Maynooth in charge as Coill Dubh face relegation battle

Maynooth 0-16

Coill Dubh 0-7

How fortunes can change from one season to the next was emphasised at Manguard Park, Hawkfield, on Saturday afternoon as Coill Dubh found out to their detrament when losing out in the opening game of the two game programme in UPMC Senior hurling Championship, Group B, clash with Maynooth on Saturday afternoon.

Last season Coill Dubh reached the senior decider, going under to Naas, however the boys in red and white now find themselves in a relegtion trouble after losing their opening two games to Ardclough leaving their their final group game, against Leixlip, effectively being a relegtion final, the loser dropping back to Senior B come 2025.

Maynooth who beat Leixlip in their opening group game can now look forward to the knock-out stages of this season's championship after comfortably defeating Dubh 0-16 to 0-7.

It was a game, apart from the opening minutes, when it looked Coill Dubh were really up for this challenge but gradually Maynooth settled, took control and were never really tested from the end of the opening quarter.

As said it was Coill Dubh who opened with two quick points, the first after some 30 seconds, a close-in free after Maynooth corner back, Cian Forde, was very fortunate not to have picked up a yellow for a high challenge; Delaney quickly added his second free but little did we know that was about as good as it got for Coill Dubh.

Cormac Nolan, opened his and Maynooth's account on eight minutes; Mark Grace with a great block denied Cormac Nolan his second point before Cathal McCabe got his impressive scoring up and running with a fine point from play; he added a second after Jamie Kenna picked up a yellow for a foul on Kevin McNeill and then a poor puck-out, straight to McCabe, saw the no. 12 chalk up point no 3 as his side now led 0-4 to 0-2 as we approached the mid-way point.

Maynooth corner backs, Cian Forde and Dana O'Meara got in on the scoring with a point apiece as Coill Dubh were finding the posts difficult to find, both from open play and placed balls.

Maynooth full forward Kevin Dunne rounded his marker but was denied a green flag with a brilliant save from Owen Lenehan in the Dubh goal; McCabe knocked over the resultant 65.

Mark Delaney converted a free but points from McCabe and Ciaran Flanagan left the half-time score reading 0-9 to 0-3. Before the break Coill Dubh changed their free-taker but the result did not improve matters as again the posts proved difficult to locate.

Mark Delaney got one from play on the resumption; Cathal McCabe replied with a free and while Declan Flaherty tried his hand with a free for Dubh the result remained the same.

McCabe and Flanagan added two for Maynooth as Coill Dubh continued to dominate.

The next four points were shared equally before Cathal McCabe added a 65 and one from play.

In the 59 minute Jamie Kenna was show a second yellow, and a red for a wild pull and while Johnny Byrne added one for Dubh the final whistle arrived with Maynooth marching on while for Coill Dubh a make-or- break game with Leixlip is next up.

Scorers: Maynooth, Cathal McCabe 0-10 (4 frees, 2 65s), Ciaran Flanagan 0-2, Dan O'Meara 0-2, Cian Forde 0-1, Cormac Nolan 0-1.

Coill Dubh, Mark Delaney 0-5 (4 frees), Jamie Kenna 0-1, Johnny Byrne 0-1.

MAYNOOTH: Sean Bean; Cian Forde, Matt Eustace, Dan O'Meara; David Eustace, Sean Higgins, Kevin Carroll; Ciaran Flanagan, Mark Butler; Conor O'Grady, Michael Hogan, Cathal McCabe; Kevin O'Neill, Kevin Dunne, Cormac Nolan. Subs: Ronan Dunne for Michael Hogan (37 minutes); Mikey Gillick for Mark Butler (43minutes); Matt Melia for Sean Higgins (47 minutes); Joe Millett for Kevin McNeill (55 minutes); Willie Lambe for Kevin Carroll (60 minutes).

COILL DUBH: Owen Lenehan; Dean O'Regan Mark Grace, Fionn Moran; Jamie Kenna, Conor Gordon, Declan Flaherty; Dylan Brereton, Johnny Byrne; Sean Dunne, Mark Delaney, Enda Keane; Evan Smullen, Eanna O'Neill, Chris Delaney. Subs: Ryan Casey for Chris Delaney (half-time); Keenan Brereton for Evan Smullen (43 minutes); Ross Carew for Eanna O'Neill (51 minutes); Ryan McGinley for Sean Dunne (55 minutes).

REFEREE: Conor Daly.