
Courtesy of the Kilkenny People.
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Published on the03 August 2013 10:59
This was a typical bottom of the table junior hurling league clash between neighbouring parishes with both vying for bragging rights.
Windgap may not have had the better, more polished hurlers, but what they lacked in style they made up for it in pure passion.
That was the difference between both these teams and with this determination Windgap will certainly battle any threat of relegation come championship time.
The ’Lockes remain a mystery really and puzzles one to wonder how the mighty have fallen in such a short few years since contesting an All-Ireland club final.
The ’Lockes got off to a flying start with a goal from Eoin McGrath, who split the Windgap defence in half after just two minutes. It looked as if the ’Lockes were setting out their stall from the start.
But Cian Ryan and the veteran, Philly Lonergan, kept the Windgap lads in touch and it was in fact big Philly who was to be the thorn in the Lockes defence as he put on a man of the match performance at full forward. Windgap continued to improve and were always in the game.
On 23 minutes John Lockes full forward, Shane Bergin, gathered a wonderful pass from Eoin McGrath which was initially started by Josh Haines and blasted the ball to the net.
Simon Burke added a point but Windgap finished the stronger with points from Thomas Fleming and Peter Hennessy.
The score at the break read John Lockes 2-4, Windgap’s 0-9.
The second half was a tit for tat affair with both teams swapping points with very little excitement. The Lockes moved into a four- point lead half way through the 2nd half leading 2-09 to 0-11 but this proved to be the Lockes final score of the game as their legs noticeably tired.
The fitter Windgap started to up the ante with Gary Lyons always looked dangerous at corner forward and got his just rewards when he narrowed the gap to three points with an excellently taken point.
The turning point was Lonergan’s goal with a minute remaining to level the game and 2 minutes into additional time Cian Ryan got the winning score from a 40 mitre free.
Best for Windgap were Philly Lonergan, Peter Landy, Darragh O’Shea, Cian Ryan, Thomas Fleming, Tommy Lonergan, Gary Lyons. For John Lockes Jack McDowell, Tony Delaney, Simon Burke, Eoin McGrath, Josh Haines, and John O’Neill were best.
The bragging rights belong to the men in red, and deservedly so.
Scorers: Windgap - Phil Lonergan (1-2); Cian Ryan (0-5, three frees, one ’65); Tommy Fleming, Padraig Walsh (0-2 each); Peter Hennessy, Gary Lyons (0-1). John Lockes - Simon Burke (0-6, three frees); Eoin McGrath (1-0); Shane Bergin (1-1); Bill McCormack, Josh Haines (0-1 each).
Windgap - Niall Walsh, Aidan Mackey, Peter Landy, Darragh O’Shea, Ger Purcell, Matty Enright, Conor Lonergan, Peter Hennessy, Willie Phelan, Cian Ryan, Tommy Lonergan, Thomas Fleming, Gary Lyons, Philly Lonergan, Padraig Walsh.
John Lockes - Brendan Grace, Eogan Fahey, Jack McDowell, Liam Kennedy, Tony Delaney, Jim Power, Mark Nolan, Eoin McGrath, Simon Burke, Josh Haines, John O’Neill, Bill McCormack, Dan McCormack, Shane Bergin, Ger Shelly. Sub - Ryan Bergin.