St Declans 1-14
Roger Casements/Erin Go Bragh 0-12
THE Warwickshire Hurling Championship took centre stage last weekend with two games at Holly Lane.
While John Mitchels secured a 5-18 to 1-11 victory over St Barnabas, the early game between St Declans and a combined Roger Casements / Erin go Bragh side went right to the wire as the Hertfordshire side edged it by five.
With Liam Reale grabbing five points (one free) for Declans, they made the better start to head into the interval seven to the good. As Reale and Tony Joyce traded early scores the game took a swerve in favour of Declans when Paddy Dooley stooped to pinch a cross-field pass in the middle of the park and raced off towards Tom Kelly’s goal where the wing-forward pinged a low shot into the far corner of the net.
Niall Larkin launched a couple of fine scores from long range to further cement that lead, though Kieran Boxwell and Ciaran Boyle went close to goal towards the end of the half for Casements/go Bragh.
The home side came back into things much more in the second-half thanks to two well-struck 65s from Boxwell, two more points from Joyce, and a neat shot from 30 metres out by Jack Quinn.
Scores from Reale (free) and Tom O’Brien maintained the advantage for Declans, while Reale went close to a second goal with a hard shot that was superbly tipped over the bar by Kelly.
However, the combined side continued to press, Boxwell striking his third point over from near halfway and almost drawing his side level with a powerful run and shot into the net that was chalked off for a foul in the build-up.
