Superb second half sees Mountmellick/Portarlington/Clonaslee seal back-to-back wins
Manny Dunne (Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee) playing this ball in their U/20 HC 'B game against Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe on Bank Holiday Monday Photo: Denis Byrne
Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee 4-12
Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe 1-8
Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee shrugged off a slow start to run out 13-point winners against a brave Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe side in Ratheniska on Bank Holiday Monday morning.
It looked at one stage in the first half the home side were on their way to victory as they led by eight points but slowly but surely Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee chipped away at the lead and got within four points at half time.
They came out a new team after the break and produced stunning hurling to blow the home side away and record an impressive victory.
Brilliant performances from Tom Smith who was lethal from placed balls along with first half sub-Cian Callaghan who ended up with 2-3 led the fightback.
It was the home side that got the scoring underway with a point from Conor Fitzpatrick which was quicky cancelled out by a point from Jordon Downey.
The home side then took control of the game, winning every 50/50 ball and were efficient in front of goal. They hit the next four points with Fitzpatrick, Cian Nolan, Eoin Shortall and Declan Fingleton all raising the white flag.
The first goal came soon after, with great work by Fitzpatrick who found David Duggan and he dispatched the sliotar to the net and things were looking rosy for the home side.
Enda Shortall added another point, before the away side eventually grew into the game. Callaghan came on and scored straight away with Smith also adding a free.
Declan Fingleton got a free of his own to put the gap to seven, but Smith hit three in a row to leave the sides 1-7 to 0-6 at halftime in favour of the home side.
Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee came out with a new energy in the second half and remarkably held the home side to a single point in the half.
Callaghan and Cathal Lee got quick points with the momentum all turning to the away side. Smith added another free to leave a point between the teams with Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe really struggling to get possession.
Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee hit the front with a goal of their own after a long range free from Smith dropped short and straight to the net.
The away side moved through the gears, and it looked like there was one winner. Callaghan and Smith added two more to extend their lead to four.
The home side eventually got a score in the 55th minute through Duggan but they had no answers in the second period.
Smith added another free, before Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee went goal crazy in the final three minutes by finding the net three times, first from Oisin Hade and then Callaghan finished off the game with two brilliant goals to cap off a brilliant second half performance.
Scorers:
Mountmellick-Portarlington-Clonaslee: Tom Smith 1-7 (1-5fs, 0-1 65), Cian Callaghan 2-3, Oisin Hade 1-0, Cathal Lee and Jordan Downey 0-1 each.
Park/Ratheniska-Timahoe: David Duggan 1-1, Conor Fitzpatrick 0-2, Declan Fingleton 0-2, Cian Nolan, Enda Shortall and Eoin Shortall 0-1 each.
MOUNTMELLICK-PORTARLINGTON-CLONASLEE: Paul Mulhall; Paddy Dowling, Rory Culleton, Manny Dunne; Fionn Ownes. Liam Connolly, Pete Culleton; Cathal Lee, Jack Gorman; Jack Weston, Tom Smith, Finn Lyons; Jake Colbert, Peter Foynes, Jordan Downey.
Subs used: Cian Callaghan, Darragh Mulhall and Oisin Hade PARK/RATHENISKA-TIMAHOE: Adam Ramsbottom; Rhys Kelly, Luke Devitt, Conor McDonald; Dylan Roche Duff, Eoin Shortall, Colm Byrne; Robbie Murphy, Cian Nolan; Jimmy Norton, Enda Shortall, Padraig Drennan; Declan Fingleton, Conor Fitzpatrick, David Duggan.
Sub used: Cathal Tierney.
