NHL DIVISION 3B
Fingal fail to capitalise on Hyland dismissal
WICKLOW...................0-15 FINGAL.........................1-7
Fingal's Michael Cussen puts pressure on Jonathan O'Neill.
Wednesday March 10 2010
A DISAPPOINTING secondhalf display from Fingal saw them succumb to a 14-man Wicklow team in round two of the Allianz Hurling League Division 3B at Lawless Park on Saturday. Don Hyland's dismissal for a second yellow on 47 minutes left Wicklow short their full forward, but the Garden County, who were holding a two-point lead at the time, came through without him. Fingal, having opened their account with a win over Sligo, made a great start, with points from Brian McCarthy, Paul McAllister and Martin Ormonde cancelling out an early Jonathan O'Neill free.
The first two yellow cards were then handed out by Kilkenny referee Dominic Connolly, with both Don Hyland and David Markey reprimanded.
Wicklow came close to an early goal when Ennan Glynn's shot was turned around the post for a 65, which O'Neill duly converted.
Points either side of another Ormonde effort from Lynn and Hyland brought Wicklow on level terms, with O'Neill then landing two scores from placed balls.
But Fingal grabbed the only goal of the game two minutes before the break when Peter Daly played an angled ball into McCabe who duly stroked the ball past the advancing keeper.
However, O'Neill was continuing to hurt Fingal with his dead-ball prowess and he duly sent over his fifth point of the half to leave it all square at the break, 1-4 to 0-7.
The second half began with successive points from Hyland and Glynn who had a very impressive day.
However, with centre back Eoghan Cullen very industrious in defence and Brian McCarthy sending over Fingal's sixth score, the game was still delicately poised with ten minutes gone in the half.
Then came Hyland's dismissal after he had slapped a Fingal player on the wrist with his hurl, but Wicklow negated the loss with an O'Neill '65' and a big point from their wing back Mark Collins.
A terrific score from the left by Joe Murphy made it three points without reply, and although Emmet McCabe interrupted the rout with a free, Wickow maintained their cushion with another score from the prolific O'Neill.
Paul Garbutt sent over a free for Fingal, but Wicklow closed the game out with two final points from O'Neill.
FINGAL: Willie Burke, Dermot Vaughan, David Markey, Niall Ring, Michael Cussen, Eoghan Cullen, Brian Powell, Ross McGarry, Darragh De Burca, Brian McCarthy 0-2, Martin Ormonde 0-2 (2f), Paul McAllister 0-1, Emmet McCabe 01,(1f) Peter Daly, Cian O'Mahony 1-0. Subs: Eanna Slattery for Ormonde (ht), Paul Garbutt 0-1f for McGarry (47), Alan Morris for Cussen (53), Matthew Lambe for McCabe (61), Paddy Sheridan for Ring (65).
WICKLOW: T Kennedy, E O'Neill, J Connors, W Collins, G Bermingham, B Cuddihy, M Collins 0-1, M O' Neill, S Kinsella, J O'Neill 0-9, (0-5f, 0-2 65'), L Kennedy, N Driver, J Murphy 0-1, D Hyland 0-2 , E Glynn 0-2. Subs: R Nolan for Driver (57), G Keogh for Murphy (70).
REFEREE: Dominic Connolly (Kilkenny)
- Rory KERR
