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Second Half Goals Thwart Banagher College

Thursday, 3 February 2011

St. Fergal's, Rathdowney 2-13. Banagher College 1-09.

Banagher College bowed out of the Leinster Vocational Schools Junior Hurling Championship last Wednesday as they were defeated on their own turf by a more potent St.Fergal's Rathdowney outfit.
The game was well and truly in the melting pot for a large chunk of the tie but second half goals ultimately killed off a valiant Banagher College effort.
Stewarded by Francis Forde and Michael Verney, the Banagher men lacked a further bite up front to add to the excellent Jamie Lewis at wing forward. Lewis was exceptional throughout but they relied on him heavily for scores and they could have done with him in both the half forward and full forward lines.
Banagher College threw everything at St.Fergal's and even went in a point up at half time but crucial goals in the second half from Daragh Quinlan and Stephen Bergin killed off Banagher's hopes.
Banagher College were underdogs going in to the game but certainly didn't play like it especially in the first half. Full back Joe Madden along with Matthew Maloney were excellent in the back line with Darren Hopkins and the outstanding Colin Daly proving more than a match for their midfield counterparts.
St.Fergal's forward line looked sharper and more potent all round. From eight to 15 only Alan Corboy failed to score; a stark comparison to only four Banagher College players getting on the score sheet from the same region.
Banagher College opened the scoring in the fifth minute through a well-worked Donal Mahon point after Jamie Lewis had deftly flicked the ball into his path but St.Fergal's wasted little time in responding a Willie Whelan point.
Both sides had periods of dominance in the remainder of the first half but halfway through the half the sides were deadlocked on three points a piece with Jamie Lewis hitting a score from play and from a free for the Offaly side.
Banagher took a stronghold at this stage and a super long range strike from Colin Daly coupled with another Lewis free sent them 0-5 to 0-3 ahead with 10 minutes left in the half.
St. Fergal's responded well and tagged on two points to bring the sides level with half time looming. There was time however for Colin Daly to yet again produce the goods from long range and fire Banagher College into a 0-6 to 0-5 as referee Brian Gavin brought the curtain down on the first half.
Banagher College got the perfect start to the second half after a move involving Darren Hopkins and Colin Daly resulted in Jamie Lewis floating over a lovely point in the opening minute.
It all started to go downhill for Banagher from here on in as St.Fergal's got their opening goal on 36 minutes when Daragh Quinlan's shot was parried over the goal line despite the best efforts of Danny Brennan in the Banagher goal.
The points flowed for St.Fergal's and in the following couple of minutes they tagged on another three points with the pick of them from Daragh Fitzpatrick to leave them 1-8to 0-7 ahead after 41 minutes.
Matthew Maloney and Paddy Whelan traded scores and Banagher College reduced the margin further when Donal Moran skilfully pointed to leave three points between the sides.
St.Fergal's once again tagged on three successive points in the space of two minutes and the game looked dead and buried. Banagher College had other ideas and with six minutes left they gave themselves a lifeline when Jamie Lewis flicked a Darren Hopkins free to the net to leave the score 1-12 to 1-9.
Once again St.Fergal's responded in fine fashion and after a scramble for possession in and around the square, the ball broke to Stephen Bergin and he made no mistake in first timing the slither to the net to kill of Banagher's hopes.
Sean Corboy finished off the scoring with a neat point and St.Fergal's march on to the final with seven points to spare.

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