February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Connie Kelly
Few clubs can bring out the crowds like Aiden McAnespies and the Shannon Blues. It was first time out for both these teams in the Millennium Cup. But that mattered little as they went right at it from the throw in.
John Quirke had the Blues on the board with a well taken goal inside a minute of play and they were back on the attack again. But goalie Tom Harty managed to get his hand to it, at the expense of a 50, which Clinton Hennessy converted.
Cathal Golden added another point to make it 1-2 to no score after eight minutes of play.
The Blues were well on top at this stage.
Conor McKeever got McAnespies on the board after nine minutes. Ulick Leonard, who had a solid game for the Blues added another point but McAnespies battled right back and Nigel Regan found Paddy Stones at the edge of the square, where he latched on the the ball and punched it to the back of the net.
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McAnespies were now piling on the pressure. Two minutes later Eugene McKenna found Nigel Regan and once again the ball was in the back of the net. This had supporters on both sides on their feet.
Golden tied it up for the Blues, but right back came Mark Hutchinson with the lead for McAnespies.
Martin Harvey who played his heart out added another for McAnespies, but once again Leonard and Golden had the Blues level with a point apiece, and with time running out in the half, McKeever found Paddy Stones open and he put McAnespies ahead by one.
Half-time score McAnespies 2-4, Blues 1-6.
In the second half, the Blues came storming back and were level within five minutes.
Two minutes later Dave Burke had the Blues ahead by one and they were piling on the pressure.
A few punches were thrown and names were taken but both teams went back to the job at hand.
Regan pointed a free from 35 yards out to tie the game again.
The Blues got the break they were looking for, 15 minutes into the half when they scored the only goal of the half. Leonard added a point two minutes later.
McAnespies responded with points by McKeever, 2, and Harvey,1.
Senior Hurling
Champions Tipperary had a three point win over a gallant Galway side on a score of 2-11 to 0-14.
Down by just a single point in the first half, 2-4 to 0-9, Galway could not get that all important goal while Michael McGrath and Chris Dunn found the net twice for Tipperary.
Also playing well for Tipperary were John Fealy, Sean Power, Hickey and O’Rourke.
Galway were well served by backs, Paddy O’Connell, Phil Callaghan and Pat Byrne while Brendan Morrissey held centerfield. Matty Ford, James Kinsella, and Martin Glynn did most of the scoring and George Jacobs took a nasty cut on his head in an otherwise sporting game.
Tipperary will meet Cork in the final.
Cork double
Cork made it a double in the football and hurling, but it was nothing to write home about. In the hurling they were winners over Fr. Toms on a score of 2-4 to 1-5. Fr. Toms were robbed of this game, thanks to a last minute goal by Darren Stanners who by the way scored 2-3 of his side’s total. Tadgh Nagle had the other point. Best for Fr. Toms were Ronan Hanley Mike Tracy, Dermot Fox in goals and Mick O’Hara.
In the football, Cork looked very rusty in their win over Christophers. Leading by just a single point at the half, 0-4 to 0-3, they ran out easy winners in the end, 3-6 to 0-3.
Ladies
The ladies got their season under way in fine fashion with Tir na nOg pulling off a big win over Roscommon on a score of 5-5 to 2-3. Maureen Fahy, Maria Corkery and Helen Jaques looked very strong for the winners while Ann O’Donnell, Marie Naughton and Sally Gallagher tried hard for Roscommon.
Results:
Blues 2-10, McAnespies 2-8; Cork 3-6, Christophers 0-3; Tipp 2-11, Galway 0-14; Cork 2-4, Fr. Toms 1-5; Tir na nOg 5-5, Roscommon 2-3.