“Ward Inspires Hunterstown to Impressive Win Over Sean O’Mahonys”

Hunterstown Rovers Power Past Sean O’Mahonys to Secure Back-to-Back Wins
CTI Business Solutions Louth Intermediate Football Championship – Group 4, Round 2
Venue: Protection and Prosperity Louth GAA Training Centre, Darver
Referee: Stephen Johnson (Glen Emmets)

Hunterstown Rovers showed their strength and depth in Darver on Saturday evening, overcoming Sean O’Mahonys on a 2-15 to 1-11 scoreline to start with a win in Group 4 of the Louth Intermediate Football Championship. What made the victory even more impressive was the fact that the Rovers lined out without their talisman and county ace Ryan Burns, as well as Dean Burns, but still produced a second-half performance of real authority.

O’Mahonys, buoyed by their opening-round win, came into the contest in confident mood and for long stretches looked well capable of matching their opponents. However, failing to score until the 55th minute of the second half ultimately proved costly, as Hunterstown rattled off nine unanswered points after the restart to take control.

Bright Start for Both Sides

The game opened at a frantic pace, with Gareth Hall firing over inside the first minute to give O’Mahonys the lead. But Hunterstown hit back quickly as Ciaran Russell found the net with a composed finish after fine approach play from Ryan Ward.

The lively exchanges continued when Shane Halpenny landed a superb point, only for O’Mahonys to strike back with a goal of their own – Kyle Carroll finishing smartly to level matters on nine minutes. Aaron Boyle then lit up the half with a magnificent two-pointer after catching a misjudged kick-out, before tagging on another fine point.

Terry Kelly and Tiarnan Cassidy also raised white flags for the Dundalk men, while Luke Kelly’s stunning two-point effort just before the interval was a highlight of their attacking play.

Hunterstown, though, refused to let O’Mahonys pull away. Marc Ward and Michéal Reid pointed from distance, while Ryan Ward punched home their second goal after Jason Monaghan delivered a high ball into the danger area. By half-time, it was O’Mahonys who just edged ahead by the minimum, 1-9 to 2-5.

Rovers Take Command

After the restart, Hunterstown tightened up defensively and slowly gained control in midfield. With James Russell and Tony McKenna working tirelessly, they pinned Sean O’Mahonys back and began to rack up scores. Ryan Ward was the orchestrator-in-chief, converting three frees before producing a moment of class in the 48th minute with a two-pointer from long range that lifted his side.

The bench also made a telling impact. Substitute Paul Carrie announced his arrival with a two-pointer, followed quickly by Jason Monaghan doing likewise to push the Rovers firmly into the ascendancy. By contrast, O’Mahonys’ shooting radar deserted them, and despite plenty of possession they failed to register a single score in the second half until Terry Kelly stopped the rot in the 55th minute.

Brian McGuirk added another late point for the Point Road outfit, but it was too little too late as Hunterstown’s bench continued to contribute. The introduction of fresh legs such as Daithi Carroll, Glen Matthews and Cillian Taaffe ensured momentum remained with the Rovers.

Ryan Ward capped a commanding personal display with another free in the dying moments, sealing a seven-point win for a Hunterstown side that will take immense confidence from claiming back-to-back victories despite the absence of the Burns brothers.

Man of the Match: Ryan Ward (Hunterstown Rovers)
Ward was inspirational throughout, not only punching home a crucial first-half goal but also leading the line in the second half with accuracy and poise. He finished with 1-6 to his name, including a superb two-pointer that turned the tide firmly in his side’s favour. His leadership and composure were central to Rovers’ dominance after the break.

Teams

Hunterstown Rovers: Donavan Sheridan, Adam O’Reilly, Micheál Reid (0-1), Euan Woodlock, Colm Murphy, Patrick Taaffe, James Rogers, Marc Ward (0-1), Jason Monaghan (0-2), Tony McKenna (0-2), David Finn, Ryan Ward (1-6), Shane Halpenny (0-1), James Russell, Ciaran Russell (1-0).

Subs: Daithi Carroll for Colm Murphy (40), Paul Carrie (0-2) for Tony McKenna, Glen Matthews for Ciaran Russell (55), Cillian Taffee for Jason Monaghan (59), Jamie O’Callaghan for James Rogers (60)

Sean O’Mahonys Team: Eddie Maguire, Stephen Kettle, Christopher O’Neill, Oisin Breen, Tiarnan Cassidy (0-1), Aaron Boyle (0-3), Sean Cassidy, Ciaran Redmond, Gareth Hall (0-1), Luke Kelly (0-3), Kyle Carroll (1-0), Conor Finnegan, Terry Kelly (0-2), Conor Martin,

Subs: Brian McGuirk (0-1) for Ciaran Redmond (HT), Ciaran Jemison for Oisin Breen.