White’s Cross GAA made their reappearance in adult hurling after an absence of eleven years on Wednesday, 21st March 2012. In the intervening years the game has evolved – the last time our club fielded a team in adult hurling competition helmets were not compulsory and the concept of playing a junior hurling club game under floodlights was a pipe-dream! However, arising from the decision of Whitechurch GAA club last December to suddenly end the amalgamation in place at adult level since 2001, White’s Cross were back competing in both GAA codes.
Thus we found ourselves up in St Vincents grounds for an opening round fixture of the Junior A Hurling League. Pitted against a team that had been competing at intermediate grade until recent seasons, our novice team went into the clash as rank outsiders. In the early stages of the game everything seemed to be going to script as Vincents raced into an early four point lead. The team manager Finbarr Kiely, along with selectors Dominic Cahill, Johnny O Sullivan and Pat Reid tweaked around their side with various positional changes and this helped stem proceedings somewhat. Finally White’s Cross got on the scoreboard with a point from midfielder Conor Buckley. This followed soon after by a goal from centre-forward James Cooney who raced through the Vincents defence and buried the ball to the keeper’s left. However the Saints recomposed themselves and by half-time led 0-10 to 1-2.
Whatever was said by Kiely at half-time certainly worked and the Cross came out in the second half with renewed energy. The introduction of Thomas Meade also had the desired impact as he won important ball. Elsewhere Murt Kelleher battoned down the hatches from his centre-back berth whilst behind him Sean Gorman ensured Vincents never really threatened net-minder Shane Cahill. Conor Buckley was converting mighty scores from placed balls and all of a sudden with 10 minutes remaining the sides were level! Vincents did jump back into the lead, only for White’s Cross captain Donnacha Murnane to reply with an outstanding score, after good work from his brother Eoin. Three minutes left and all to play for – was it too much to dream of such an upset on opening night! The short answer is that yes it was – Vincents converted a late free, their tenth score from a placed ball, to win out by the narrowest of margins 1-10 to 0-14.
White’s Cross will take great heart from the performance, and whilst there won’t be any outlandish dreams of landing big titles at this level this year or next, we will endeavour to ensure our opponents will always know they were in a game.
The White’s Cross team for this game was: Shane Cahill, Sean Murnane, Sean Gorman, Derek O Connor, Kevin Buckley, Murt Kelleher, Barry Murphy, Donnacha Murnane (captain), Conor Buckley, Eoin Murnane, James Cooney, Donal Kelly, Jason Kelly, Conor Kelleher, Richie Sherlock. Substitutions: Thomas Meade for Sherlock (h/t); Dave Buckley for J. Kelly (50 mins, injured); Ruairi Murnane (blood sub); Seamus Reid; Martin Reid; Paul Walsh.