Granagh-Ballingarry GAA
Donie inspires Garryspillane
County Hurling League Division 2 Round 1
Garryspillane 0-17
Granagh-Ballingarry 0-12
The brilIiance of former inter county player Donie Ryan wearing the no 11 jersey, both from play and placed balls who finished with a personal tally of 11 points inspired Garryspllane to a hard fought 5 point victory over a gallant Granagh-Ballingarry XV in the opening game of Division 2 of the County Hurling League played under lights in Knocklong on Tuesday 29th March.
A small crowd turned out to watch this opening round league tie, played in difficult underfoot conditions, with Paddy Lyons of Staker Wallace in charge.
Granagh-Ballingarry made all the early running with a pair of white flags, courtesy of David Condron and Pat Carroll, in the first four minutes. A couple of wides were exchanged before Donie Ryan opened the home side's account with a fine point from a placed ball on six minutes and he followed this two minutes later with a fine point from out near the sideline for 0-2 each on eight minutes. Granagh-Ballingarry dominated for the next five minutes with points by Pat Carroll from play on nine minutes, Denis O'Connor from a placed ball on ten minutes, Pat Carroll play on 12 minutes and Denis O'Connor play a minute later, to leave it 0-6 to 0-2 in favour of the visitors on 13 minutes. A couple of wides were exchanged before the Garryspillane boys upped their game with four white flags courtesy of Kieran Hickey from play on 15 minutes, Donie Ryan from placed balls on 17 and 18 minutes and Jamie Morrissey play a minute later, for 0-6 each on 19 minutes.
Then David Clancy put Granagh Ballingarry ahead once more with a fine point from play on 21 minutes, cancelled out two minutes later from a placed ball by Donie Ryan, to leave the sides level for the second time at 0-7 each on 23 minutes.
Granagh-Ballingarry upped their game for the remaining seven minutes of this opening half, superior in every position, with points from open play by David Clancy on 24 minutes, David Clancy on 27 minutes and Denis O'Connor on 30 minutes, to leave Granagh Ballingarry 3 ahead, 0-10 to 0-7, at the interval.
Colin Ryan and Michael Richardson had white flags from play for Garryspillane in the opening three minutes after the interval to reduce the deficit to the minimum, then white flags were exchanged from play by David Condron on 34 and Michael Richardson a minute later to leave I still between the sides, Granagh-Ballingarry 0-11, Garryspillane 0-10 on 35 minutes. The next 20 minutes belonged to Garryspillane and they played great hurling with four unanswered white flags, courtesy of Donie Ryan 3 (play 2 frees), and John Kerins play, to leave the Bouncers 3 ahead, 0-14 to 0-11, on 35 minutes.
Then Denis O'Connor finally ended 23 minutes without a Granagh-Ballingarry score when be split the uprights from a 40 metre placed ball, to leave just 1 between the sides, Garryspillane 0-14, Granagh-Ballingarry 0-12, with four minutes of normal
time remaining on the clock. The final minutes of this hard fought contest belonged to man of the match Donie Ryan of Garryspillane with a trio of white flags, 2 play and 1 free, to bring his tally for the game to 0-11, while Granagh-Ballingarry failed to add to their total. At Paddy Lyons final whistle, Garryspillane were deserving 5 point winners of the two league points on offer by 0- I7 to 0-12. GarryspIllane scored 0-10 from play and 0-7 from frees. Granagh Ballingarry scored 0-10 from play and 0-2 from frees.
Granagh BaIlingarry:
Jimmy Shiels, Edward Sheehy, Donagh McCarthy, Niall Cahill, Mark Tierney, John Carroll (captain), Pat Carroll 0-3, Niall McCarthy, Denis O'Connor 0-4, Jim O'Keeffe, David Condron 0-2, Eoin Casey, David Clancy 0-2, Michael Clancy 0-1. Subs used:
Padralg Lynch, Stephen Hickey and Kieran O'Donovan.
Scorers for Garryspillane Donie Ryan 0-11, Michael Richardson 0-2, John Kerins, Kieran Hickey and Jamie Morrissey 0-1 each.
Referee: Paddy Lyons, Staker Wallace.
County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Preview
There should be a feast of hurling at three South Limenck venues this weekend for the four first round games listed in the 2016 County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship. The meeting of Garryspillane and Blackrock in Kilbreedy will signal the opening game of this year's championship on Friday 8th April at 7pm. The three remaining' round one games take place on Saturday 9th April, with the clash of Cappamore and Feohanagh-Castlemahon in a repeat of last year's second tier Intermediate Final in Bruff at 6pm; a double-header in Fitzgerald Park, Kilmallock, with Croom and Monaleen opening proceeding at 4.15pm, followed by the clash of Granagh-Ballingarry and Effin at 6pm.