O’Flynn Leads Score Fest

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Irish Voice Sport

O’Flynn Leads Score Fest

March 26, 2008

Irish Defense Forces 5-17 New York 0-11

THE hurling encoun-ter was level just once on Saturday at Gaelic Park, with the Army having far too many guns, if you pardon the pun, for a depleted New York side.

The pairing of O’s, Shaughnessy and O’Flynn, accounted for 4-10, with the Corkman Flynn clinical from frees from the half way line on. They were helped to victory by a dominating full back line where Canice Brennan was outstanding.

The locals will look at the contest as one where they knew the talent they were up against. They are to be admired for battling to the very end despite the insurmountable odds.

If their full panel were available it would it have been much different. When the sanctions arrive for the summer then the feasibility for an inter-continental championship is still valid, with Boston and Chicago opponents.

The Army had two wides to open the game before Andrew O’Shaughnessy tapped over from play. New York, however, had chances of their own, and Kieran Bergin tapped wide when leaving his man for dead before Donal Broderick had the equalizer.

The Army had a huge break when Diarmuid O’Flynn went on a long solo run and looked to be stopped before he got a one handed swing to the ball and stuck it in the net.

It did not bode well for the home side, but they reacted with a second point from Donal Broderick after a long clearance by Ritchie Gaule on 10 minutes.

The Army were not in a generous mood, however, and a pointed free from Brendan McEnerney was followed by a superbly struck goal from the same player when David Broderick did the spade work with a long solo run on the right wing.

It was followed by a third point from Donal Broderick, but that was against the flow of play as the Cork player was the lone forward who was being productive at this point.

The middle line for the visitors was dominant at this point, with Brennan, the former county player for Kilkenny, particularly impressive. Richard McGrath and Gerard Walsh were in control further out the field with both nullifying the New York treats time and again.

The shooting woes of the traveling team helped New York stay close to their foes, and they had their best period of the game in the last eight minutes of the half. Donal Broderick had his fourth of the afternoon and finally Bergin came alive.

He had a brace of points, the second of which was an excellent score on the turn. It brought the deficit back to a goal as the first half wound to its close before O’Shaughnessy had the closing score to make the half time lead 2-4 to 0-6 for the visitors.

The second half was only seconds in when a free was awarded for foul play against the New York midfield, and O’Flynn drove high and true between the posts from the center of the pitch.

Brendan McEnerney added a free when he was fouled before Bergin had a good point on the run for the locals.

The wave arrived, however, for the Army squad in the next eight minutes. They scored 2-4 without reply, with O’Shaughnessy snatching the pair of goals.

The reply from New York was three pints from Brendan Liffey, brilliant from wide on the right, Donal Broderick and Dave Simms, but the game now was trotting instead of cantering as the Army lead was insurmountable.

O’Flynn added 1-4 to his total in the waning minutes and the defense clamped down as they shut New York out.

For the home squad the undefeated streak ended, but Ronan Sheedy, who did well when relocated to goal, Ray Duggan, Aidan Power, Donal Broderick, who was New York’s best player, and Kieran Bergin in spells were best.

New York: 1 Dave Simms (0-1), 2 Mike Dolan, 3 Phil Wickham, 4 Ronan Sheedy, 5 Ray Duggan, 6 Ritchie Gaule, 7 Aidan Power, 8 Mike Stretch, 9 Dave Loughnane (0-1), 10 Brendan Liffey (0-1), 11 Donal Broderick (0-5), 12 Graham McGuire, 13 Mike Maher, 14 Kieran Bergin (0-3), 15 Brendan McNaughton. Subs: Kevin Quinn, Mike Quinn, Damien Clifford, Thomas Russell.

Armed Forces: 1 Kieran Brennan, 2 Jack Maher, 3 Canice Brennan, 4 Noel Daly, 5 Willie Halpin, 6 Richard McGrath, 7 Donal Franks, 8 Conor O’Shea (0-1), 9 Gerard Walsh (0-3), 10 David Broderick, 11 Diarmuid O’Flynn (2-7), 12 Kieran Kennedy, 13 Andrew O’Shaughnessy (2-3), 14 Brendan McEnerney (1-3), 15 J.D. Murphy. Subs: Thomas Mansfield, Paddy Maher (0-1).

Referee: Dermot Flynn.

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