Shan the man with Wolfe Tones derby masterplan

*Aron Shanagher holds off Noel Purcell and Seadna Morey. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill.

A first derby victory in a decade was well worth the wait as Wolfe Tones fully merited the garnering of the opening Group 4 points against Sixmilebridge.

Wolfe Tones 2-21
Sixmilebridge 3-16
Venue: Páirc Micheál Uí hEithir, Cratloe

In a typically seesaw neighbourly showdown, the Tones completely blitzed Sixmilebridge with a dream start as a Cian O’Rourke goal after only 70 seconds inspired a 1-9 to 0-2 cushion by the 12th minute. That damage could have been more as Daithi Lohan ploughed through the heart of the ‘Bridge defence only for his point blank shot to be somehow kept out by debutant goalkeeper Mark Sheedy and subsequently cleared off the line by Seadna Morey.

Wolfe Tones looked comfortable but remarkably within nine minutes, that ten point chasm would be slashed to just two as Sixmilebridge finally awoke from their slumber with a hat-trick of goals through new captain Brian Corry, Shane Golden and David Kennedy at 1-11 to 3-03.

All were well-worked passing moves as Kennedy and Golden teed up Corry for the first, Kennedy played in Golden at the back post seven minutes later before Corry returned the favour for David Kennedy to fire to the net at the second attempt following a brilliant Oisin O’Rourke stop.

With a strong wind at their backs, the Shannon side needed a tangible cushion to cling to by the break and with Aron Shanagher an outstanding puck-out machine and Aaron Cunningham an excellent targetman despite being alone in the inside line for long periods, Barry Keane’s side did admirably answer the call.

In the 26th minute, an Oisin O’Rourke restart was inevitably fielded by Shanagher whose inch-perfect ball over the top picked out the run of Sean Murphy to cut inside and unleash an unstoppable shot pasty Sheedy.

Accentuated by injury-time points for defensive rocks Darragh Lohan and Rory Hayes, Wolfe Tones restored a six point advantage by the break at 2-14 to 3-05.

While a Sixmilebridge storm was anticipated with the conditions now at their backs, the Tones were the ones to again start the brighter, with Cunningham (2) and the returning Ben O’Gorman stretching the gap to eight by the two-thirds mark at 2-18 to 3-07.

Indeed, Shanagher’s strength under puck-outs and Cunningham’s strength and experience to hold up the ball inside were two key components which Sixmilebridge ultimately lacked in a rather blunt attacking performance that was only saved by the freetaking mastery of Jamie Shanahan.

In all, the former county senior would raid for nine of Sixmilebridge’s eleven second half scores, seven of which stemmed from placed balls which was a credit to him but also an indictment of the lack of threat from his six offensive team-mates.

A six point Shanahan rally between the 40th and 50th minutes would lower the arrears to just a goal and with Wolfe Tones beginning to falter in terms of shooting accuracy themselves, there was plenty of time for the ‘Bridge to pull off a great escape.

That it didn’t happen came down to a gritty defensive effort from the Tones as Darragh Lohan produced a timely interception as substitute Alan Mulready looked to tee up Brian Corry for what would have been an equalising goal in the 57th minute.

Seanda Morey also had a surging run and shot just deflected enough to divert it away from goal. So while Cathal Malone and Jamie Shanahan did lower the arrears to just the minimum by the 63rd minute, crucially it was their Shannon neighbours who would win the final puck-out as Shanagher was fouled for fellow starmen Cunningham to put the long overdue icing on a sweet derby cake.

All photographs by Gerard O’Neill.

Scorers for Wolfe Tones: Aaron Cunningham 0-8 (4f), Sean Murphy 1-2, Darragh Lohan 0-4 (3f), Cian O’Rourke 1-1, Aron Shanagher 0-3, Dean Devanney 0-1, Rory Hayes 0-1, Ben O’Gorman 0-1

Scorers for Sixmilebridge: Jamie Shanahan 0-10 (8f), David Kennedy 1-1, Cathal Malone 0-3, Brian Corry 1-0, Shane Golden 1-0, Luke O’Halloran 0-2 (1f)

Wolfe Tones
1: Oisin O’Rourke

17: Brian Murphy
3: Darragh Lohan
2: Liam Murphy

27: Rory Hayes
6: Evan O’Gorman
7: John Guilfoyle

8: Sam Meaney
9: Daithi Lohan

5: Ben O’Gorman
11: Aron Shanagher
10: Sean Murphy

14: Cian O’Rourke
13: Aaron Cunningham
15: Dean Devanney

Subs
24: Jack Cunningham for Murphy (50),
12: Dylan Frawley for C. O’Rourke (55)
25: Gavin Carrig for B. O’Gorman (62)

Sixmilebridge
1: Mark Sheedy

2: Fiachra Ó Braoin
8: Matthew O’Halloran
3: Noel Purcell

4: Pa Mulready
6: Seadna Morey
7: Paidi Fitzpatrick

10: Lorcan Fitzpatrick
11: Jamie Shanahan

5: Conor Deasy
9: Cathal Malone
12: Luke O’Halloran