Clinical Effin see off late Granagh-Ballingarry comeback in Limerick Premier intermediate hurling championship

EFFIN have secured their fourth win in the Lyons of Limerick County Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship after a clinical 2-21 to 1-16 victory over Granagh-Ballingarry in Ballyagran this Saturday evening. 

The South Limerick-based team enjoyed the lead from the beginning of the game courtesy of an fantastic opening ten minutes in which they scored 1-7 to Granagh's one-point. A stand-out performance from Effin's joint-captain Patrick O'Donovan saw him score 2-10 for his side throughout the contest. 

Granagh-Ballingarry hit back though after a tough opening 30 minutes as they came into their own on the 40 minute mark slotting over a number of points, mainly from Sean O'Connor, but unfortunately the damage of the first-half onslaught from Effin was enough to see them win the game out-right.

Effin began the game at a blistering pace as Ewan Dillon and Ruairí O'Connor got back-to-back scores within the opening minute of the match. Granagh struggled to pick out their own men from the puck-outs with Effin pressing up hard in the first few minutes. 

This led to Patrick O'Donovan getting his hands on the sliothar as he sprinted towards the goal making it all look very easy as his shot hit the back of Granagh-Ballingarry's net to put them 1-2 to 0-0 up after two minutes. 

After a quick start from the opposition, Granagh got on the scoreboard with a point from Damien O'Donovan after three minutes. This would be their only score for another 16 minutes as Effin pushed on once again. 

Scores seemed to come easily for John Fitzgerald's side, as their pace on and off the ball was extremely impressive, with Patrick O'Donovan, Thomas Quaid and Ewan Dillion all slotting over points to put them 1-7 to 0-1 up after 13 minutes of play. 

Granagh hit back in the closing ten minutes of the half with all points from play courtesy of midfielder Darragh Casey and Cathal O'Keeffe, but it was Effin that maintained their large lead at the break 1-12 to 0-6. 

It was Effin that opened up the scoring in the second-half with an O'Donovan free closely followed by Granagh's effort from Darragh Casey. Two more scores for the south Limerick-based side saw them comfortably in the lead, 1-15 to 0-8 after 35 minutes.

Granagh-Ballingarry were determined not to let Effin run away with the game as they came into their own on the 40 minute mark scoring five points within those ten minutes before substitute Paudie Murphy saw his opportunity to get a goal for his side as he was left totally unmarked, rifling the shot into the back of Effin's net to leave the scoreboard at 1-17 to 1-13, still in Effin's favour. 

This goal unfortunately was cancelled out almost immediately as Patrick O'Donovan used his foot work to get around the Granagh-Ballingarry defenders to get his second goal of the game and put Effin ahead once again.

Effin solidified their win with a further four points after O'Donovan's goal as Granagh finished up with three points of their own, two from Sean O'Connor's frees, and the final from Cathal O'Keeffe, but the first-half display from Effin was enough to maintain the lead winning on a scoreline of 2-21 to 1-16.

SCORERS EFFIN: Patrick O'Donovan 2-10, Ewan Dillon 0-4, Thomas Quaid 0-2, Ruairí O'Connor, Pierse O'Kelly, Fergal O'Connor, Jack Quaid and Edna Kelly 0-1 each. GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Sean O'Connor 0-8 (0-6 frees), Darragh Casey 0-4, Paudie Murphy 1-0, Cathal O'Keeffe 0-3, Damien O'Donovan 0-1.

EFFIN: James O'Leary, Mark Mullins, Alan Byrne, Sean Canning, Michael Rea, Nickie Quaid (JC), Fergal O'Connor, Clive Doherty, Cillian O'Riordan, Ruairí O'Connor, Jack Quaid, Ewan Dillon, Patrick O'Donovan (JC), Thomas Quaid, Pierse O'Kelly. SUBS: Robert Cagney for S Canning (44 minutes), Patrick Carroll for P O'Kelly (49 minutes), Enda Kelly for T Quaid (54 minutes)

GRANAGH-BALLINGARRY: Denis O'Connor, Eoghan Casey, John Kealy, Brian Sheehy, Ronan Mullane, Jack Cagney (C), Colm Noonan, Josh Mulcaire-Quille, Darragh Casey, Michael Russell, Cathal O'Keeffe, Sean O'Connor, Damien O'Donovan, Luke Flynn, Eoin Lynch.  SUBS: Paudie Murphy for C Noonan (Half-Time), David Condron for J Mulcaire-Quille (54 minutes), Eoin Horgan for E Lynch (57 minutes), Eoin Herlihy for R Mullane (60 minutes)

REFEREE: John O'Halloran