Charleville hurlers cruise through to third round
PREMIER JHC Charleville 0-18 Clyda Rovers 0-10 CHARLEVILLE advanced to round three of the Hibernian Hotel Premier JHC after they they were forced to withstand a spirited challenge from Clyda Rovers in the preliminary round at Buttevant on Friday last.
Following a close contest very little separated the sides for long periods with Charleville's abilty to get scores particularly in the last quarter proving decisive to run out deserving winners in the end. The opening half saw both sides quick to settle with Brendan Dennehy, Declan Roche, Mervyn Gammell and James Murphy all having points by the 14th minute to leave the game deadlocked at 02 each.
The winners edged in front again soon after when James Foley scored a fine point under severe pressure. The Rovers enjoyed their fair share of possession during this period. Their defence was very solid with Tadgh O'Mullane, Ollie O'Hanlon and Maurice O'Brien clearing well out of the halfback line while at midfield Niall and Padraigh O'Mullane held their own ensuring regular supply to their forwards where James Murphy and Paudie Kissane caught the eye.
Points from James Murphy ( two) and Paudie Kissane moved them 0-5 to 0-3 clear. However, Charleville finished the half strongly with five points in a seven minute spell giving them a 0-8 to 0-5 lead by the 29th minute. Clyda Rovers responded with two pointed frees by James Murphy to trail at the interval by the narrowest of margins.
On the restart Clyda Rovers moved Paudie Kissane to midfield with Padraigh O'Mullane going to centre forward and were quick to level matters through a James Murphy pointed free. They gave a good account of themselves for the rest of the game but were to score just two more points during the entire half through Ollie O'Hanlon and James Murphy.
Charleville on the otherhand improved greatly but at times found it very hard to break down their opponents. By the end of the third quarter they led 0-11 to 0-9. Gradually, they began to find their feet with Dessie Fitzgerald, Alan O'Connor, Andrew Cagney, Claud Gough, Daniel O'Flynn, Brendan Dennehy and the Gammell brothers finishing well. In the last quarter they forced the Rovers defence to concede a number of frees that Brendan Dennehy was very accurate from and points between the 48th and 52nd minute put a bit of daylight between the sides 0-15 to 0-9.
The winners pushed on from here and in the 54th minute a good clearance out of defence by Derry Murphy found Fergus O'Callaghan who placed Mervyn Gammell for a well taken point. In the closing moments both sides exchanged a point before Paul Gammell completed the scoring at the end of normal time to run out comfortable winners in the end.
