Seir Kieran secure senior status with good win in lively local derby

Seir Kieran will play Senior A Championship hurling again in 2022 after they secured a hard earned five point win over Drumcullen in a lively game played in wet and windy conditions in Kinnitty on Saturday.

Molloy Environmental Systems Senior Hurling Relegation Play Off

SEIR KIERAN 2-22
DRUMCULLEN 2-17

Seir Kieran led all the way from the first minute but they could never relax as Drumcullen kept coming back at them before finally running out of time. So after a year back in Senior A, Drumcullen will revert to Senior B in 2022 but might take some heart from this performance.

These relegation contests often end up as tense and nervous affairs but this game was an open and lively game and both sides contributed greatly to an enjoyable contest. Both sides went for the game and probably produced their best performances of the season.

Seir Kieran came flying out of the traps with the wind behind them and were 1-3 to 0-0 up inside the first three minutes. Drumcullen settled and the sides shared 16 points over the following 25 minutes. Then entering injury time Drumcullen goaled to cut the gap to three points but Seir Kieran finished the half strongly again with another 1-3 in three minutes to lead 2-14 to 1-8 at half time.

Drumcullen came out after the break and put the pressure on Seir Kieran and a 12th minute goal helped them cut the gap to just three points heading into the final quarter. However they were unable to get any closer and Seir Kieran held on well to win by five in the end.

Seir Kieran will be delighted with the win and they can look forward to playing at the top level again next year. They were pushed all the way but when the questions were asked they were able to provide the response and put distance between themselves and their opponents again.

Joe Bergin and Colm Gath provided the bulk of the scores for either side, with the majority of them coming from placed balls. Joe Bergin scored 0-13, 12 frees, for Seir Kieran while Colm Gath went even better with 1-14, 1-11 from frees, for Drumcullen.

The big difference was that Seir Kieran had a greater spread of scorers. All six of their starting forwards plus one midfielder scored from play, which, added to Joe Bergin’s accuracy, ensured that they were able to maintain their advantage throughout. For Drumcullen Colm Gath contributed all bar 1-3 of his side’s total and if he had greater support it might have been different. They were always chasing the game after conceding those early scores and while they got the gap back to three points on a couple of occasions, they weren’t able to get any closer to that.

Seir Kieran got a great start with Joe Bergin pointing a free after 42 seconds and Luke Carey and Kevin Dunne added further points before Luke Carey made a good run and set up Adrian Hynes for a goal before three minutes had gone.

Colm Gath (free) and John Murray settled Drumcullen and the sides began to exchange points. Two Joe Bergin frees for Seir Kieran with Mark Kennedy and Colm Gath replying left it 1-5 to 0-4 at the water break. Kevin Dunne, Barry Kealey, James Scully and three Joe Bergin frees were responded to by three Colm Gath points (two frees) and one from Kevin Fleury to leave six in it heading into injury time. Colm Gath halved the lead when driving a 20m free to the net but Seir Kieran replied immediately with a great individual goal by Luke Carey and Kevin Dunne, Luke Carey and Joe Bergin added points to leave it 2-14 to 1-8 at half time.

Drumcullen scored the first three points of the second half through three Colm Gath frees. Joe Bergin replied with three for Seir Kieran with Colm Gath getting another for Drumcullen before Dermot Gath drove a 20m shot to the net to give Drumcullen a real chance. Colm Gath from a free and play left just three in it as the game entered the final quarter.

Seir Kieran steadied as Joe Bergin and Kevin Dunne pushed the lead to five again. Colm Gath added three more frees but each was replied to by a Seir Kieran point, two Joe Bergin frees and another from James Mulrooney.

MATCH ANALYSIS

THE TEAMS

SEIR KIERAN: Peadar Murray; Donal Coughlan, Christopher Connors, Michael Gilligan; Kieran Connors, Eanna Murphy, John Coughlan; James Scully, Kevin Murray; James Mulrooney, Barry Kealey, Kevin Dunne; Luke Carey, Adrian Hynes, Joe Bergin. Subs. Sean Coughlan (for Eanna Murphy, 49 mins), Dermot Mooney (for Kevin Murray, 51 mins), Shaun Dunne (for Adrian Hynes, 58 mins), Emmet Scully (for Kieran Connors, 60 mins).

DRUMCULLEN: Padraic Cashin; Barry O’Meara, Donal Guinan, Donal Mahon; John Cashin, Padraig Guinan, Danny Maher; Raymond Gath, Ciaran Guinan; Eoin Gath, Dermot Gath, Kevin Fleury; Mark Kennedy Jnr, Colm Gath, John Murray. Subs. Stephen Hanrahan (for John Cashin, half time), Sean Hynes (for Donal Mahon, half time), Harry Ryan (for Kevin Fleury, 57 mins).

REFEREE: Adam Kinahan.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Joe Bergin and Colm Gath led the way in the scoring stakes, while Luke Carey had an excellent first half for Seir Kieran, but for his consistency over the 60 minutes the nomination goes to Kevin Dunne. He contributed four points from play and was constantly in the thick of the action, particularly winning a lot of possession late in the game when his side were under pressure.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Luke Carey’s first half goal was a piece of individual brilliance. Drumcullen had just cut the lead back to three points with a goal from a free and the wind to come in the second half. From the puck out Barry Kealey flicked the ball on to Luke Carey about 45m from goals, he went on a great solo run, and despite being under pressure came along the endline and fired to the net from a tight angle. Three quick points followed and suddenly Seir Kieran had a nine point half time lead, which they managed to defend after the break.

REFEREE WATCH

Adam Kinahan kept good control of the game throughout. Despite the conditions and the prize that was at stake, the game was played in a good spirits and the referee contributed to that, keeping a good rein on proceedings throughout and issuing cards when necessary.

TALKING POINT

After their battle to get back up to Senior A last year, Drumcullen make the drop straight back down to Senior B again. They played well in this game, particularly in the second half, and while that might be of little consolation now, it might give them something to work on looking to the future.

WHAT’S NEXT

Seir Kieran maintain their status in Senior A hurling for 2022 but Drumcullen will be back playing in the Senior B championship next year.

VENUE WATCH

Despite the driving rain, the pitch was in good condition for the time of year. There was good organisation of parking and traffic coming in and leaving the venue. It was disappointing to see that there was no programme available for the game.

STATISTICS

Wides; Seir Kieran 4 (1 in first half) Drumcullen 4 (2 in first half)

Yellow Cards: Seir Kieran 3 (Kevin Murray, John Coughlan, Barry Kealey) Drumcullen 2 (Raymond Gath, Ciaran Guinan)

Red Cards: None

THE SCORERS

Seir Kieran; Joe Bergin (0-13, 0-12 frees), Luke Carey (1-2), Kevin Dunne (0-4), Adrian Hynes (1-0), Barry Kealey, James Scully, James Mulrooney (0-1 each).

Drumcullen; Colm Gath (1-14, 1-11 frees), Dermot Gath (1-0), John Murray, Mark Kennedy Jnr, Kevin Fleury (0-1 each).