Walsh strikes late to seal a share of the spoils for the hoops

Jack Walsh came up trumps for Navan O'Mahonys in their SHC game with Dunderry.

Navan O’Mahonys 1-14

Dunderry 0-17

Jack Walsh hit a last-minute ‘65’ to clinch a share of the spoils for Navan O’Mahonys with Dunderry in the SHC on Saturday in Athboy. The draw gave the Brews Hill side a first point in Group B. Walsh was outstanding throughout and there was only two scores that O’Mahonys secured that didnt have some sort of Walsh involvement. Walsh scored 10 points himself and 1-2 of O’Mahony’s tally came from a Walsh shot that just dropped short into the danger area. Mark Leavy hit six points for Dunderry, while wing-back William Treacy was very influential for the men in black.

Nolan nearly got Dunderry off to the perfect start when Rian Fay set him up for a goal chance but the full-forward's effort flashed just wide.  They got off the mark a minute later when William Treacy set up Leavy before Leavy returned the favour and assisted Treacy to put Dunderry into an early two-point lead. O’Mahonys found their rythem and after 15 minutes the sides were level with three points apiece.

Dunderry then seized momentum and hit the next three points courtesy of a brace from Nolan and a second point for Treacy. A Walsh free came up just short and Tom Condon was alive to the danger to capitalize. In an almost carbon copy play two minutes before the interval, Condon again captalised on a Walsh effort that didnt reach the target and this time the corner-forward found the back of the net.

In injury time, Dunderry outscored Navan O’Mahonys by two points to one and the sides went in at the break with Dunderry leading narrowly, 0-9 to 1-5.

Right from the throw-in, Adam Kelly extended the gap to two before Navan O’Mahonys took control and hit three points on the spin through a brace from Condon and one from Walsh as the Brews Hill side hit the front. Two points in quick succession from Leavy handed the advantage back to Dunderry before Walsh hit three fress to Nolan’s one between the 36th and 47th minute to leave Navan O’Mahonys narrowly ahead by 1-11 to 0-13.

Dunderry bounced back with points from Leavy and Kelly before those scores were cancelled out by two more Walsh frees. Tommy Leavys side drew level when Barron slotted a good score before Nolan edged them in front with very little time left. With the last strike of the sliotar, Walsh split the posts with a ‘65’  to level the sides again and soon after, Jimmy Greville’s final whistle sounded.

Navan O’Mahonys - John Foley; Michael Reavey, Ben McEntagart, Finn McNally; Eoghan Nugent, Cormac O’Shea, Mark Usher; Jack Flynn , Evan Cully; Jack Walsh (0-10 eight frees, one ‘65’), Cormac Keyes, Finn Malone; Tom Condon (1-3), Shane McCarthy, Sean McDermott (0-1). Subs - Lorcan McDermott for Cully 17m, Jack McConnell for Usher half-time, Dermot McKenna for O’Shea, Paddy Dillon for Sean McDermott both 43m.

Dunderry - Jack Fagan; Darragh Fay, Ronan Brady, TJ Loughran; William Treacy (0-2), Fionn McHale, Niall O Laoire; Adam Kelly (0-2), Niall Darcy; Cathal Barron (0-2), Liam Dempsey, Rian Fay; Mark Leavy (0-6), Evan Nolan (0-5 five frees) , Conor Leavy. Subs - Martin Jordan for Darcy, Jamie Duffy for McHale.

Referee - Jimmy Greville (Westmeath).