Four-in-a-row as Wolfe Tones captue senior hurling title

09.10.10 | SHC Final | Wolfe Tones 2-10 Clonguish 1-10 | By Jonathan O’Meara

Wolfe Tones claimed their fourth successive Longford Senior Hurling Championship title after they saw off a strong challenge from Clonguish at Pearse Park last Saturday after extra-time.  

Edgeworthstown however had to dig deep for this victory and a late point from Martin Coyle proved to be the pivotal moment as he forced this entertaining encounter into extra- time.

Clonguish displayed all the early form in the opening exchanges and raced into a commanding lead. They drew first blood midway through the first half after full-forward Neil Casey pounced onto the breaking ball and fired his shot into the roof of John Nolan’s net.

The Tones’ response nevertheless was almost immediate and they narrowed the margins back to level terms when Andy Kelly got things back on track with a well taken shot that sailed into the bottom right hand corner.

Entering extra-time Wolfe Tones grew in confidence with each passing minute and they finally found the breakthrough in second period when substitute John Cullen bagged a brilliant goal that subsequently secured them their fourth consecutive title, a remarkable achievement for the mid-Longford hurling club.

SCORES: Clonguish: J O’Brien 0-7, (6f); C Corcoran 0-1, N Casey 1-1; B Burke 0-1; Wolfe Tones: N Cox 0-2; A Kelly 1-1; M Coyle 0-3; S Hannon 0-1; P Cullen 0-3 (2f); J Cullen 1-0

WOLFE TONES: John Nolan, Sean McNally, Thomas Stakem, Kevin Shine, Joe Dempsey, Sean Browne, Nathan Cox, John Lynam, Benny Stakem, Andy Kelly, Martin Coyle, Seamus Hannon, Mark Cassidy, John Newman, Paddy Cullen.

SUBS USED:- Jamie Carroll for J Dempsey 19th; John Cullen for K Shine 42nd; Kealan Cox for A Kelly 64th.  

CLONGUISH: Eanna Daly, James Devine, Fergal Daly, Paul Barden, Padraig McGuinness, John O’Brien, Anthony Corcoran, Brendan Burke, Paddy Dowd, Thomas Prunty, Joe O’Brien, Ciaran Corcoran, John MInnock, Neil Casey, Stephen Connolly,

SUBS USED:- Paddy Corcoran for P Barden 23rd; Dermot Kiernan for J Minnock 37th; John Minnock for E Daly inj 51st; Rory Breslin for D Kiernan 61st.    

REFEREE: F Brennan (Westmeath).