Tooreen's 'Drive For Five' remains on course
Tooreen’s Fergal Boland has his eyes firmly fixed on the sliothar as St. Gabriel’s Niall Broderick gives chase during the AIB Connacht Intermediate Hurling Championship semi-final at Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon, this afternoon. Picture: David Farrell Photography
Tooreen are now one win away from a provincial five-in-a-row after they defeated London champions St Gabriel's 1-22 to 1-12 in Hyde Park this afternoon to reach the AIB Connacht club intermediate hurling final.
The ten-point margin did not tell the full story, with Tooreen reeling off six points late on. St Gabriel's led by the bare minimum, 1-7 to 0-9, at half-time, the goal coming from Danny Coyne on 26 minutes. Fiachra Fitzpatrick caught a loose pass in the Tooreen backline before he fed Coyne to finish from close range.
After Coyne's opening point in the second half for Gabriel's, they would not score for another 19 minutes as Tooreen hit 1-6 without reply. Shane and Fergal Boland, Sean Kenny, Kenny Feeney and Eoin Delaney got the points while Delaney started and finished the move for their goal on 43 minutes.
Gabriel's responded with four of the next five points but another goal was not forthcoming, largely due to the Tooreen backline with some excellent blocks while goalkeeper Bobby Douglas denied Coyne a second major late on, and Tooreen roared on to set up a meeting with Galway champions Tynagh-Abbey/Duniry in two weeks time.
