(JJ Hurley)
Sliabh Rua’s U14 hurlers took full advantage of home status as they lifted the Donie Lordan Trophy at Riverstick on Saturday.
In what was a competitive afternoon of hurling, the local side had to earn their success in the annual U14 tournament as they faced stiff competition from Carrigaline, Kinsale and their neighbours Ballinhassig.
Kieran Lordan, who presented the trophy, along with his son, Harry, to Sliabh Rua’s victorious captain Ewen Coleman, said, ‘I was delighted with the standard of hurling on view and the young lads provided some fantastic entertainment.’
It was hard to argue with Lordan’s comments, as the level of stickwork deserved much credit to the team’s selectors, who are obviously working hard in ensuring the fundamentals of the game are instilled in their charges.
The striking of points from both the dead ball and on the run from distance was very evident on Saturday as Noah Mehigan, Kinsale, Alex Haughney, Sliabh Rua and Darragh Virgo Carrigaline all hit some fine scores from out the field.
The Sliabh Rua team with their mentors seen here after their victory in the Donie Lordan Tournament in Riverstick today.
In the modern game, where goals and the foundations for creating goal scoring opportunities are becoming even more important, Ballinhassig’s Danny Farrell, Sliabh Rua’s Tiernan Murphy, Carrigaline’s Danny O’Keeffe and Kinsale forward Joe O’Sullivan are certainly developing along those lines.
With the division currently possessing the county’s senior keeper, Patrick Collins, Ballinhassig, on today’s evidence there is plenty more waiting to emerge from the Carrigdhoun production line in the form of Kinsale’s Archie O’Callaghan, Ballinhassig’s Jason Looney and Carrigaline’s Evan McSweeney.
To be fair, the standard among all those who took part was extremely high and others who impressed were Brian McCarthy, Shay Lynch, Ross Taylor, Max Connolly, Oisin O’ Hallihan and Senan Horan.
Deserving huge credit for the afternoon were the referees, both from Ballinhassig, Con Coughlan and Shane Kearney, were kept busy over seeing three games each.
The annual tournament, which has run since 2007, a year after the Ballymartle stalwart passed away, remembers Donie’s contribution to the development of the club.
A member of the Ballymartle winning Junior County side in 1958, he also togged out with Kinsale for football and played with them in a county junior football final in 1958 also.
While a serious leg injury forced him to cut his playing career short, he was a selector in 1985, when Ballymartle captured the county junior title, defeating Meelin.
The coordinator of Saturday’s tournament, Peter McDonald, who remembered Lordan in his address before the presentation of the trophy, also thanked all the teams, mentors, officials, supporters and volunteers in making the day such a success.
Kieran and Harry Lordan presenting the Donie Lordan Trophy to Ewen Coleman in Riverstick today.
Results: Carrigaline 3- 3 to Kinsale 2 -4, Kinsale 2 -7 to Ballinhassig 2 -3, Carrigaline 3 -4 to 1 -4 Ballinhassig, Sliabh Rua 3-4 Kinsale 1-7, Sliabh Rua 1-9 Carrigaline 0-3 and Sliabh Rua 3-7, Ballinhassig 1-3.
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