In a moment of madness and less than a minute to go after an excellent game, the 2008 Top Oil under 21 hurling championship final came to a sudden, bitter end at Dr Cullen Park on Sunday. The reigning champions Naomh Eoin-Miseal had come from behind and were leading Erin’s Own by a goal 2-7 to 1-7. However close to full-time the Erin’s Own men were awarded a free from midfield, two players became involved in a very quick snap encounter with one another, and in a flash players came from all directions and got involved.
Referee Pat Moran intervened and tried to quell the disturbance but the players didn’t stop as fringe parties started their own shenanigans, which left him with no choice but to abandon the game. The scenes stunned supporters on both sides, and especially since there was no ticketing, no yellow card or no red card, or even no call for the referee to speak with any of the 30 on the field up until this moment. A number of players from each side could find themselves in big trouble, especially as a couple of the players used their hurleys in the altercation.
The matter will now go before the CCC committee of Carlow County Board and they will act when the referee’s report is in.
The Jack Monaghan Cup and man of the match award has now being put on hold.
It was sad the way a game of this calibre ended up, and one wonders what the new hurling manager Kevin Ryan, who was in attendance, would think.
The sides were very evenly matched all through, Brian Doyle opened the scoring with a long range free in the first minute. Naomh Eoin-Miseal levelled from a Pauric Nolan free and Colin Rea gave them the lead after eight minutes. Two points from Roy Kent and James Doyle changed the lead around again. Twelve minutes before the break and Martin Clowry with a super strike sent the ball to the Erin’s Own net to take the lead as they led by 1-3 to 0-4 at the break. The quality of the hurling was even raised in the second half as both sides gave their best. Naomh Eoin-Miseal held onto the lead until nine minutes from the end when a long ball in from Eoin Minchin rolled in around the post to the Naomh Eoin-Miseal net as the Erin’s Own men went in front 1-7 to 1-5. Cillian McCabe sent over a a snap point and then Martin Clowry struck for goal number two with a ground pull from a packed goalmouth.
A super line cut from right half back Michael Mullins was the last score of the game and from the puck out the melee started.
Teams:
Naomh Eoin-Miseal: Nicky Roberts, Ciaran Smithers, Eoin Nolan, Thomas Nolan, Michael Mullins 0-1, Dwaine Kavanagh 0-1, James O’Hara, Declan O’Brien, Colin Rea 0-1, Johnny Smithers, Pauric Nolan 0-3, Martin Clowry 2-0, James Nolan, Eanna Kavanagh, Denny Joe Regan. Substitutes: Cillian McCabe 0-1.
Erin’s Own: David Miley, Martin Cummins, Alan Corcoran, David Tuite, Patrick Abbey, John Rogers, Barry Lambe, James Doyle 0-1, Brian Doyle 0-1, Alan Beaton, Eoin Minchin 1-0, Craig Doyle 0-4, Roy Kent 0-1, Dermot Somers, John Gladney.
