Eoin Hanafin goal gives Na Piarsaigh win over Carrigtwohill in RedFM Senior Hurling League
Na Piarsaigh's Andrew Burke clears his lines under pressure from Carrigtwohill's Sean Walsh, during their Red FM Hurling League Division 1 clash, at Fair Hill. Picture: David Keane.
NA Piarsaigh kicked off their Red FM SHL Division 1 campaign with a victory over Carrigtwohill on Sunday morning at Páirc Uí Chonaire, with an Eoin Hanafin goal ultimately the difference between the two sides.
The second-half substitute collected a pass from Keith Buckley and unleashed a shot that Tomas Horgan had no chance of getting to.
That made it 1-12 to 0-11 and Carrigtwohill could not make up the deficit during the time left to play, despite Sean Walsh continuing to generate scores.
The corner-forward finished the game with 0-10, and the majority of those in the first half allowed his club to keep up with Na Piarsaigh, who kept going in front through white flags raised by Daire Connery and Padraig Guest.
The northsiders thought they were taking a two-point lead into the break, but Walsh got his Walsh fourth of the game just before the whistle and that made it 0-9 to 0-8.
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and his management team, which includes All-Ireland winner John Gardiner, slowly rotated their side during the second period. The fresh set of legs brought a new sense of life into Na Piarsaigh’s forward line, and this paid off when Hanafin raised a green flag for a four-point cushion.
Carrigtwohill responded by doing what they had been doing since the ball was first throw-in, and that was creating space for Walsh and the forward continued to split the posts. As he tried to lead his team to a late comeback, Mark O’Connor got his second point of the game and Liam Gosnell got one.
Na Piarsaigh weathered the storm that was brewing, something that was helped by Kevin Moynihan running forward from defence and scoring three second-half points, and that made sure they got the win.
P Guest 0-5 (0-3 f), E Hanafin 1-0, K Moynihan 0-3, D Connery, C Buckley 0-2 each, D Lee 0-1, S Paul Cooke, S Forde 0-1 each.
S Walsh 0-10 (0-7 f); M O’Connor, J Mulcahy 0-2 each, J Horgan, L Gosnell 0-1 each.
L Donovan; P Murphy, A Burke, G Healy; K Moynihan, C Buckley, D Connery; P Lehane, J Scanlon; L Shanahan, S Forde, D Lee; S Paul Cooke, K Buckley, P Guest.
E Hanafin for Sheehan (32); A Hogan for Scanlon (32), E Galvin for Paul Cooke (42), C Hogan for Lee (48), E Kidney for Burke (60).
T Hogan; N Coughlan, S De Burca, P O’Sullivan, P Horgan, A Walsh Barry, C O’Riordan, J Horgan, S Brennan, L Gosnell, J McCarthy, B Twomey, M O’Connor, S Walsh, J Mulcahy.
Subs: S Roche for O’Connor (45).
Referee: Shane Scanlon (Newcestown)
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