, the second from a free gave Saint Mary’s a 0-6 to 0-3 lead with seventeen minutes gone and it was starting to look good for Saint Mary’s.

Eoin Kiely and Eoin Kearns swapped a brace of frees each to keep Saint Mary’s three in front with twenty two minutes played, but Abbeyside made it a two point game (0-8 to 0-6) six minutes from the break when Eoin Enright split the Saint Mary’s posts.

A minute later, Saint Mary’s opened up a substantial lead when the ball came in from the bank side of the field towards the country goal and Eoin Kearns collected and placed a bullet of a shot high into the roof of Seamus Ryan’s net.

The same player landed a sixty five for Saint Mary’s two minutes from the break to leave six between the sides, but that lead was halved in the first minute of added time when Tiernan Murray beat John Patrick Fitzpatrick from close range.

Leading 1-9 to 1-6 at the break, Saint Mary’s came out the stronger of the sides at the start of the second half as Eoin Kearns from a free on thirty two minutes and his brother Mike a minute later hit a second goal for Saint Mary’s to give the eventual winners a 2-10 to 1-6 lead.

Eoin Kiely landed a brace of placed balls for Abbeyside by the fortieth minute with Kevin Sheehan landing one for Saint Mary’s in between to leave the two goals from the Kearns brothers the difference between the sides.

In the next ten minutes Abbeyside were the most profitable with the chances they had in front of goal as Eoin Kiely landed a brace from play and Eoin Enright hit one to leave their side trailing 2-11 to 1-11 with fifty one minutes showing on the clock. During this time Abbeyside were somewhat unlucky not to have hit a second goal but David Sweeney saw his effort come crashing off the crossbar on forty four minutes and the ball was subsequently cleared by the Saint Mary’s defence.  

Eoin Kearns and Jason Sheehan opened another five point lead for Saint Mary’s which was cut by one when David Sweeney put over the Saint Mary’s crossbar with fifty four minutes played.

Owen Barron restored a five point lead for Saint Mary’s three minutes from time, but within seconds it looked as if Saint Mary’s were going to have to fight very hard to get something from the game as referee Tommy O’Sullivan awarded Abbeyside a penalty.

Eoin Kearns who won a Dr. Harty Cup Medal playing in goal for Colaiste na Déise some years back made the long track back the field to stand between the posts for the penalty which had some in the stand asking was it allowed, which of course it is, and he did brilliant to put Eoin Kiely’s strike from twenty metres which looked to be going into Eoin’s left hand corner of the goal out for a sixty-five which the Eoin Kiely made no mistake with in splitting the uprights.

No further scores were registered in the one added minute at the end of the half for stoppages and so Saint Mary’s advance to the Western Final for the second year in a row, where they will take on Tourin who will surly go into the final as favourites having played Intermediate last year, and who in the curtain raiser beat a fancied Colligan side in the first of the semi finals.

Saint Mary’s: John Patrick Fitzpatrick; Conor Tobin, Sean Fitzpatrick, Tom Tobin; Dermot Tobin, Denis Coffey, Owen Barron; Kevin Sheehan, Stephen Coffey; Brendan McGourty, Eoin Kearns, Jack Skehan; Aidan Fitzpatrick, Mike Kearns, Jason Sheehan. Subs: Kieran Barron for Aidan Fitzpatrick (27 minutes), Dean Cliffe for Jack Skehan (Half Time), John Ahearne for Denis Coffey (49 minutes).

Scorers: Eoin Kearns 1-9 (0-6 frees, 0-1 ’65), Mike Kearns 1-0, Kevin Sheehan 0-2, Aidan Fitzpatrick, Jason Sheehan, Owen Barron 0-1 each.

Abbeyside: Seamus Ryan; Stephen O’Connor, Gavin Breen, Mickey Coleman; Conor McCarthy, Patrick Lynch, Diarmuid Henley; John Elsted, David Sweeney; Richie Ryan, Eoin Enright, David Hickey; Eoin Kiely, Laurence Hurney, Tiernan Murray. Subs: Kevin Dwane for Laurence Hurney (43 Minutes).  

Scorers: Eoin Kiely 0-9 (0-5 frees, 0-2 ‘65s), Eoin Enright 0-3, Tiernan Murray 1-0, David Sweeney 0-1.

Referee: Tommy O’Sullivan (Cappoquin).