Fancied Gort sent packing from title race

Date Published: 13-Jul-2010

Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry 1-14

Gort 2-8

STEPHEN GLENNON

AT KENNY PARK

UNBELIEVABLE as it may seem, but title challengers Gort are out of the Galway senior hurling championship after they were defeated by 2009 intermediate champions, Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry in this hugely entertaining final round robin tie at Kenny Park, Athenry on Saturday evening.

Gort, who won back-to-back U-21 ‘A’ titles earlier this year, were believed by many to present the greatest threat to kingpins Portumna, but an energetic and hungrier Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry outfit certainly made little of those assertions with a gusty championship display.

This was no more evident than in the closing five minutes. With the sides level, Tynagh 1-11 v Gort 2-8, and the game there to be won, it was the underdogs who showed the greater nerve as man of the match Padraig Brehony, Ronan Madden (free) and Brian Cunningham (free) all found the target to secure a magnificent against the odds victory.Indeed, credit to Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry.

Earlier this year, they were soundly defeated in the All-Ireland intermediate hurling final by St. Gall’s of Antrim and the general view afterwards was that Mattie Kenny’s side would not see the year out at senior level.

However, in a matter of months, Kenny and his extensive management team of Tom Havil, Tom Breheny, Gerry Madden, Tom Moloney, PJ Kenny, Liam Power and physical trainer, David McConn, the former Roscommon team manager.

These mentors have done one hell of a job and, obviously, the players have responded in kind by working hard and rising to the challenges set down. This was evident from the off, with Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry standing toe to toe with their illustrious opponents and they deservedly held the advantage for most of the opening half.

Indeed, with the first period drawing to a close, the victors led by 0-6 to 0-4, but then Gort showed the measure of their class when powerful centre-half forward Paul Killilea pounced on a defensive mix-up in the Tynagh/Abbey-Duniry rearguard and he set up Keith Killilea, who marked his return from injury with a 29th minute goal.