INTERMEDIATE HURLING

Ferrybank Intermediate Hurlers were defeated tonight by De La Salle in their final game in the Gerry Kennedy Sponsored competition on a scoreline of 3-12 to 1-14. Despite this result, Ferrybank have qualified for the quater finals of the competition, which are scheduled to take place w/ending 23/24/25 August with their opponents yet to be confirmed. Despite missing a few regulars on the night, the better team won the match, as they took their goals chances, even though Ferrybank gifted their opponents the goals at crucial stages of the match, and conceeded some soft frees which were punished. De La Salle aided with the wind opened up a three point lead early on, but after seven minutes and long ball down to the De La Salle box was gathered by Chris Hoban, and he kicked the ball to the net to level it up. Minutes later De La Salle got a goal of their own, when some hesitant Ferrybank defending resulted in the ball ending up in the net. De La Salle got three more points from frees to extend their lead but a pointed free from Mark O' Brien reduced the gap. Ferrybank found it hard to get going during that opening with a lot of unforced errors, which De La Salle capitalised on. In the last five minutes of the first half, Ferrybank, came into the game by putting over four points through MJ Sutton, Sam Lawless,Mark O' Brien, Damien Heffernan to leave it 1-8 to 1-5 at the break. With the breeze in the second half, early scores from Cormac Heffernan, Mark O' Brien reduced the gap to the miminum. Points were then exchanged with Sam Lawless putting over his second score with a good point, but De la Salle got their second goal, when Ferrybank lost possession in midfield, and the ball was played through into the Ferrybank defence, and despite a suspicion of a square ball the De La Salle forward put the ball into the net to leave it 2-9 to 1-8. Two frees from Mark O' Brien reduced the gap to two points. Ferrybanks forwards were finding it tough going as De La Salle played an extra man in defence in the second half, snuffing out any goal threats. With the game in the balance, De la Salle got a thrid goal when some dreadful defending gifted DLS with an easy goal to make it 3-11 to 1-11 entering the closing minutes. Further scores from Mark and MJ closed the gap but the whistle went resulting in De La Salle running out winners on the night. As said earlier Ferrybank have qualified for the quater finals, but will have to cut out the unforced errors they made tonight, if they want to want to have a say in the competition. Thanks to all who came along and supported the team on the night. TEAM: Sean Flynn, Graham Coady, Damien Walsh, Connor Hogan, Andrew Heffernan, Damien Heffernan(-1), Shane Sullivan, Phil Blake, Luke Flynn, MJ Sutton(-2), Sam Lawless(-2), Mark O' Brien(-8), Eoin O' Neill, Chris Hoban(1-0), Cormac Heffernan(-1), John Ahern, Robbie Carew, Tommy Carew.