Moytura have no answer to the magic of Morley

County Junior ‘A’ Hurling Championship – Round 2 

Tooreen 5-15 

Moytura 2-16 

Stuart Tynan at Adrian Freeman Park 

The Tooreen junior side got their championship off to a winning start after an eight-point win over a gallant Moytura in Adrian Freeman Park last Saturday evening.

Brian Morley was the star of the show for the home side, scoring 3-6, while there were impressive performances from James Byrne, Joe Boyle, Stephen Coyne and Shane Gallagher. The South Mayo side were very competitive throughout and Brendan Sheridan’s flawless free-taking kept Moytura in the game but a fortuitous goal by Joe Boyle in the final five minutes ended their hopes and leaves Sean Granahan’s side propping up the table after losing their opening two games.

The sides were locked at 0-3 each after the opening ten minutes after a frantic start. Wing backs Jake Glavey and Evan Heraty exchanged scores to level it for a fourth time before Sheridan’s second free put the visitors in front.

Moytura would score only one point in the second quarter, however, as Tooreen upped the tempo. They got their first goal on 17 minutes when Stephen Coyne set up Brian Morley to fire past Gary Hopkins, a mere 30 seconds after the same duo combined but Hopkins pulled off a remarkable save to deny Morley.

The goalscorer added another two points, as well as James Byrne scoring two more frees and one point coming from play by Sean Lynskey, while Byrne turned provider for Morley and he hit a piledriver into the roof of the net to see Tooreen lead 2-9 to 0-6 at half-time.

A Morley double extended their lead before a hat-trick of Sheridan frees kept Moytura on the home side’s heels. The Blue Devils, however, would then score 1-3 without reply, with Morley completing his hat-trick, to lead 3-15 to 0-9 on 43 minutes.

Moytura responded with a goal of their own a minute later after substitute James Biggins got a touch on Sheridan’s free to direct it past Sean Óg Frayne. Sheridan, a free, and Morley traded scores when the Moytura centre-forward hit five frees on the spin, each score increasing in distance and difficulty, to bring the gap back to six and breathe life back into this contest with five minutes to go.

A minute later, Tooreen looked like they had secured the win, when a free by Tooreen centre-half Joe Boyle from 45 metres sailed over everyone and into the roof of the net. Again, Moytura responded with 1-1, Biggins appearing to get the decisive strike to send the small ball over the line after a shot driven in led to a scramble in the square, before a penalty by James Byrne all but secured the win for Tooreen. They will now look to make it two wins from two when they face Castlebar Mitchels this weekend.

Scorers – Tooreen: Brian Morley 3-6, James Byrne 1-5 (1-0p, 0-3f), Joe Boyle 1-1 (1-0f), Darragh Freeman, Jake Glavey and Sean Lynskey 0-1 each.

Moytura: Brendan Sheridan 0-13 (11f), James Biggins 2-0, Sean Heraty, Kevin O’Brien and Evan Heraty 0-1 each.

Tooreen: Sean Óg Frayne; Darren Murray, Shane Crinnigan, Jack Trench; Padraig Mooney, Joe Boyle, Jake Glavey; Fiachra Glavey, Shane Gallagher; Brian Morley, Stephen Coyne, Eddie Groarke; Darragh Freeman, James Byrne, Sean Lynskey. Subs: Darragh Ganley (for Freeman 46), James Frayne (for Groarke 56), Eoin Conway (for Lynskey 58).

Moytura: Gary Hopkins; Patrick Byrne, Liam Mullaly, Conor Doyle; Conor Omalley, Micheal Varley, Evan Heraty; Sean Heraty, Joe Burke; Sean McGahon, Brendan Sheridan, Johnny Granahan; David Lynagh, Brian Collins, Kevin O’Brien. Subs: Gerard Lynagh (fore McGahon 28), James Biggins (for D Lynagh ht), Brian Mullins (for O’Brien 45).

REF: Michael Herr (Crossmolina)