White’s Cross junior A hurlers got their second league victory in a row in this game versus Na Piarsaigh played in glorious conditions in White’s Cross on Holy Thursday last. It was the Faranree side that were first out of the traps. Though the game was evenly fought, they managed to find gaps in the home side’s defence and they exploited it with sharp hurling and some well taken points. At the quarter hour mark, they had duly punished the slackness of the White’s Cross marking and built up a 0-06 to 0-01 lead. At that point, the onlookers gathered would not have predicted that they would go the remainder of the half without scoring again. Instead a string of points by Conor Buckley brought the home side level. The crucial score of the half then arrived. Joe Cashman won a highball and delivered it long to the full-forward line where Seamus Reid won it superbly and laid it off to Murt Kelleher who saw the on-running Conor Buckley who took the ball in his stride before dispatching an unstoppable shot past the Na Piarsaigh goalkeeper to give White’s Cross the lead for the first time in the game. Further points from Buckley, who accounted for all his side’s scores in the opening half, meant that the half time score read 1-08 to 0-06.
A startled Na Piarsaigh started the second half with a pointed free. Then a rather fortuitous goal at brought them back into the game and only a point separated the sides. However, the eventual winners settled again and points from Conor Buckley, who would finish with 1-12 in total, and substitute Donncha Murnane got their sides first scores of the half. Scores were scarce enough for the remainder of the second period though White’s Cross always maintained a 3 point lead. Adam Bransfield and Fergal Reid were very impressive in the corner back roles on the evening and had to hold firm to get the crucial blocks in to ensure that there was no late drama as Na Piarsaigh fought hard to get a goal to bring them into the game. As it was, White’s Cross held on for a deserved victory and now have 2 wins of 3 in the league. This is very good considering it is their first year back at this level after a number of years playing B hurling.
Team: Shane Cahill, Adam Bransfield, Derek O’Connor, Fergal Reid, Ronan Quaine, Joe Cashman, Breandán Murnane , Sean Twomey, Richie Sherlock, Gearoid Fleming, Murt Kelleher, Conor Buckley , Ronan Aherne, , Seamus Reid, , Seamus Quinlan.
Subs used Cormac O’Flynn, Ross Murphy, Donncha Murnane, Kevin Buckley