Craig shine as Plunketts move into the top two

St Oliver Plunketts 1-16, Brownstown 0-14

By Rodney Farry

Mullingar side St Oliver Plunketts moved into second place in the table with a relatively comfortable win over Brownstown in TEG Cusack Park on Saturday evening.

Philip Gilsenan’s men went into Saturday’s Slevin’s Coaches Senior 'B' Hurling Championship clash full of confidence after two wins and a draw in their first three championship encounters, but, apart from a period in the first half when they scored four points without reply, they were second best to an Oliver Plunketts side for whom experienced campaigners such as Aaron Craig and Davy Gavin put in big performances. And their talented cohort of young players such as Mikey Weir, Ben McNamee, Padraig Casey and Nathan Cornally impressed.

After a couple of patchy performances in their opening three games as they attempted to get to grips with a possession heavy short passing style of play, Plunketts took a more direct route this time around and it paid dividends.

Their target man in attack was Davy Gavin, and he caused all sorts of problems for the Brownstown defence during a highly productive 60 minutes. While he only scored one point, Gavin set up numerous scores, including Brian Farrell’s goal after 33 seconds to give Plunketts an early lead that they never relinquished.

It was a tough day at the office for Brownstown, who were missing their talismanic attacker and main free taker, Jamie Fitzsimons, but they are still well in the hunt for a place in the knockout phase of what is proving to be a highly competitive senior B championship.

Victory leaves St Oliver Plunketts on six points in second spot, while Brownstown are on five points and in third place, just a point ahead of Crookedwood, who they face in the final round.

Plunketts got off to the perfect start courtesy of Farrell’s early goal, which was set up by Davy Gavin, and were on the front foot for most of a scrappy but lively opening quarter during which both sides hit three wides in the first eight minutes.

The ever-dependable Aaron Craig extended Plunketts’ lead in the ninth minute with a long-range free following a foul on his midfield partner Paddy Lynam, while Niall Leonard opened Brownstown’s account a minute later, the first of his seven-point tally.

Plunketts are giving their promising group of youngsters the chance to shine in this year’s championship, and it was one of their young tyros, Padraig Casey, who extended their lead with a pointed free.

Midfielder Oisin Kiernan’s well struck effort doubled Brownstown’s tally, but four points without reply in the space of four minutes courtesy of a brace from Thomas Meehan and singles from Brian Farrell and Nathan Cornally gave Plunketts a deserved seven-point lead as the game entered its second quarter.

It was now time for Brownstown to have a purple patch of their own and points from the increasingly influential Conor Shaw and Brian Guerin, in addition to scores from Niall Leonard and Emmett Cunneen, meant that with 22 minutes on the clock, there was only a goal between the sides.

A second pointed free of the first half by Aaron Craig extended Plunketts’ lead. Leonard, who took over the dead duties for Brownstown in Fitzsimons’ absence, converted a ’65 after Plunketts’ goalkeeper Conor Bracken deflected a shot from Tiernan Purcell around his right post.

Shortly afterwards, Brownstown netminder, James Moore, displayed his shot stopping skills when he denied the lively Casey from scoring Plunketts’ second goal. The resulting ’65 was fired over the bar by Aaron Craig for his third score of the half.

On 27 minutes, a point from Brian Guerin made it a one score game at the turnaround. Half-time score Oliver Plunketts 1-8 Brownstown 0-8.

The second period began like the first with Plunketts on the front foot. Davy Gavin, who was at the centre of all that was good about Plunketts’ display, got a well-deserved early point, which was quickly followed by Casey’s first from play. A few minutes later, goal scorer Brian Farrell extended his tally to give his side a six-point lead with 38 minutes gone.

After three early wides, Leonard opened Brownstown’s second half account in the 41st minute, but a further three unanswered Plunketts points that included a brace of scores from Casey, both frees, and one from Eoin Meehan increased the Mullingar team’s lead to eight points as the game entered its final quarter.

Leonard was Brownstown’s main attacking threat throughout the match, and he kept the scoreboard ticking over for his side with a converted free. At this stage in proceedings, Brownstown urgently needed a goal if they were to mount a comeback and they had a gilt-edged opportunity to do so on 48 minutes. The architect of the chance was Brian Guerin who laid the sliotar off to Oisin Kiernan following an incisive run through the heart of the Plunketts’ defence. Kiernan’s well struck effort rebounded off Bracken’s right half post before the being cleared up the pitch.

Leonard’s sixth and seventh points of the match, which were punctuated by a score from Plunketts’ sub Cathal Craig, meant that in theory the contest was a two-score game as it entered its final minutes, but the most unlikeliest of comebacks never looked on.

Casey closed the scoring for Plunketts with arguably the score of the game from wide on the right. A pair of late scores from Tiernan Purcell and sub Jamie Reilly were little more than consolations for a Brownstown side that were well beaten on the day.

Plunketts, who were missing their regular keeper Conor Lynch and their influential forward Shane Ormsby, look as if they are finding their groove just as we enter the business end of the championship. If they continue on this upward trajectory, they will be hoping to go one better than last season when they were defeated in the final by Delvin after a replay.

Scorers - St Oliver Plunketts: Brian Farrell 1-2, Padraig Casey 0-5 (4f), Aaron Craig 0-3 (2f, ’65), Thomas Meehan 0-2, Davy Gavin, Cathal Craig, Nathan Cornally, Eoin Meehan 0-1 each.

Brownstown: Niall Leonard 0-7 (4f, ’65), Brian Guerin 0-2, Conor Shaw, Oisin Kiernan, Jamie Reilly, Tiernan Purcell, Emmett Cunneen 0-1 each.

Brownstown: James Moore; Danny Henry, Sean Smith, Tom Flynn; Conor Rice, Conor Shaw, Anthony Mulvaney; Paddy Reilly, Oisin Kiernan; Brian Guerin, Emmett Cunneen, Niall Leonard; Aaron O’Brien, Tiernan Purcell, Donal Lane. Subs: Shane Henry for Danny Henry (20 mins), Ryan Flynn for Conor Rice, Jamie Reilly for Aaron O’Brien (40 mins), Sean Mulvaney for Donal Lane (49 mins), Robert Dugdale for Anthony Mulvaney (63 mins).

Oliver Plunketts: Conor Bracken; Mikey Weir, Zach Aherne, Brian Reidy; Ben McNamee, Liam Carey, John Fry; Aaron Craig, Paddy Lynam; Eoin Meehan, Padraig Casey, Nathan Cornally; Thomas Meehan, Davy Gavin, Brian Farrell. Subs: Andrew Cunningham for Mikey Weir (44 mins), Cathal Craig for Eoin Meehan (50 mins), Rory O’Brien for Brian Farrell (56 mins).

Ref: Barry Nea (Clonkill).