Brian Dillon’s 0-21 Whitechurch 0-12

AFTER losing the last three Sports Turf Solutions Seandún Junior A hurling finals, Brian Dillon’s reclaimed the trophy they last won in 2015, with a deserved win against Whitechurch at Ballinlough yesterday afternoon.

The opening half was a close affair, with the sides level three times in the opening 10 minutes, but the experience of Brian Dillon’s on the big day proved crucial.

Some niggly incidents early in the second half saw two Whitechurch players yellow-carded, and full-back Brian O’Sullivan was dismissed for an off-the-ball incident.

Brian Dillon’s used the advantage of the extra man and took control of the game from this point.

Several times Dillon’s looked like finding the net but great saves from Whitechurch goalkeeper Con Mulcahy and excellent clearances from Darragh McNamara and O’Sullivan kept the Tank Field side out.

Killian Ryan cleared his lines on several occasions, while Dylan Burke was outstanding at midfield for Whitechurch.

With the game slipping from them in the second half, Whitechurch went in search of goals, but Dillon’s keeper Declan Hourihane brought off some fine saves and Darragh Brosnan caught some great balls to clear his line.

Burke opened the scoring with a free for Whitechurch inside the opening minute but points from skipper Darragh Rodgers and John Horgan edged Dillon’s ahead. Burke levelled with a 65 after six minutes, before Rodgers and Hugh Woulfe exchanged points.

Points from play by Cian McCarthy and Ross Murphy opened up a lead that Dillon’s maintained to the finish.

Cillian Brosnan, McCarthy, Tomas Lawrence, Ross Murphy and two Horgan frees edged the favourites six points ahead approaching the break.

Whitechurch finished the half the stronger and points from Jason O’Riordan, Padraig Dennehy and Sean Keane left Dillon’s leading 0-11 to 0-8 at half time. They extended their lead with points from Lawrence and McCarthy before off-the-ball incidents saw Dillon’s race into an eight-point lead with two frees from Horgan and points from McCarthy and Rodgers.

Whitechurch kept battling to the end but Dillon’s were worthy winners.

Scorers for Brian Dillon’s: J Horgan 0-6 (0-4 f), C McCarthy 0-5, T Lawrence 0-4, D Rodgers 0-3, R Murphy 0-2, C Brosnan 0-1.

Whitechurch: D Burke 0-3 (0-1 f, 0-1 65), H Woulfe 0-3, S Keane 0-2, P Dennehy 0-2 f, P Blake, J O’Riordan 0-1 each.

BRIAN DILLON’S: D Hourihane; D McCormack, J Feehan, D Cremin; M Noonan, D Brosnan, D O’Donoghue; T Lawrence, K McCormack; R Murphy, S Crowley, C Brosnan; J Horgan, D Rodgers (c), C McCarthy.

Subs: J Murphy for R Murphy (52), A Murphy for Horgan (59), M White for C Brosnan (62).

WHITECHURCH: C Mulcahy; D McNamara, B O’Sullivan, S Carroll; A Kelleher, K Ryan, C O’Gorman; H Woulfe, D Burke; K Hyde, S Keane, J O’Riordan; C Dennehy, P Blake (c), P Dennehy.

Subs: S O’Reilly for Dennehy (34), A Murphy for Kelleher (35), J McGrath for Hyde (53), J Scanlon for O’Riordan (56), R Burke for Blake (59).

Referee: M Maher (St Finbarr’s).