Coolderry survive huge scare to record second championship victory

Molloy Precast And Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Championship Group 1 Round 2

COOLDERRY 2-20

SEIR KIERAN 2-14

COOLDERRY survived a huge scare before recording a second successive victory in the Offaly senior hurling championship after a very competitive second round game at home to Seir Kieran in Coolderry on Saturday evening.

Hot favourites going into the game, Coolderry were clinging on to a one point lead in the second minute of injury time when Eoin Burke came up with two super points from play to ease their nerves and sub Shane Connolly put the icing on the cake with a goal to give them a six point victory.

Following on from their opening round victory away to Ballinamere, Coolderry are now in prime position to claim a place in the knock out stages of the championship with games against Birr and Tullamore still to come.

For Seir Kieran it was a second successive defeat, but they were much more competitive in this game than in their opening round against Birr, and they will be targeting their next game against Tullamore as one they have to win if they are to avoid ending up in the relegation play off.

This was a game that fluctuated one way and the other over the hour. The early exchanges were even and they were level four times inside the first nine minutes. Seir Kieran got a great boost with a goal from a penalty after 13 minutes but that served to only wake up the home side and they scored the next eight points in a row and that helped them to a 0-14 to 1-5 interval lead.

That lead stretched to seven on the resumption but Seir Kieran eased their way back into the game with four unanswered points but just when it looked as though they might threaten, Coolderry scored 1-3 without reply to open up a nine point lead with 12 minutes left.

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That looked like curtains for Seir Kieran but they kept plugging away and super goal from Adrian Hynes and a string of pointed frees from Luke Carey helped them cut the lead to a point a minute into four minutes of injury time. Just when it looked like they might salvage something from the game, Coolderry bounced back with those late scores to give them a six point win.

Coolderry will be pleased to have got the win, which ultimately is what matters, but having put themselves in a dominant position twice in the game, they won't be pleased at the way they let Seir Kieran back into the game. They were hanging on in the latter stages until Eoin Burke came up with two great strikes from either wing to get them back on track.

It looked for a while that they might regret nine first half wides when backed by the wind but in the end they did enough to overcome doughty opponents who refused to give up.

Seir Kieran were much more competitive than in their opening round defeat to Birr. They got stuck into the game from the start and were good value for their early lead but they struggled in the second quarter as Coolderry made the wind advantage pay. The wind did seem to lessen a bit when behind Seir Kieran in the second half but they showed great courage and determination in battling their way back into the contest and that is what they will be looking to build on in the weeks ahead. They did rely on Luke Carey for the bulk of their scores and will need a greater spread of scorers to threaten more in future games.

Goalkeeper Stephen Corcoran contributed four points from long range frees for Coolderry and could do little about either goal. Stephen Burke, Marc Ryan and Ajay Cleary all did well in defence with Cian Burke and Eoin Ryan enjoying good moments in the middle of the field. Eoin Burke, Gearoid McCormack and Kevin Connolly were best in attack.

Pat Gilligan, John Coughlan and Tom Dooley played well in the Seir Kieran defence, Kevin Dunne worked hard in the middle of the field and Adrian Hynes, Luke Carey and Darragh Guinan fought hard in attack.

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The game got off to a brisk start with a point each inside the first 40 seconds, Adrian Hynes pointing for Seir Kieran and Gearoid McCormack levelling straight from the puck out. Tom Dooley's free restored Seir Kieran's lead but a huge point from Stephen Connolly and another from Eoin Burke put Coolderry ahead for the first time after six minutes. Luke Carey (free) and Darragh Guinan had Seir Kieran back in front but Gearoid McCormack levelled and Eoin Burke's free put the home side in front again.

Then after 13 minutes Kevin Dunne ran on to a breaking ball but was fouled as he closed in on goals and a penalty was awarded which Luke Carey dispatched to the net to give Seir Kieran a 1-4 to 0-5 lead.

Coolderry took command in the second quarter with their half back line and midfield dominating. Eoin Burke pointed a free and Kevin Connolly levelled for the fifth and final time after 17 minutes. Andy Connolly, Stephen Corcoran with two frees, Cian Burke, Gearoid McCormack and Eoin Burke were all on target as they moved six points clear. Seir Kieran had gone 17 minutes without a score before Luke Carey pointed but another Stephen Corcoran free left Coolderry 0-14 to 1-5 in front at half time.

