U14 Hulring - Bredagh vs St Patricks
Under
14 Hurling League
Bredagh Vs St Patrick’s
Goals win matches and
there was a goal-fest when St
Patrick’s under 14 hurlers made the
journey to Bredagh for a league
match last week. The previous
encounter between the two sides, a
championship semi-final, was a tight
game with St Patrick’s just
prevailing but for scores and
excitement this was even better.
Fifteen goals went in on the night,
more a testimony to excellent
forward play than weak defences with
St Patrick’s finally battling to a
five point win.
The game began with
Bredagh seeking revenge for their
championship defeat, fired up and in
control. The home side dominated the
early possession and looked
dangerous on every attack. Despite
this St Patrick’s broke with a good
clearance from Tony Hegarty finding
Patrick Mackin who soloed 30 yards
before striking the sliothar to the
net. Bredagh’s dangerman upfront was
Niall Irwin and after being allowed
too much space at the edge of the
box he got his first goal of the
night. The Reds retaliated soon
after with another soloed goal from
Mackin before Owen Magee beat two
Bredagh defenders to lift the net.
Mackin went on another mazey run
minutes later with an accurate shot
on the left going over from a tight
angle.
Three goals in a ten
minute spell for the home team saw
the contest really heat up and when
Mackin struck over another point to
reduce the deficit to a solitary
point the pace of the game had gone
to a frentic level. Just when St
Patrick’s thought they had just got
back into it young Irwin struck
again for the Belfast boys with
another three pointer. The Reds
rallied and a late Peter Verhoven
goal left one point in it and all to
play for in the second period.
HALF-TIME: Bredagh 5-0 Ballyvarley/Ballela
4-2
When play resumed St
Patrick’s were quick out of the
blocks with more belief in
themselves. The first score of the
half came from a Tony Hegarty 30
yard free that was sent in long hit
the underside of the crossbar and
deflected past the stranded keeper.
An excellent 70 yard free from
Christopher Martin followed before
Bredagh level the game with a goal
after a melee in the box. The change
of fortune for St Patrick’s owed
much to Tony Hegarty and Michael
Downey winning the midfield battle
against Bredagh’s Devlin and
Robinson in the second half after
the Bredagh pair had the best of the
first 30 minutes.
Then for a fifteen minute spell St
Patrick’s dominated. Peter Verhoven
was getting in the scoring habit
when he was sharp round the box,
reacted first to a loose ball and
kicked the ball to the net. Three
points in a row from Mackin (2) and
Hegarty saw the Reds start to pull
away from their opponents. Another
goal from Verhoven followed by three
typical running Mackin points saw
eleven points between the two teams.
Towards the end Bredagh
rallied with two well taken goals
but it was to be to late for the
Belfast lads as St Patrick’s
travelled home with a well deserved
five point win.
FULL-TIME: Bredagh 8-1
Ballyvarley/Ballela 7-9
This was a good second
half performance from the Reds and
despite a late comeback from Bredagh,
St Patrick’s held firm. It was a
tremendous game of hurling with
goals galore, some terrific points
and some wonderful pieces of
stickwork from both sides. Thomas
McKernan was solid again at the
back, with Cathal McGrath showing
well, Michael Downey and Tony
Hegarty excelled in the middle with
Owen Magee, three goal hero Peter
Verhoven and top scorer Patrick
Mackin getting the vital scores.
The Reds now look
forward to their last home game of
the season in Ballela against
Clonduff. The match takes place on
Wednesday 4th July with a
7.30pm throw in. Ballyvarley players
are asked to meet in Ballyvarley at
6.40pm sharp, with Ballela players
meeting in Ballela at 7pm. After
this match there will be a two week
break for the July holidays.
St Patrick’s Team
Michael McAllister, Conor Strain,
Thomas McKernan, Darragh Brady,
Cathal McGrath, Christopher Martin,
Paul Colgan, Michael Downey, Tony
Hegarty (1-1), Michael McKay,
Patrick Mackin (2-7), Jonathan
Lennon, Lisa McCusker, Peter
Verhoven (3-0), Owen Magee (1-0).
Subs: Rory McShane, James
O’Meara, Ryan McCusker.
Sent in by Colm O’Neill
