McEvoy accuracy crucial as Lyng shines in Cats win
BY NIALL SHERRY, SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTSEDITOR@KILKENNYOBSERVER.IE
oneills.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship
Tier 1, Group 2, Round 1
Wexford 1-6
Kilkenny 1-13
Chadwicks, Wexford Park
Mark Dowling’s U20 team got their oneills.com Leinster U20 Hurling Championship up and running with a vital win in winter like conditions at Chadwicks Wexford Park last weekend as they headed back up the road with a 7-point victory over the Slaneysiders. A stunning introduction from substitute Sean Bergin, who not only scored Kilkenny’s goal, but played a major part in the buildup to help push the visitors four points clear of their hosts in the 44th minute and the Norseiders pushed on from that point to secure the victory. With Aaron McEvoy keeping the scoreboard ticking over and Eoghan Lyng dictating matters from centre back, this was the ideal start to this year’s campaign for manager Dowling who has seen his side lose consecutive semi-finals to both Wexford and Offaly since taking the reins from Derek Lyng.
Wexford had the wind advantage in the opening period, but didn’t build enough of a lead before the interval to give themselves a chance of securing a home victory on the opening day. Indeed, it was the visitors who registered the first score of the day, a lovely point from The Village’s Ed McDermott in the opening minute of the game. The hosts were level soon after, thanks to a good strike from Oulart-the-Ballagh’s Jack Dunne. Conditions were far from ideal, and prevented both sides from showing their best, but it would be one of Kilkenny’s best performers on the day, Eoghan Lyng who nudged his team ahead on 9 minutes with a well-taken placed ball, the Rower Inistioge man looked a class act throughout.
The Yellowbellies collected the next score, midway through the first half courtesy of a placed ball effort from their captain, Simon Roche, who would be his side’s top scorer in Chadwicks Wexford Park. Two minutes later, Erin’s Own wing forward, Michael Brennan rifled over to give the Noresiders the lead once again, but the opposition were level soon after when midfielder Jack Nolan split the posts, a sweet score from the Oylegate –Glenbrien clubman. Again, it would be the travelling side that retook the lead, Graigue Ballycallan’s Aaron McEvoy striking over the first of his 6-point haul. As was the case throughout the opening period, the home side responded with a score of their own, David McCarthy firing over to become the second member of the Wexford engine room to get on the scoresheet as the sides were deadlocked once more.
The weather was certainly not Spring like, but Ronan Joyce’s Yellowbellies were about to finish the half with a spring in their step. Wexford were awarded a free, on their own ‘65. Simon Roche stepped up and struck his effort well. The ball appeared to hang a little, perhaps wind related, but as it dropped, Cats netminder, Stephen Manogue’s attempt to stop the shot resulted in the James Stephens man deflecting the sliotar to the net. The home side somehow had a 3-point lead with a couple of minutes remaining in the first half. There was one more score before the interval, a second placed ball converted by Aaron McEvoy to leave the visitors 2 points in arrears at the short whistle.
When play resumed, the Cats had the benefit of the wind and made good use of it from the off. Eoghan Lyng sent over a beautiful score to cut the Wexford lead to the bare minimum and just two minutes later the sides were level, thanks to Graigue Ballycallan’s Aaron McEvoy’s accuracy from another free. It was at this point that the Kilkenny management made their first change of the afternoon, with Marty Murphy replacing full-forward, Ed McDermott. With eight minutes of second half action played, Aaron McEvoy pointed to give the Cats the lead once again, but his Wexford nemesis, Simon Roche converted a placed ball of his own to level matters one more time.
The second roll of the dice by the Noreside management saw Fenians Rory Garrett withdrawn and Sean Bergin entering the fray. The next score came from the visiting side, Clara’s Rory Glynn popping over a sweet point to nudge the Cats ahead. Then came the pivotal moment in the half, and indeed the game. Jeff Neary collected the ball deep inside his own half before setting off on a run. The midfielder gave a pass to Sean Bergin who returned the favour as the move developed down the left-hand side. When The Village player collected the second pass from Neary, he popped the ball to the supporting Timmy Kelly whose pass back to Bergin give the James Stephens man the angle to unleash a fierce low shot past Paddy Quigley in the Wexford goal. Mark Dowling’s men now 4-points clear with 44-minutes played on Slaneyside.
