Kilkenny GAA- Late Drennan point hands win to Galmoy/Windgap

A 63rd minute point from Billy Drennan saw Galmoy/Windgap under-21s just sneak victory over Danesfort in this Roinn B Championship clash in Danesfort on Sunday last.

Danesfort had made the better start to the game with points by Matthew Cowley (free) and Mark Srouji.

Billy Drennan hit the first three for the visitors as both teams were level 0-4 each at the end of the first quarter.

A Niall Drennan point put Galmoy/Windgap ahead, but Danesfort then struck for two in a row from play by Anthony Ireland

Wall and Matthew Cowley which drew two replies from Billy Drennan, one from play, before we had the first goal of the game.

Danesfort had just withdrawn their full-back when Billy Drennan passed a ball to Callum Lonergan, who was now operating in the full-forward position. His low shot on goal just beat Cathal Norton on the line to edge Galmoy/Windgap into a 1-7 to 0-6 lead in the 21st minute.

Lonergan added a point almost immediately. Two pointed frees from Matthew Cowley left the half-time score Galmoy/Windgap 1-9 Danesfort 0-8.

The tit-for-tat point scoring continued with Matthew Cowley hitting two points only for Conor Doyle and Billy Drennan to cancel those scores with points of their own.

David Sherman had taken up position at full-forward for the visitors and he was putting himself about very well. He picked a nice point in the 38th minute.

It was now that the Danesfort management decided to introduce Ben Whitty, who had been recovering from a hand injury, and he went straight in at full-forward on Sean Purcell - not an easy task!

Anthony Ireland Wall, who was always busy, picked a point to reduce the gap but once again Billy Drennan, after a foul on himself, replied before Galmoy/Windgap registered their second goal.

Niall Drennan won a high puckout and passed to Billy Drennan who sent a low ball forward to David Sherman.

Out in front, Sherman won the ball under pressure and as he bore down on goal, he one handed the sliotar past Cathal Norton, avoiding the efforts of two defenders to hook him (2-13 to 0-11).

Conor Doyle took a pass from Callum Lonergan and extended that lead to nine points.

Danesfort introduced Fionn Mahony and when two Galmoy/Windgap defenders got their calls mixed up, it was Mahony who pulled first time to send the sliotar to the net.

A minute later a good pass from Ben Whitty, who had now moved to the half-forward line, found Anthony Ireland Wall who split the posts.

Cowley and Drennan exchanged frees but at this stage while on top, Galmoy/Windgap began to hit a few wides and suddenly one could feel a sense of confidence creeping into the Danesfort efforts.

Drennan did give a pass to Adam O ‘Shea at midfield and the half-back sent over a monster point from distance.

Danesfort really finished well now though and two pointed frees by Matthew Cowley followed by one from play from the same source saw the deficit reduced (2-16 to 1-16) as we approached the 60th minute.

Matthew Cowley took a lineball which broke to John Davis who soloed through the Galmoy/Windgap defence before one-handing the ball to Eoin O’Shea’s net and levelling the game 2-16 each, with 62 minutes on the clock.

It was then that Drennan stepped up, took on the responsibility and struck over the winner from 50 metres out on the left sideline.

Galmoy/Windgap - Eoin O’Shea; Colman Moloney, Sean Purcell, James Darcy; Zak Kennedy, Gearóid

Phelan, Adam O’Shea (0-1); Killian Enright, Jim Power; Billy Drennan (0-10, 0-6 frees), Callum Lonergan (1-2), Niall Drennan (0-1); Conor Doyle (0-2), Billy Power, Ronan O’Brien.

Subs: David Sherman (1-1) for O’Brien, 31 mins; Noah O’Shea for Power, 56 mins.

Danesfort - Cathal Norton; John Canny, Bill Smith, Evan Srouji; Cian O’Reilly, Stephen Doheny, Darragh Coverdale; Mark Srouji (0-1), Sam Hayes; Cillian Norton, Matthew Cowley (0-10, 0-7 frees), Anthony Ireland Wall (0-4); Éanna Ó Casaide (0-1), Aidan Cowley, Eugene Sinnott.

Subs: Kieran Walsh for Smith, 20 mins; John Davis (1-0) for Sinnott, 31 mins; Ben Whitty for Cowley, 39 mins; Fionn Mahony (1-0) for Ó Casaide, 42 mins.

Referee - Eoin Hayes (Thomastown).