Shamrocks resurrect season with hugely impressive runaway win

Shamrocks powered to a comprehensive 21-point victory over Boardsmill of Meath at the Meath Centre of Excellence on Saturday afternoon in the Leinster Junior Hurling Championship.

Leinster Club Junior Hurling Championship

Shamrocks 2-18
Boardsmill 0-3

The scoreboard was just as impressive as it looks with Shamrocks the better team for the whole game. There was a gale force wind blowing across the pitch and Shamrocks had a nine-point lead at the half time break. David O’Toole Greene’s goal in the 41st minute effectively ended the game as a contest while Stephen Malone’s goal was the insurance as the Offaly outfit ran out comfortable winners in the end. 

It was a bitterly cold afternoon in Dunganny and with a gale force wind and low temperatures, it was always going to be a scrappy game. 

It took the Shamrocks men just over 60 seconds to open the scoring through Nigel Dunne. They were much the better side in the first quarter, and it was evident it may be a one-sided game early on. 

However, with underfoot conditions difficult, both sides struggled for scores. Nine minutes later, Dunne got a second Shamrocks point and it was the start of three on the trot for them. Shane Heffernan and Conor Moran both added to the points to give them a four-point lead.

Boardsmill struggled with the intensity and work rate of Shamrocks but a Liam O’Brien close-range free just before the water break left it a three-point lead at Brian Kearney’s whistle for the stoppage.

Jimmy Conway’s words at the water break seemed to have a huge effect as Shamrocks upped their game significantly and they increased their intensity. Shane O’Toole Greene opened the scoring after the break, a wonderful team score that started with Sean Cantwell and reached O’Toole Greene via Dan Heffernan. O’Toole Greene added his second of the day soon after while two from David Molloy and two frees from Nigel Dunne gave them a healthy lead. 

Boardsmill were poor in the second quarter and any decent spells of play they managed seemed to be counteracted by Shamrocks who were just a level above their opponents. 

Dunne’s free was the last of the half and it gave Shamrocks a nine-point lead at half time. 

Boardsmill did start the second half much better, and they were livelier in the early exchanges. They almost got a perfect start to the second half when Danny Dixon raced through on goal but his goal bound shot was hit straight at Shamrocks goalkeeper Niall Darcy who saved well to direct it over the bar. Fergal Flattery then added to reduce the deficit to seven at the start of the second half. 

Shamrocks responded immediately though as Dunne hit over a free before a terrific Shane Heffernan point had the gap back to nine within two minutes.

Perhaps, any real hopes of a comeback were to put in the 41st minute. David Molloy opened up the defence with a brilliant run and he handpassed it off to David O’Toole Greene who fired to the net for the first green flag of the day. 

Dunne hit over another free just before the water break with the gap now at 13 points at the second water break.

Unfortunately for Boardsmill, it didn’t get any better for them as they struggled to put together any decent passages of play. 

The game was truly put to bed when wing back Stephen Malone raced through and fired home for Shamrocks’ second goal of the day.

David O’Toole Greene had a brilliant chance to add a third but he blazed his shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

However, it was irrelevant in the end as Shane O’Toole Greene, substitute Darragh Minnock and a couple of points from Nigel Dunne gave Shamrocks an impressive victory. 

It sets up a Leinster semi-final with Maynooth next weekend, with details of that game yet to be confirmed. 

SCORERS

SHAMROCKS: Nigel Dunne 0-9 (0-6F, 0-2 ‘65’), Shane O’Toole Greene 0-3, David O’Toole Greene and Stephen Malone 1-0 each, Shane Heffernan and David Molloy 0-2 each, Conor Moran, Darragh Minnock 0-1 each. 

BOARDSMILL: Liam O’Brien (F), Danny Dixon, Fergal Flattery all 0-1 each.

TEAMS

SHAMROCKS: Niall Darcy; Jack Molloy, Conor Condron, Sean Cantwelll; Padraig Cantwell, Cal Ahearne, Stephen Malone; Dan Heffernan, Alan Foster; Shane O’Toole Greene, Shane Heffernan, Conor Moran; David Molloy, David O’Toole Greene, Nigel Dunne. Subs: Barry Kelly for David Molloy and Darragh Minnock for Shane Heffernan (both 46), Darren Meacle for Conor Moran (54), Robert Cantwell for Niall Darcy and Sean Mooney for Cal Ahearne (both 57). 

BOARDSMILL: David Farrell: James Durkan; Jim Bird, John Mitchell; Eamonn Roche, Jim Roche, Eric McKay; Stevie Gibbons, Cian Royston; Liam O’Brien, Fergal Flattery, Neil McLoughlin; Thomas Leonard, Danny Dixon, Donal Flattery. Subs: Niall Bagnell for Eamonn Roche (25), Bernard McLoughlin for Thomas Leonard (H/T), Tadhg Cotter for Donal Flattery (H/T),  James Ashe for Fergal Flattery (57). 

Referee: Brian Kearney (Kildare)