Our u12 hurlers went up to Rossa Park to take on our great rivals on their own patch and were not given much of a chance. However, the management team and the lads went with belief and knowing that they could cause an upset.
Rossa won the toss and elected to play with the breeze and into the club house goal. They got off to a fast start and in the first ten minutes, they went 1-3 to no score in front. Naomh Eoin then got on the score sheet with a point from David Robinson. A couple of soft frees gave Rossa the chance to extend their lead to 1-5 to 0-1 at halftime.
The game seemed to be going the way most people imagined but with a rallying of the boys at halftime they came out and were by far the better team in the second half. All the lads on the pitch give it their all and a goal from Setanta McCallin pumped a new level of belief into the boys.
Rossa answered with a point (which was their only score of the second half) to put 5 between the teams with ten minutes to go. Naomh Eoin were not done yet and battled bravely all over the pitch with the defence playing exceptionally well to hold out a big and strong Rossa team. The midfield for Naomh Eoin now had control of the game and a superbly taken goal from Conor Hand put two between the teams.
With 5 minutes to go the ball fell in and around the Rossa box and by a shear miracle the ball did not end up in the back of the Rossa net. With just 2 minutes to go Naomh Eoin got a 65, which struck the crossbar!!! and with the falling ball cleared it was just not to be our day…
Anyone who was at the game was treated to a tremendous contest and a great skillful game of hurling, the young hurlers wearing the blue and white did our club very proud and they “emptied the tank” for the jersey. There will definitely be more to come from this group if they continue to work as hard as they have over the last 2 years!
