Kilkenny SHL- Village get timely boost with vital league victory against Glenmore

James Stephens belatedly got off the mark in the senior hurling league when they produced a composed display to see off Glenmore in Hugginstown last Saturday afternoon.

Showing no ill-effects of losing the previous four league games that have seen them in relegation trouble, the Kilkenny City outfit deservedly came out on top with Cian Kenny, Ross Whelan and Sean Manogue showing well for the Brian Cody managed James Stephens.

The game was in the melting pot in the opening half but once Eoin Guilfoyle found the net to edge his side in front in the 18th minute of the first half, there was no looking back as the Village sealed their first league points of the year.

Glenmore had a lot more to play for than their opponents but apart from Alan Murphy’s excellence on placed balls, they struggled to really get going with Charlie Phelan’s late goal only proving to be a consolation.

Played in extremely mild conditions, James Stephens were the first off the mark with Ross Whelan pointing from play.
Glenmore quickly hit back with efforts from Alan Murphy and Ger Aylward and leading 0-3 to 0-1, the game appeared to be going along familiar lines.

James Stephens however were a much different outfit than the one that took the field for much of their recent outings and with Kilkenny star Cian Kenny knocking over the frees and the inside duo of Ross Whelan and Sean Manogue proving more than a handful for a Glenmore rearguard that was without the services of the injured Eoin Murphy, it was the team in green and red that looked the more threatening.

Despite the teams being deadlocked at 0-7 apiece halfway through the opening 30 minutes, all but two of Glenmore’s scores came from frees and James Stephens duly took command on the scoreboard when Eoin Guilfoyle embarked on a blistering run before firing the sliotar past Mikey Kirwan.

That gave the winners a three point advantage that they would maintain until the break even if Gavin Costigan was forced to make a big save from Ger Aylward.

Led by Cian Kenny scoring four successive points at the beginning of the second period, James Stephens raced seven clear on the scoreboard and they maintained a sizeable advantage until the end of the game.

Subs Mikey Drennan and Oisin Bateman had a big impact for them and ahead of a season defining tussle with Shamrocks, the Village can at least go into that encounter with a fair degree of confidence.

Glenmore will be very disappointed at how the game ended up as a victory could have got them out of relegation trouble and if it weren’t for Charlie Phelan’s well taken goal in stoppage time, the defeat would have been a much harsher one.

Maurice Aylward’s side are now in exactly the same position as James Stephens with a relegation semi-final/round one fixture to come against Erin’s Own as the season really heats up for the bottom two teams in Group A of the senior hurling league.

Teams and Scorers

James Stephens - Cian Kenny (0-8, frees); Eoin Guilfoyle (1-1); Ross Whelan, Sean Manogue (0-4 each); Luke Scanlon (0-2); Oisin Bateman, Mikey Drennan (0-1 each).

Glenmore - Alan Murphy (0-9, 0-8 frees, 0- 1 65); Charlie Phelan (1-2); Ian Byrne, Ger Aylward (0-2 each); Darragh Hartley (0-1)

James Stephens - Gavin Costigan; Shane Donohoe, Luke Murphy, Mikey Byrne; Eoin Deely, Ben Lawlor, Niall Mullins; Cian Kenny, Noah Manogue; Andy Parsons, Luke Scanlon, Stephen Manogue; Ross Whelan, Eoin Guilfoyle, Sean Manogue.

Subs: Ethan Butler for Guilfoyle, h-t; Mikey Drennan for Parsons, h-t; Oisin Bateman for Byrne, h-t; Sean Deely for Scanlon, 53 mins.

Glenmore - Mikey Kirwan; Darragh Vereker, Eoin Aylward, Richard Hennessy; Michael Harney, Shane Murphy, Billy Reid; Darragh Hartley, Alan Murphy; Cathal Beirne, Ian Byrne, Tomas Mullally; Ger Aylward, Dean Croke, Charlie Phelan.

Subs: Colm Roche for Croke, 36 mins; David Burke for Mullally, 49 mins.

Referee - David Hughes (Barrow Rangers)