Longwood’s Senior Hurlers secured back-to-back championship victories with a comprehensive defeat of a dogged Dunderry side on Saturday evening in Kildalkey.
With both teams coming into the game on the back of impressive wins in the previous round, victory for either was likely to secure their senior status for 2024 and possibly give them an outside chance of reaching a quarter-final.
Dunderry were quicker to settle and scored the opening point inside 30 seconds. Amazingly this was to be their only point from open play throughout the contest. A Ryan Moore point had the sides level but a brace of frees from Evan Nolan pushed Dunderry into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead with ten minutes on the clock.
Longwood, playing up the hill and against the breeze in the first half, were winning possession thanks to the aerial prowess of Sean Coloe and Mickey Burke; they were also creating chances, but a number of shots were either wide of the posts or landing short of the target.
A well worked Mickey Burke point got the scoreboard ticking again and this seemed to give Longwood the jolt they needed as they quickly tagged on further points from Ryan Moore and Anthony Healy before Thomas Coloe used his soccer skills to scramble the ball to the net past the helpless Dunderry keeper.
Longwood were starting to get on top, but their lack of discipline allowed Dunderry to score yet another free and they followed this up with a goal to retake the lead.
With half-time approaching, Sean Coloe took possession of the ball in his own half before embarking on a lung bursting run up the right-hand side of the field. With his marker trailing in his wake, Coloe struck a majestic shot between the posts. A thing of beauty!
Half-time: Longwood 1-5 Dunderry 1-5
While Longwood would have the benefit of the breeze in the second half, they knew that improving their accuracy in front of goals would be key to securing victory. And they delivered in spades.
The teams exchanged early frees before Longwood assumed control. They scored five of the next six points courtesy Mickey Burke, Ryan Moore, Billy Hogan, Gavin Griffith and Ross Kerrigan. All five points were from distance, all from play and all of the highest quality.
Longwood were had exerted their superiority and it was now a question of maintaining their advantage and seeing out the game. They did so without much fuss. Even a late Dunderry goal did not seem to rattle the boys, indeed they responded with a run of 1-2 in injury time courtesy of an excellent Karl Ennis point and a goal and a point from the impressive Anothony Healy.
Full-time: Longwood 2-16 Dunderry 2-9
An important and well-deserved win for the men from south Meath. Huge credit to the boys who remained calm throughout, and really moved through the gears in the second half. Ten wides in the opening half were quickly erased from the memory bank as they proceeded to score 1-11 with zero wides in the second period.
It was an excellent team effort with every player making an important contribution. Special mention for Ross Kerrigan, the captain led from the front throughout and delivered an outstanding performance for his team.
The only sour note for Longwood was the withdrawal of Joey Stenson midway through the second half. Stenson, a true warrior, was forced to leave the game with a nasty hand injury. We wish him a speedy recovery.
Longwood: Mark Kennedy, Paul Gill, Niall Mulvey, Adam Leacy, Kevin Maguire, Ross Kerrigan (0-1), Billy Hogan (0-1), Anthony Healy (1-6), Sean Coloe (0-1), Gavin Griffith (0-1), Joey Stenson, Thomas Coloe (1-0), Ryan Moore (0-2), Mickey Burke (0-2), Karl Ennis (0-1). Subs: Bob Maguire for Kevin Maguire, David Coloe for Joey Stenson, Cathal Campbell, Jim Dorran, Kieran Murtagh.
Longwood will face up to Kilmessan in the final round of Group B fixtures. Before that they will conclude their Intermediate Football Championship group games with a local derby against Ballivor next Sunday afternoon. Barely time to draw breath!
Maigh Dearmhaí abú!
