u11 hurlers trip to Cuala….
Both teams put in a great hour's work in Shankill on Saturday morning as we beat Cuala comprehensively in both matches we played. The most pleasing aspect of both games was not the score but the fantastic effort put in by all the lads from start to finish.
In one match the high tempo was set by Jack Boyne right from the throw in and kept up for the whole game as we dominated possession around the middle of the field throughout. Dylan Andrews and Jack controlled the middle and anything that got over them was swept up Sean Guiden and Darragh McLoughney in the half back line. The long deliveries from all four kept the pressure on the far side for most of the match.
Up front David Deneher led the line well winning almost every ball that came in while Matthew Brenner was the scoring hero bagging a hat trick for himself before the game was out, an absolutely cracking first one followed by two ‘poachers’ goals later on. The other two goals we scored came from long range frees by Sean Guiden and Dylan Andrews as the forwards made sufficient nuisances of themselves in front of goal to ensure the balls in got all the way through to the net.
It was a feature of the game we never let Cuala settle in possession and every player could be very proud of the amount of hooks and blocks that we put in throughout the game. Ollie Twomey and Daire De Burca worked their socks off in this respect, and were often blocking clearances one minute and hooking shots on goal the next.
Anything that slipped past the barricade in the middle was snuffed out by that resolute defender Tom Bennett who got to everything that came in and few that got past from there were gobbled up by Conor Hoyne in goal and his clearances put us back on the attack straight away.
A great, hardworking performance all round brought its own rewards on the scoreboard so well done all round.
In the second match Syls were always on top yet we could not find a way through some excellent and resolute Cuala defending. Timmy O’Connor was lording it in midfield and once Conor O’Brien made the breakthrough, Jojo Thabo followed up with a point and we were off and running.
2 great goals from midfield dynamo, Craig McGrattan had us turning at half time in control. In fairness to Cuala they never gave up and only a cracking save from Niall Smyth and resolute defending from Sean Curran and Killian Bousfield kept them at bay.
In the second half we started on top once again and with Krishna Joyce proving a handful up from (scoring one great goal and almost a second), Aaron Lambe O’Callaghan grabbing another and Niall Smyth getting his customary poachers goal we were well on top. The lads never gave up with Euan Farquarson having his best game in some time, Joaquin Shinbach letting nothing past him at midfield and Timmy O’Connor peppering the goal with long range shots the result never looked in doubt.
Well done to all, lets keep up the good work in training.
Pat, Jimmy & Ernie
Ps winners of the tickets to Croke Park on Sunday were Daire de Burca, Aaron Coleman, Robert Meehan, Eoghan Buckley and Killian Bousfield. Hope you all enjoyed the double header.