Medtronic senior hurlers retained their county interfirms title when they had eight points to spare over an understrength Galway Teachers in Clarenbridge on Saturday.
Medtronic, winners by 3-15 to 1-13, were the stronger team throughout with Niall Healy the scorer-in-chief with nine points, six of which came from placed balls. Medtronic now go on to meet the Leinster champions in the All Ireland semi-final in the New Year.
Dean Higgins and Johnny Glynn had early scores for Medtronic with Aidan Harte replying for the Teachers. Glynn also had a hand in the opening goal when he set up Marc Flaherty who made no mistake in the sixth minute.
Points from Niall Healy and Keril Hardiman stretched the margin to six, but Conor Cooney (2 ) and Sean Kelly reduced the deficit for the Teachers.
Niall Healy’s accuracy from placed balls had Medtronic in control for the remainder of the half. Frees from Alan Dolan and Finian Coone kept the Teachers in touch but Medtronic scored a killer second goal just before the interval when Iarla Tannion’s long delivery was misjudged by the Teachers’ defence, leaving Dean Higgins clear for a 2-09 to 0-07 lead.
Cooney, Paul Killilea and Aidan Harte brought the margin down to six, but a comeback was dashed when Niall Healy set up Johnny Glynn for a third goal for the winners.
Teachers battled gamely and were rewarded with a Conor Cooney goal, but it was not enough to topple Medtronic.
Medtronic: A Ryan, M Carmody, A Coen, T Linnane, G Lally (0-1 ), I Tannion (capt ), K Hardima (0-1 ), K Briscoe, D Connolly, A Touhy, J Glynn (1-1 ), D Higgins (1-1 ) N Healy (0-9 ), M Mullins (0-1 ) M Flaherty (1-1 ) Subs: P Gordan, D O’Gorman, D Kennedy, G Burke
Galway Teachers: K O’Grady, B Mahoney, P Holland (capt ), T Mannion, R Gantley, C Dillon, D Cooney, A Harte (0-2 ), S Kelly (0-1 ), P Killilea (0-1 ), J O’Leary, C Cooney (1-3 ), M Callinane, A Dolan (0-2 ), F Coone (0-4 ). Subs: C Larkin, M Tierney.
Referee: John Keane (Rahoon ).
