27th July @Celbridge GAA
Senior Hurling Championship
Winners Group Rd.2
Ardclough 3-17
Confey 2-13

Ardclough’s Senior Hurlers had a vital and well deserved win over last year’s county champions Confey on Saturday, 27th, at Celbridge GAA.

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Ardclough started well with a free from Martin Fitzgerald and a long range effort from Philip Fitzgerald, before another Martin Fitzgerald free from around midfield into the Confey square and corner-forward Mark Lynam capitalised on the confusion to finish the ball to the net from close range after five minutes.

Two minutes later Confey were right back in the game when Paul Divilly crashed the ball to the net from a 30 yard free past a packed Ardclough line and Eoin Fitzpatrick tagged on another point within 60 seconds.

Confey were coming more into the game now, using Paul and Kieran Divilly in the half-back line as a launch pad.

Martin Fitzgerald added another from play, after a great pass by Tony Spain but Confey grabbed a brace of points on the trot before Seán Buggy hit back with one for Ardclough.

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Paul Divilly (free) and Tony Spain kept the scoreboard ticking with a point for each side before a run of five points in four minutes saw Confey hit three points to level it.

A Martin Fitzgerald free gave Ardclough the smallest of leads at the break.

Half-Time
Ardclough 1-09
Confey 1-08

Paul Divilly resumed the scoring early in the second half with another free before Martin Fitzgerald hit back for Ardclough with two points, one each from play and a free.

Another Martin Fitzgerald free this time landed into the square after only five minutes and caused major confusion in the Confey defence before full-forward Colm Buggy scrambled the ball to the net to put the ‘Clough’s 5 points up.

But just as in the first half, Confey had the perfect antidote with a goal of their own. Daragh Nolan fought back to win possession after initially losing out, broke into a sprint right through the Ardclough defence before finding the top right corner of the net for a superb goal.

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The next eight minutes saw seven scores, all but one from a free,  with Ardclough hitting four of them, Richie Hoban (2 frees), Tony Spain and Paul Fitzgerald to put them three points up again.

With ten minutes to go Paul Divilly got another point, this time from a ’65, but that would be Confey’s final score of the game.

Ardclough all but finished the game shortly after with another goal. First Seán Buggy and then Colm Buggy had attempts on goal before Martin Fitzgerald collected the balll, that ran across the square, to blast to the net from point blank range and Ardclough were five points up and looking strong.

Confey went in search of goals in the remaining minutes but none could be found as Ardclough shut them out in the final ten minutes and tagged on late points from Martin Fitzgerald and Brian Coulston to put them third in the group.

 Ardclough face Naas in the next group game next Thursday, 1st August, Venue TBC.

Ardclough Team:
Aidan Buggle, Niall Coulston, Seán Buggle, Robbie Spain; Colm Maguire, Richie Hoban, Peter Coleman; Martin Fitzgerald, Philip Fitzgerald; Brian Coulston, Tony Spain, Seán Buggy; Mark Lynam, Colm Buggy, Paul Fitzgerald.

Subs:
Cathal Fenton for Mark Lynam (45m), Johnny Reeves for Seán Buggle (58m)