Our u-16’s travelled to Bennettsbridge on the 3rd of April 2017 for their Round 2 encounter in the Duggan Steel u-16 hurling league.
The lads recorded a fine win from a great team display. Darragh Whittle opened Piltown’s scoring with a lovely point a minute and a half into the match. Daryl Maye then scored his first of the evening with a great pass from Evan O’Shea at midfield following on from a pass from Ciaran McDonald. A great save from Aaron Kinsella in the fifth minute denied Bennettsbridge their first score of the match. Two points from converted frees from the ever-accurate Billy O’Callaghan saw Piltown extend their lead to four points. In the 11th minute, Daryl Maye read Aaron Kinsella’s puckout perfectly and swooping up the ball that had dropped in just in front of him, Daryl sent it high over the bar. It was the 13th minute before Bennettsbridge scored their first point of the match, the point coming from their centre forward.
A lovely ball in from Ian Balding to the forwards was picked up by Francis Moore who linked up with Dylan Wall and Dylan scored a fine point. In the 18th minute, Billy O’Callaghan won a Bennettsbridge puckout and with a quick pass to Daryl Maye on the wing, Daryl sent in a high ball which was batted down by the Bennettsbridge goalie only to be buried in the back of the net by Micheal Norris. Not five minutes later, Conor McGowan, on winning a breaking ball, found Darragh Whittle whose strike on goal was strong enough that the goalie got his hurley to it but couldn’t prevent it from going over the line. Bennettsbridge then went on the attack and were headed for the Piltown goal but a great save from Eoin Morgan denied them a goal and they had to settle for a point from a converted free shortly after to close out the first half. HT score Piltown 2-6 Bennettsbridge 0-3.
Bennettsbridge came out in the second half and scored three points in succession, one from a converted free and a fine point from a sideline ball. Daryl May added another to his tally from a converted free in the 36th minute. A great clearance from fullback Sean O’Neill found Conor McGowan who passed it off to Daryl Maye for another great point. Bennettsbridge scored another two points from converted frees which brought us to the 50th minute. In the 53rd minute, Aidan Walsh broke free with the ball and sent it in to Darragh Whittle and with a quick pass to Micheal Norris, Micheal raised the green flag for Piltown’s third goal of the evening, Micheal’s second. Bennettsbridge were determined to score a goal at this stage and a goal attempt from a free was saved by Aaron Kinsella and cleared by Aidan Friend. However, Bennettsbridge went on the attack again and scored their first and only goal of the match with five minutes to go and this was the final score of the evening. FT score Piltown 3-8 Bennettsbridge 1-8.
Piltown panel: Aaron Kinsella, Eoin Morgan, Sean O’Neill, Aidan Friend, Aidan Walsh, Ian Balding, Ciaran McDonald, Evan O’Shea, Billy O’Callaghan (0-2f), Darragh Whittle (1-1), Dylan Wall (0-1), Daryl Maye (0-4, 0-1f), Francis Moore, Micheal Norris (2-0), Conor McGowan. Subs: Aaron Reid, Senan McDonald.
Ref: Paschal Connolly
