Naomh Brid 0-14
St Mullins 1-8
A championship performance from Naomh Brid senior hurlers was good enough to see them through to the Talbot Hotel senior hurling championship final when they held off the challenge of last year’s defeated finalists St Mullins, in the first semi-final at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday.
From shaky starts in the league part of the championship, the maroon clad men controlled the game for most of the hour with good teamwork. Even when a St Mullins rally yielded a Cian Doyle goal that brought the sides level 0-9 to 1-6, the reaction from Naomh Brid was swift and fast, as they shot three points in the space of three minutes.
From the throw in, Naomh Brid’s left half forward, and top scorer Brendan Lawler shot his side’s opening three points, two from play and a free. Paudie Keogh got the Saints on the road with a pointed free after eight minutes. Patrick Hickey shot Naomh Brid’s fourth point from play, to move his side three points clear. The pattern emerging was the Naomh Brid defence were in fine form as they were first out to the sliothar and kept their lines clear. They didn’t allow the St Mullins’ forwards any leeway, particularly Des Shaw at full back who had a fine game, Johnny Nevin at centre back, add in Sean Watchorn, Aidan Nolan, Declan Kelly and Eddie Kane and St Mullins found it hard to break through a steel defence. Nine minutes before the break, and a Brendan Lawler free had Naomh Brid five points clear 0-8 to 0-3. A couple of minutes earlier, Mark Brennan scored a spectacular point when on route for goal and was well policed on either side by two defenders, he adapted his school-day tactics using the egg and spoon race formula as he tapped the sliothar over the bar.
Jack Kavanagh with a well struck point from play, rallied his side as they trailed the leaders by four points, when David Hughes called half time- Naomh Brid 0-8, St Mullins 0-4.
The game lifted in tempo in the last period, as St Mullins raised the bar. Declan Murphy shot over the bar to reduce the lead after four minutes, a minute later Brendan Lawler restored parity. Patrick Walsh who had come on at the break, shot over a neat St Mullins’ point to leave a goal between the sides after eight minutes. Urgency was the name of the game in both camps as each side fought extremely hard for the all-important scores. The defences on each side were on high alert as they kept the forwards at bay for the next eight minutes. St Mullins introduced Pat Coady and he did his best to rally his side. Entering the final quarter and the game reached a turning point, Cian Doyle had come on to the St Mullins’ team and was only on the field a minute when he sent a ground shot to the Naomh Brid net, and suddenly the sides were level Naomh Brid 0-9, St Mullins 1-6.
Naomh Brid’s action was swift, fast and furious, as they swept downfield, with good hurling three points from play, two from Brendan Lawler and one from Mark Brennan, and restored the lead to three points in the space of two and a half minutes of the St Mullins’ goal- Naomh Brid 0-12, St Mullins 1-6 with twelve minutes remaining.
Entering the closing stages and St Mullins were awarded a semi penalty and a chance to level the sides, a well struck shot from Paudie Kehoe, saw James Kehoe make a great save in the Naomh Brid goal, and turn the sliothar out for a ’65 which also went at the wrong sides of the posts. Breathing a sigh of relief the winners swept downfield and Brendan Lawler was glad to send over a free to give his side a three point win and above all a place in the final.
Naomh Brid fully deserved their win, they seldom put a foot wrong and the mentors introduced fresh men at a vital stage. James Kehoe in goal was good and had solid support from Des Shaw, Johnny Nevin, Sean Watchorn and Eddie Kane, Alan Brennan and Johnny Kavanagh worked hard at midfield. In the forwards Mark Brennan led the attack from all angles, Brendan Lawler was the top scorer with ten points, add in Patrick Hickey, James Kane and they are a formidable side.
St Mullins, who were finalists for the last two years, could never get the grips with the game and even when they drew level with Naomh Brid they were never able to get in front.
Darren Whelan was outstanding at corner back and later at full back. Thomas Doyle improved when he moved out to corner back. John Doran and Paul Keogh in the half back line played well. Michael Nolan and John Murphy did their best to turn the game around at midfield. The forwards were well policed by the Brid defence with Seamus Murphy, Jack Kavanagh, Paudie Kehoe and Declan Murphy trying their hardest to get the scores.
Teams:
Naomh Brid: James Kehoe Aidan Nolan Des Shaw Declan Kelly Sean Watchorn Johnny Nevin Eddie Kane James Kane Johnny Kavanagh Alan Brennan Patrick Hickey 0-1 Brendan Lawler 0-10 Colin Brennan Mark Brennan 0-3 Johnny Sheehan. Subs; Martin Keating for Eddie Kane Ger Hickey for Aidan Nolan Hugh Kelly for James Kane and Tomas Cowman for Alan Brennan
St Mullins: Mark Ryan Tomas Coady Thomas Doyle Darren Whelan John Doran Paul Kehoe Cathal Ryan John Murphy Michael Nolan Sean Gahan James Coady Declan Murphy 0-1 Paudie Kehoe 0-5 Seamus Murphy Jack Kavanagh 0-1 Subs; Patrick Walsh 0-1 for James Coady Pat Coady for Cathal Ryan Cian Doyle 1-0 for Sean Gahan Michael Kehoe for Tomas Coady.
Referee: David Hughes, Erin’s Own.