Having secured a major of their own, a third change of the round 1 game saw Anthony Ireland Wall replace James Hughes in the Kilkenny attack. The black and amber clad side built on the green flag raising by taking the next score, the reliable Aaron McEvoy adding to his personal tally. A third score on the bounce for the Cats followed, via St Lachtain’s Cathal Hickey, a player who was instrumental in in his club sides march to All-Ireland glory earlier this year. With about seven minutes of normal time remaining, the Noresiders made another change, this time O’Loughlin Gaels Greg Kelly replacing Castlecomer’s Michael Brennan. Further indiscipline from the home side gave Aaron McEvoy another opportunity to convert a placed ball, and he duly did as the Graigue Ballycallan contingent on the field increased with the arrival of Ryan Corcoran, who swapped places with Clara’s Rory Glynn. The latest Kilkenny substitute didn’t take long to mark his mark, striking over a nice point, his side’s thirteenth and final point of the contest. The home side did register the final point of the afternoon, Duffry Rovers clubman Dylan Purcell striking over deep into stoppage time to leave the hosts seven in arrears at the long whistle. Final score, Wexford 1-6, Kilkenny 1-13.
Kilkenny Scorers: Aaron McEvoy (0-6, 6fs); Sean Bergin (1-0); Eoghan Lyng (0-2, 1f); Ed McDermott, Michael Brennan, Ryan Corcoran, Cathal Hickey, Rory Glynn (0-1 each)
Wexford Scorers: Simon Roche (1-2, 2fs); Dylan Purcell, Jack Nolan, David McCarthy, Jack Dunne (0-1 each)
Kilkenny: Stephen Manogue; Timmy Kelly, Ivan Bolger, Jeff Neary; Rory Garrett, Eoghan Lyng, Cathal Hickey; Tom McPhillips, Darragh Vereker; Ed Lauhoff, Aaron McEvoy, Michael Brennan, James Hughes, Ed McDermott, Rory Glynn.
Subs: Marty Murphy for McDermott, 37 mins; Sean Bergin for Garrett, 42 mins; Anthony Ireland Wall for Hughes, 46 mins; Greg Kelly for Brennan, 55 mins; Ryan Corcoran for Glynn, 57 mins.
Wexford: Paddy Quigley; Eoin Hughes, Padraig Jones, Niall Furlong; Paidi Doyle, Charlie Roark, Ciaran Doyle; Jack Nolan, David McCarthy; Doran Daly O’Toole, Simon Roche, Jack Dunne; Eoghan Cassin, Dylan Purcell, Colin Carley.
Subs: Sean Hyland for Dunne, 44 mins; Conor Fanning for Cassin, 46 mins; Ryan Donohoe for P.Doyle, 51 mins; Jack Hennessy for McCarthy, 55 mins; Patrick Kinsella for Hughes, 57 mins.
Referee: Padraig Dunne (Laois)
SHERRY SAYS……
A great start to the U20’s Leinster campaign. A tough place to go, and even tougher when conditions were so terrible. Mark Dowling’s panel got the job done on Slaneyside and can now look forward to a home tie tomorrow against the Dubs in UPMC Nowlan Park (Throw-in 5pm).
Rower Inistioge’s Eoghan Lyng looked a class act at centre-back, while Graigue Ballycallan’s Jeff Neary and Aaron McEvoy put in decent performances, the latter with 6 points to his name. The goal Kilkenny scored on 44 minutes, was beautiful. Great energy, accurate handpassing, players coming off the shoulder, supporting each other and a terrific finish. Hopefully the crowd in attendance tomorrow will see this developing team ply their trade in better conditions and show Gaels on Noreside that the talent line is there.
