MATCH REPORT 26th June 2005

Victory - Knockout Champions!

The tone was set a couple of weeks before the match with 18 lads turning up for training on a very cold winters night - everyone was going to have to fight for their place on the team. The lads knew we would be fielding one of the most evenly balanced teams since the inception of the club, and that this would prove to be the building block in how we went on the day. The first 10 minutes of the match was slow to get started with Garryowen very much in the game. But after that, the writing was on the wall with the players starting to settle into their positions and slowly take control. With the back line being very solid and the forwards converting plenty of opportunities, the scores started to flow. The second half proved to be interesting, with Garryowen throwing everything they had at us in the first 5 minutes if they were to get back into the match. Well the skill and fitness was with us on the day and the lads cruised to a very comfortable win in the end. For the first time in a hurling match in Victoria, all of the subs got to play as a new bi-law was introduced to allow 6 subs to rotate on and off the bench for the final. This was a long over due bi-law addition, as it allowed the entire team to get in on the win and celebrate. Congrats to Colm Queally for breaking a record 4 hurls on the day!!! I think we broke 10 hurls during the match which must have been some local record as well.

Team: Martin Ward (VC), Dave O'Brien, Thomas Costello, Kevin McCartney, Colm Queally (Captain), Anthony O'Donoghue, Ger Coakley, Ronan Wall, Conor Fitzgerald, Cillian Ronayne, Martin Hickey, Alan Buckley (VC), Stephen Burke, John Noonan, Jamie Flynn, Geoff Daly, Shane O'Connor, Ian Collins, Sean Aherne, Danny Ruther, Evan Mahoney, Donal O'Brien

Scores: Martin Hickey 0 - 3, Ronan Wall 0 - 4, Alan Buckley 0 - 2, Cillian Ronayne 2 - 0, Jamie Flynn 0 - 5, Shane O'Connor 0 - 1, Ian Collins 1 - 0, Conor Fitzgerald 0 -2

Man of the Match: Jamie Flynn

MATCH REPORT 3rd April 2005

With strong gusty winds Shamrocks decided to play with the wind in the first half. With some assistance our goalie Martin Ward was able to land the sliotar in the opposite goal square on numerous occasions - unfortunately we didn't profit from this. First half scores came from Wall (4), Hickey (1), Ronayne (1) and Daly (1) with a goal from Eddie McDonald (3). We know Sinn Fein would hit us with everything in the second half, but we know that if we could score a few points to greaten the gap we could possibly stop them. With Sinn Fein getting the first few points the lads dug deep to respond with a couple of points, as some begging goals went missing that would have killed off the match. With Sinn Fein slowly creeping back, late in the second half they scored a goal and two late points to earn themselves a draw. Second half point were scored by Hickey (2), Wall (1) and Buckley (1). Unfortunately the 12 wides for the match proved costly, but in saying that we have had a very positive start to the season with a win by one point and a draw. So lets keep up the good work for season 2005.

Team: Martin Ward, John Dorgan, Joe Hogan (Cap), Karol Downes, Alan Buckley, Colm Queally, Martin Hickey, Ger Coakley, Michael Cockrey, Dave O'Brien, Ronan Wall, Cillian Ronagne, Jeff Daly, Evan Mahoney, Eddie McDonald, Thomas Costello, Alan Booth, Ray Carter, Conor Hogan.

Scores: Martin Hickey 0 - 3, Ronan Wall 0 - 5, Alan Buckley 0 - 1, Cillian Ronagne 0 - 1, Jeff Daly 0 - 1, Eddie McDonald 1 - 0.

MATCH REPORT 13th March 2005

This time last year we lost to Garryowen by 1 point with a soft goal in the last minute of the match. This year the roles were reversed :-) . The first half produced plenty of scoring chances, but the heat took its toll on the players in the second half with plenty of wides and tired legs. Shamrocks made three staggered substitutions in the second half which provided that little bit of extra pace to over run the opposition. It was good to see 16 year old substitute Brian Larkin flick the ball over the bar after being only on the field for only a few minutes. The winning goal was scored by Alan Buckley from approx 65 yards out on the side line, with the Garryowen keeper finding the ball just that too hot to handle.

Team: Martin Ward, Sean Aherne, Macdara Hegarty, John Dorgan, Joe Hogan (Cap), Karol Downes, Alan Buckley, Colm Queally, Martin Hickey, Ger Coakley, Michael Cockrey, Dave O'Brien, Ronan Wall, Ken Fitzsimmons, Cillian Ronagne, Tim McCarthy, Jeff Daly, Evan Mahoney, Eddie McDonald, Barry Larkin, Donal O'Brian, Sean Cassidy, Eugene Larkin.

Scores: Martin Hickey 1 - 1, Joe Hogan 1 - 0, Ronan Wall 0 - 2, Barry Larkin 0 - 1, Ken Fitzsimmons 0 - 1, Alan Buckley 1 - 2.

Man of the Match: Martin Ward