Lory Meagher Cup, Round 1
Fermanagh 3-12 v Warwickshire 2-7
A game that was always going to be tinged in sadness after the recent passing of Fermanagh hurler Shane Mulholland went Fermanagh’s way at a wet and windy Brewster Park last Saturday afternoon, the game changed to 1pm to allow the Warwickshire hurlers time to get back over to England that evening.
Fermanagh could not have got off to a better start and within 8 minutes the home side led by 0-5 to no score, points coming from Kevin McGarry (2), John Duffy (2) and an outrageous effort from Karl Kehoe gave the Erne side a comfortable start.
The Fermanagh attack were terrorising the Warwickshire back line throughout and on the 15th minute John Paul McGarry took in a Shea Curran pass before blasting to the net to make it 1-5 to no score as Warwickshire looked short of any ideas.
John Duffy struck over a free to give him his 3rd point of the day and after Andrew Breslin came onto replace the injured David Teague the Fermanagh defence got itself tangled up and that saw Warwickshire’s David Millea coast in for a soft goal and all of a sudden Warwickshire had finally awoken.
John Duffy struck back with a point and when Brian McLaughlin done well to skip past his man and split the posts Fermanagh were 1-8 to 1-0 ahead with 5 minutes of the half remaining.
John Duffy then done exceptionally well to get away from Warwickshire’s Joseph Meagher before off loading to Ciaran Corrigan who pointed to give Fermanagh a 9 point advantage and half time looming.
For all of Fermanagh’s dominant possession it was Warwickshire who would finish the half much more the clinical and another goal from David Millea while points from captain Emmett McCabe, John Reddan and Sean Hennessy gave Warwickshire great encouragement and the half time scoreboard read Fermanagh 2-9 v Warwickshire 2-3.
The second half was only 25 seconds old when Warwickshire’s midfielder John Reddan went through the Fermanagh defence and pointed to put 5 between them. Fermanagh though responded with a John Duffy free and a brilliant score coming from Daniel Teague who took the full Warwickshire defence on after gaining a great pass from full forward Shea Curran.
Fermanagh were slowly gaining more possession around the middle of the field and Daniel Teague once again showed his pace to coast by the Warwickshire defence before pointing to make it 2-12 to 2-5 with just over 20 minutes remaining.
Emmett McCabe reduced the deficit to 6 with a free while Warwickshire had a great goal chance that seen first Andrew Breslin with a great block and goalkeeper Mark Curry block at the second attempt as the Fermanagh rear-guard held out any late Warwickshire pressure.
Fermanagh midfielder Daniel Teague then took in a pass from John Duffy before running at pace at the Warwickshire defence and this time the talented Maguiresbridge footballer played in fellow footballer Ciaran Corrigan who done exceptionally well to tap the sliotar onto the ground and beat goalkeeper Michael Cremin to put Fermanagh 3-12 to 2-6 ahead with just 8 minutes left.
Emmett McCabe responded for Warwickshire with a point but with the loss to a double yellow card for wing half back Shane Conlan just compounded Warwickshire’s day.
As the full time whistle was blown Fermanagh had gained a creditable 8 point victory but will know a much more improved performance will be needed this Saturday as they travel to face Lancashire in Páirc na hÉireann, Birmingham.
Scorers –
Fermanagh = Ciaran Corrigan 2-1, John Duffy 0-5, John Paul McGarry 1-0, Kevin McGarry 0-2, Daniel Teague 0-2, Karl Kehoe 0-1, Brian McLaughlin 0-1.
Warwickshire = David Millea 2-0, Emmett McCabe 0-4, John Reddan 0-2, Sean Hennessy 0-1.
Referee – Kevin Brady (Louth)
By Tom Sun 3rd May
