Kilkenny JHL- Galmoy always in control against Cloneen

Despite a good start by Cloneen it was Galmoy who pushed on to dominate this Premier Junior Hurling tie in Lisdowney on Sunday at noon.

Opposing freetakers Michael Doyle and Billy Drennan, opened the scoring with a point each.

Eoin Regan, making a return after a long lay off following two cruciate injuries, picked off a Cloneen point from the right wing.

Billy Drennan then pointed a free following a foul on Ryan Murphy, before he set up Niall Drennan for Galmoy’s third point.

Ciarán Cooney came out from his corner forward spot to level the game in the ninth minute.

Billy Drennan and a Conor Grace line ball from the right hand side pushed Galmoy into a lead that they were never to relinquish.

Braonáin Buggy put over one for Cloneen but three Billy Drennan points and one from Jason Stanley left Galmoy 0-9 to 0-4 ahead after 20 minutes.

Stanley might have had a goal in the 21st minute when he was put through, only to hit the ball straight at Cloneen ‘keeper Sean O Neill.

Galmoy went on to hit a further six points before the interval with Michael Doyle and Kieran Whelan replying for the men from Clogh to leave Galmoy ahead 0-16 to 0-7 at the half time break.

It was points all the way up to this juncture but shortly after the break we were treated to two goals.

The first came in the 32nd minute, when Eoin Regan made a run at the Galmoy rearguard and after slipping three defenders, he blasted past Brian Kelly in the Galmoy goal.

Three minutes later Conor Grace sent a long delivery out of the Galmoy defence.

Billy Drennan took possession and raced clear to slip the sliotar neatly past Sean O Neill and move Galmoy into a ten point lead after 35 minutes of play.

Points from Ryan Murphy and a brace from Niall Drennan extended that lead, only for Eoin Regan to pull back a pair for Cloneen.

Galmoy had another goal chance when Ryan Murphy was put through, but he struck the sliotar into Sean O Neill’s midriff.

After a flurry of late points, Galmoy did eventually raise their second green flag when, after a well worked team move, it was Jason Stanley who finished the ball to the net, to run out convincing winners.

The Galmoy half back line of Conor Grace, Conor Drennan and Gearóid Phelan proved the launchpad for many of their scores with a total of eight different players making the scoresheet.

Brian Cahill defended manfully for Cloneen throughout with Ciarán Cooney, Eoin Regan and Michael Doyle doing their best up front.

Teams and scorers

Galmoy - Brian Kelly, Dylan Grace, Nigel Stanley, Kieran Phelan, Conor Grace(0-2,0-1 Lineball), Conor Drennan (0-1), Gearóid Phelan, Sean Phelan (0-1), Niall Drennan (0-4), Billy Drennan (1-9, 0-6 frees), Ryan Murphy (0-2), Brandan Phelan, Callum Lonergan, Jason Stanley (1-1), Oisín Phelan (0-3).

Subs: Rohan Lonergan, Tom Corcoran, Conor Darcy, Odhrán Moloney and Brendan Phelan.

Cloneen - Sean Ó Neill, John Kelly, Brian Cahill, Paul Kelly, Adam Buggy, Brian McDonald, Dara Delaney, Harry Roche, Aidan Barry, Braonáin Buggy (0-1), Eoin Regan (1-3), Michael Doyle (0-6,0-5frees), Kieran Whelan (0-1), Padraig Cooney, Ciaran Cooney (0-2).

Subs: Kevin Delaney, Michael O Keeffe, Philip Roche and Brian Mahon.

Referee - Paddy Bowden (Lisdowney)