Round 3 of the East Senior Hurling League saw Ahane make the short journey to Cappamore to play Cappamore on a sunny Saturday evening. The scores were slow to come in the opening minutes, not for lack of trying by either side but due to some wides and some great battling from both sides it wasn’t until the 6th minute that Ahane got the first score from Daniel Minehan, this was followed soon by Paul O’Halloran getting a point from a free and Ahane were off! Cappamore got their first point in the 11th minute. It was all square at the water break 2 points apiece.

There were some beautiful pick-ups, layoffs and team play by our lads throughout! We were first to score after the water break with Paul again getting a point from play. Game was level again as Cappamore got a point and them got another one to go one ahead. Serious credit must go to the Cappamore centre back and goalkeeper who both had great games and caused us serious issues at times. Their keeper caught some serious ball and made unreal saves to deny us certain goals. Cappamore went three ahead before Conor Morrissey got our fourth point, our next score came from a ball that started with Evan O’Leary, went to Ciarán Barry, passed it to Adam Murrihy, how passed it to Mark O’Halloran who completed the move with a score, it was like something you’d see in Croke Park! Our final three points of the half came from Dan Minehan and Aaron Hackett to leave it as Ahane 0-08 Cappamore 0-06.

Ball was thrown in for the second half and it was Ahane who got on the ball first and we made a driving run down the middle. We took a shot on goal but somehow the keeper saved it and it went out for a 65’ which Ciarán Barry slotted over. We were in again for a goal minutes later only to be denied once again about the Cappamore keeper. Third time lucky we got our goal in the 4th minute after a long range from Adam O’Brien landed with Aaron Hackett who slotted it home! Aaron Hackett and Paul O’Halloran added to their personal tally for the evening, but Cappamore kept their scores ticking over with frees. Ciaran Barry added a point from a free and at the second water break the scores stood as Ahane 1-13 Cappamore 0-09.

The final fifteen minutes saw us get scores from Ciarán Barry, Jeff Enright, Paul O’Halloran, and Aaron Hackett which saw us keep our lead and win out the game. Cappamore got four more points after the water break all from frees. We ended the game with fourteen men as Jeff Enright got his second yellow which saw him leave the field two minutes into injury time. Full time score Ahane 1-17 Cappamore 0-13.

Team:

A. O’Brien; A. Shanahan, E. Enright ©, E. O’Leary, S. O’Grady, C. Barry, C. O’Mara; J. Enright, A. Murrihy; A. Hackett, M. O’Halloran, D. Minehan, M. Donnellan, P. O’Halloran, C. Morrissey.

Substitutions:

K. Morrissey (2nd ½ C. Morrissey), C. Carroll (2nd ½ S. O’Grady), M. Hickey (2nd ½ M. Donnellan) A. Carroll (2nd ½ A. Murrihy)