First-half blitz fires Tooreen to county double
Castlebar Mitchels’ Anthony Rowland breaks away from Tooreen’s David Delaney during the Connacht Gold Mayo U20 'A' Hurling Championship final at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar, last Saturday evening. Pictures: David Farrell Photography
Tooreen are the county U20 ‘A’ hurling champions after a big win over Castlebar Mitchels at MacHale Park on Saturday evening.
It was as comprehensive as the scoreline suggested and by half-time, Tooreen had already scored 3-15 of their overall tally, hitting just two points in the second half.
Mitchels were much improved in the second period of play and a heavy defeat like this will have lessons attached; now they know the benchmark that Tooreen have set and they have to reach as they progress to senior hurling in the years to come.
Before James Byrne scored the opening goal in the 7th minute, Tooreen already had seven points on the board to Castlebar’s single score.
James Greally, James Byrne (a free) and Oisin Casey all got one while Fionn and David Delaney had a brace apiece. Oisin Mulroy got Mitchels moving with a lovely score from play but Tooreen responded with a goal. Byrne’s long-range effort went all the way through and into the net.
Fionn Delaney and goalscorer Byrne added further points before Colm Enright responded with a free for Mitchels. Sean Lynskey scored his first of the half and David Delaney added another. Enright hit a free over with 15 minutes played but it would Castlebar’s last score of the half as Tooreen ran roughshod.
Fionn Delaney hit the back of the net after collecting a sumptuous pass from Oisin Casey. The same man hit another point to add to Matthew Delaney’s peach from distance. Sean Lynskey then hit 1-2 to end the half, the points coming either side of the goal. It was a well-worked move as Cillian Mooney found Fionn Delaney in the full-forward line. He played it off to Lynskey, who dinked the small ball past the Mitchels keeper.
To Mitchels credit, they were the better of the teams in the second half and one wonders how much more of a contest this could have been had they stopped the Tooreen train slightly earlier. In particular, it was the Colm Enright show, as he hit all seven of Mitchels second half points to bring his tally to 0-9 for the game.
They also managed to hit the back of the net with Lee Hennigan smashing in a shot after some good buildup play. Tooreen’s big lead was insurmountable however, and they added to it with second half points from Fionn Delaney and Brian Greally to secured a second county title in two days following on from their junior 'A' win the previous evening.
