Goals spell glory for Wolfe Tones who beat Moorefield in extra time
Wolfe Tones are the U23 'B' Hurling Champions after an extra-time victory over Moorefield. Photo: Sean Brilly.
Extra time was needed before Wolfe Tone were crowned U23 ‘B’ Champions on a cold Friday evening in Hawkfield. After an early setback, Moorefield went from being three adrift at half time to pulling five clear with two minutes to go. That was until Olan Cooke and Conor Hayes both found the net to flip the tables completely for Wolfe Tones.
A last-gasp ’65 from Moorefield’s Alex Bell forced extra time, but Wolfe Tones held a four-point extra-time- interval lead, aided by Jack Heading’s goal, and this time, Moorefield wouldn’t turn their fortunes around.
A brace from Ben Angland of Wolfe Tones, including the first after 20 seconds, and Conor Hayes’s point came before Moorefield’s response through Gavin McDonnell after seven minutes. And after further points from Simon Hughes, Mark Kiernan and Conor Egan, Wolfe Tones were five in-front after ten minutes.
That gap was restored two minutes later after Niall Barry of Moorefield and Conor Egan of Wolfe Tones traded points, and Alex Bell would complete the remainder of David Carroll’s charges first-half scores. Wolfe Tones meanwhile had a wider spread of scorers; as Mark Kiernan, David Cronin, Conor Hayes and Cillian Power ensured Luke Kiernan’s men held a 0-11 to 0-8 half-time lead.
Moorefield wrestled back the momentum in the second-half, and while Alex Bell continued to slot over the sliotar from frees and ‘65s, points from play from Cormac O’Connor, Conn Kehoe, Mark Tobin, scoring the point of the match on the run from near the side-line, Gavin McDonnell’s brace of points, and finally Niall Barry, who’s point on 51 minutes pushed Moorefield ahead for the very first time. Conor Egan kept Wolfe Tones in the hunt from the placed ball, while Conor Hayes sent a goal chance over the bar to contribute from play.
Mark Tobin added a further two inspirational points to his tally for Moorefield, while Conn Kehoe also grabbed another point from play, pushing the men in green and white five ahead with two minutes to go.
Then it happened; substitute Olan Cooke and corner-forward Conor Hayes sent low shots dribbling past Charlie Cummins in quick succession to put Wolfe Tones ahead by the minimum heading into added-time, before Alex Bell’s ’65 with the last puc of the game salvaged extra-time for Moorefield, 0-21 to 2-15.
Wolfe Tones raced into a four-point interval lead in extra-time, aided by Jack Heading’s bullet of a goal in the sixth minute. Cillian Power and Conor Egan were the other scorers in the half, and Tones were 3-19 to 0-23 ahead after Conn Kehoe and Niall Barry pointed for Moorefield.
Despite second-half points from Niall Barry, Alex Bell and Mark Tobin, Wolfe Tones did enough to hold on.
Fionn Higgins; Carl Daly, Ronan Forde, Shay Roche; Rian O’Gorman, Stephen Moran, Cillian Power 0-2 (1f); Simon Hughes 0-1, Jack Heading 1-0; Conor Egan 0-8 (7f), Matthew Cummins, Ben Angland 0-2; Mark Kiernan 0-2, David Cronin 0-1, Conor Hayes 1-3.
Sean Byrne for S Roche (30, inj), Olan Cooke 1-0 for M Cummins (58), Luke Hooper for B Angland (76).
Charlie Cummins; Aaron Donnelly, Shane Delmer, Conor Price; Oisin Kelly, Sean Maher, Mark Tobin 0-4; Rob Croke, Eoghan Corrigan; Gavin McDonnell 0-3, Niall Barry 0-4, Cormac O’Connor 0-1; Alex Bell 0-11 (7f, 4’65), Conn Kehoe 0-3, Graham Gregoe.
Jake Smith for A Donnelly (ET).
James Callan.