Cian Burke stretched the Coolderry lead inside the first minute of the second half but Eanna Murphy, Luke Carey and two frees from the same player got the gap down to three points 10 minutes into the second half and it was a contest again.

Eoin Burke and Stephen Corcoran both pointed frees before Coolderry struck for their first goal as the game entered the final quarter. Daniel Miller's shot dropped in the goalmouth where in broke loose and Eoghan Parlon first timed the ball to the net. Eoin Ryan added another point from play after 48 minutes and Coolderry were nine points up and seemingly home and hosed.

Seir Kieran had other ideas. Luke Carey pointed two frees before a high ball from Kevin Dunne broke for Adrian Hynes and he made space before firing a great shot into the top corner. Three more frees from Luke Carey cut the gap to the minimum a minute into injury time and it was all up for grabs.

Eoin Burke then stepped up and scored a terrific point from the left wing under extreme pressure and a minute later he popped up on the right wing to add another great score. Then sub Shane Connolly won a ball on the left and cut back inside before slapping the ball to the net to seal the win for Coolderry.

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MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

COOLDERRY: Stephen Corcoran; Marc Ryan, Stephen Burke, Stephen Connolly; Conor Molloy, Ajay Cleary, William Malone; Cian Burke, Eoin Ryan; Eoghan Parlon, Kevin Connolly, Gearoid McCormack; Eoin Burke, Shane Ryan, Andy Connolly. Subs. Daniel Miller (for William Malone, 36 mins), Shane Connolly (for Andy Connolly).

SEIR KIERAN: Joseph Connors; Sean Coughlan, Pat Gilligan, Stephen Gilligan; Conor Dooley, John Coughlan, Tom Dooley; Kevin Dunne, Michael Gilligan; Dermot Mooney, Eanna Murphy, Sean Dooley; Luke Carey, Adrian Hynes, Darragh Guinan. Subs. Oisin Guinan (for Dermot Mooney, 46 mins), Billy Connors (for Sean Dooley, 48 mins), Declan Purcell (for Billy Connors, 57 mins).

REFEREE: David McLoughlin

MAN OF THE MATCH

When the chips were down Eoin Burke was the player who stood up for Coolderry. He had been involved in much of Coolderry's best work throughout the hour but when they were under pressure in the closing minutes he came up with two super points from opposite wings to get his side over the line. He was always a threat and finished with seven points, four of them from play, and that was significant in his side's victory.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Those two late points from Eoin Burke were significant. Coolderry had gone almost 14 minutes without a score as they saw their nine point lead whittled down to just one but when Eoin Burke got possession on the left wing, he had a number of Seir Kieran players around him but he managed to fire over a great score and less than a minute later repeated the feat from the opposite wing and that finally broke the resolve of Seir Kieran.

REFEREE WATCH

David McLoughlin was kept busy throughout the game. There were a couple of minor melees, which amounted to little more than pushing and shoving really, but he did well to calm matters on each occasion and issued cards when necessary. He liaised well with his linesmen and umpires and overall didn't impact on the outcome of the game.

WHAT’S NEXT

Coolderry meet Birr in Shinrone on Sunday August 10^th while Seir Kieran have a crunch meeting with Tullamore in Kinnitty on Friday August 8^th.

VENUE WATCH

Coolderry hosted the game very well. There were plenty of stewards on duty and car parking was managed very efficiently. They had a public address system to announce the teams and for the singing of the national anthem and the pitch was in excellent condition

STATISTICS

Wides; Coolderry 12 (9 in first half) Seir Kieran 10 (3 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Coolderry 3 (Stephen Burke, Eoghan Parlon, Shane Ryan) Seir Kieran 2 (Darragh Guinan, Conor Dooley).

Black Cards: None

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Coolderry; Eoin Burke (0-7, 0-3 frees), Stephen Corcoran (0-4, frees), Gearoid McCormack (0-3), Eoghan Parlon, Shane Connolly (1-0 each), Cian Burke (0-2), Stephen Connolly, Kevin Connolly, Andy Connolly, Eoin Ryan (0-1 each).

Seir Kieran; Luke Carey (1-10, 1-0 penalty, 0-8 frees), Adrian Hynes (1-1), Tom Dooley (free), Darragh Guinan, Eanna Murphy (0-1 each).

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