Barren spell proves costly for Barna in junior decider
Date Published: 10-Dec-2012
Dara Bradley at Pearse Stadium
It was a case of the ‘old dogs for the hard road’. Loughrea’s greater experience proved decisive at Pearse Stadium on Sunday, as they captured the County Junior A hurling championship title with a two points win over a brave Barna/Furbo outfit looking to reach the intermediate ranks for the first time in the club’s 20 years history.
David McDonnell’s charges were made to fight all the way to the end, as the vanquished attacked relentlessly in the final minutes of an exciting encounter in search of a winning goal but Loughrea’s defence, which had been fairly solid all day, held out to win their second title at this grade in four years.
Barna/Furbo certainly had chances to carry the day but they went more than 25 minutes of the second half without notching up a score, which is hardly good enough to win a county final.
During that barren period, Tom Curran’s men had opportunities to keep the score board ticking over but on too many occasions they took the wrong option, going for goals when points might have been more sensible; they’ll also rue six second half wides. It was that little bit of inexperience and lack of composure from Barna/Furbo that ultimately was telling.
Loughrea had four players – James Regan, Greg Kennedy, Keith Daniels and Gordon Glynn – with experience of playing senior championship, and it showed.
Loughrea started brightest, establishing a three points to one lead after 10 minutes but Barna/Furbo then sprung to life and rattled the Town in the middle chunk of the opening half. Firstly, Greg Sheedy landed a free, then minutes later Loughrea were stunned by a Stephen Cunningham goal.
Centre-forward Rob Curran took a quick sideline to Ciaran Hanley, whose crisp delivery into the danger area was doubled on first time by full-forward Cunningham giving ‘keeper Peter Whelan little time to react. The hard working midfielder Paddy Naughton tagged on another score from play to leave it 1-3 to 0-3 in favour of the underdogs.
For more, read this week's Connacht Sentinel.