FÉ11 WHL Div1 LISMORE 5-4 YOUGHAL 5-7

U11 Hurlers Clinch Division 1 League title with win away to Lismore Our U11 panel travelled to Lismore on the 6th June for our final hurling match in the Waterford Town & Country Division 1 League, where only a victory would guarantee us winning the league. Once we arrived at Lismore, we knew that the bad weather and the conditions of the pitch were not conducive to us playing the standard of hurling we had played in previous matches. But in fairness to all the 21 players that played on the night, they got on with the job in hand and did not let it dampen their spirits. Management made a few changes to the starting team and also a few positional changes to keep everyone on their toes.

You could see Youghal were up for the match from the very start, and began to take control in all areas of the pitch. It was a very enjoyable first half where each Youghal player contributed in giving us a half time lead of 4-4 to 2-2. Management decided to start with a whole new team in the second half and credit to the lads, they continued in the same vein as the first half. But in fairness to Lismore, they started to edge their way into the game and started to take some lovely scores of their own. It seemed at one stage that every time Lismore attached, they scored. Not even a great goal by Eoin McGrath mid way through seemed to stop Lismore cutting into the Youghal lead. With only 3 minutes to go, the game was in the melting pot and the Youghal management seemed to be getting very nervous indeed.

But points from Devon O Donoghue, Nathan Daly and Cúlann Geary saw the Youghal boys home, and Youghal ran out winners by the score line of 5-7 to 5-4. The final whistle was greeted with jubilant scenes from players, management and supporters, as it meant these lads had won the 2014 hurling league. A big thank you must go to the big support that travelled from Youghal on a bad night; in fairness the support all year has been fantastic.

It was great for us all to see the huge effort and skill shown by all 21 players on the night, especially in the first half where Declan Daly proved very solid in goals. A mention too to Sean O Riordan, our most improved player of the season so far, as he battled for every ball and kept the ball moving into the forwards. And also a mention to Cúlann Geary, as he contributed all our scores (4-4) in the first half.

Another great night for this panel of players and I am sure there will be many more to follow.

Team – Declan Daly, Conor Savage, Oisin Hill, Wisdom Sobo, Enda Cronin, Michael Breathnach, Sean O Riordan, Cúlann Geary (4-5), Conor Butler Roche, Kyle Joyce, Sean Hehir, Fionn Gardiner, Conor McArdle, Morgan Twohig, Nathan Daly (0-1), Devon O Donoghue (0-1), Josh Persuad, Eoin McGrath (1-0), Ruairi Fitzgerald, Chris Brophy, Panos Karousos, Eoin Sheridan, Seamus Ó Maitiú, Aidan Perry & David Murphy.