Ulster Minor Hurling League - 2008 Round 1 Division 2b Tuesday 16 September 2008 Played under lights at the Monaghan G.A.A. Training Centre Annyala Castleblaney Faugh's, 4 gls. 8 pts; Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 4 gls. 14 pts. A Comprehensive Round ì1î Win For Lisbellaw Lisbellaw the holders of last years Division 2 title got their Ulster Minor Hurling league campaign of 2008 off to a winning start, when they comprehensively defeated their Castleblaney hosts by a telling score of 4 goals 14 points for St Patrick's to 4 goals 8 points for the Faugh's.  Though it was the Monaghan lads who began the games scoring with a well taking point from play by their ace marksman Hugh Byrne, it was quickly replied to the matches first brilliantly taken strike by the Lisbellaw left forward John Duffy, who banged his, his sides and this games first goal It wasn't   all plain sailing for the Lisbellaw side concede two soft goals in a matter of two minutes mid way through the games opening half.  Last years trophy wining experience then proved invaluable to St Patrick's who immediately began to eat into the powerful lead established by Castleblaney boys. Firstly the visiting Lisbellaw side lead by their iconic left full forward John Duffy rattled over a steadying point and then the same player fired home his and his sides second goal to leave the St Patrick's lads a mere one point in arrears with a score of 2 goals 5 points to 2 goals 6 points for Castleblaney. Duffy by this games end had accumulated a massive score of 2 goals 8 points, and by any objective judgment man-of-the-match.  The Lisbellaw hurlers have a few days to recuperate for the host Newry Shamrock's in Round ì2 ìin the Ulster Minor League of 2008. Lisbellaw's young hurlers last night's win was naturally muted when they and their managers learned on their return journey home of the death of former Lisbellaw St Patrick's chairman and former player Sean McElroy. The Game - first half. This keenly contested round one of the Ulster Minor Hurling of 2008 got off to fairly quick start, when the host team's mid-fielder Cathal Crowe pucked over this games opening score a lively taken point from play.  Though the Lisbellaw visitors did intend to instantly reply with a score of their own, it wasn't until the matches tenth minute that their left corner forward and iconic talisman John Duffy who massively stepped up to the scoring plate when he banged home the first of his and Lisbellaw's many goals. However the Blaney side quickly replied with a brace of points taken from previously awarded frees by the very inform Faugh's full forward Fergal Rafter, which created this games first draw of 3 points for Castleblaney to 1 goal for Lisbellaw.  However that equilibrium was short lived for Lisbellaw live wire Sean Corrigan popped over St Patrick's first point from play to put his side in front for then first time. As this game was approaching its second quarter the'Blaney side quite dramatically side stepped up to the scoring plate; Goal No. 1 came from their full forward Fergal Rafter wielded his dexterously held stick to fire his sides first major. Then as soon the Lisbellaw keeper had pucked the slither down field, back it came with interest and landing on the edge of the St Patrick's square where it was by the Faugh's centre half forward Ciaran Brophy who then bizarrely dribbled into the Lisbellaw net. With early second score line now registering 2 goals 3 points for the Blaney hosts to 1 goal 1 points for the visitors St Patrick's it was decidly looking that the host side had done a smart robbery under lights.  However not for nothing were Lisbellaw the Ulster Minor Hurling Champions of 2007 and had learn resilience and the tactics of fight back, which they now demonstrated up the games interval. It was that live wire Sean Corrigan who grabbed this game by the scruff of it's and then proceeded to cut inroads into the seemly massive lead suddenly registered by the Castleblaney side.  The wee left half forward popped over a morale boosting point. As this game was heading for its break. The other Lisbellaw crowd pleaser came from the other expected quarter; the left corner forward and iconic talisman John Duffy, who went quality plus, when he grabbed an incoming slithor floated in by the big mid-fielder J.P. McGarry.  Duffy then flew passed and through the two lines of defence to then register his second goal of the flood lit night.  Now as the Clones based referee Noel Mullaney about to blow for half time, both sets of spectator waited with baited breath for the man with the whistle to reveal the interval scores, which to a relief to the Fermanagh visitors revealed that their heroes were a mere one point behind. Half-time scores Castleblaney Faugh's, 2 gls. 6 pts; Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 2 gls. 5 pts. The Second Half and the Second Coming. As in this games opening it was the host sides Blaney who scored first, but their was qualitive difference to the type registered.  This was the Faugh's third goal of the night and it was attributed to their inform Hugh Byrne who fired for a third Blaney goal from a previously awarded close in free to dramatically distance themselves from their Fermanagh visitors.  Though Lisbellaw talisman John Duffy immediately fired over his side's sixth point, which immediately which was replied by mid-fielder Hugh Byrne for his side's seventh point.  With that minor score things were beginning to look that the Monaghan had seized the scoring iniative for the second time and this time were determined they Blaney boys weren't go let it go.  Like A-Jack-in-the box up stepped Lisbellaw's centre half forward Turlough Cox, who popped over his sides.  This was the signal for John Duffy to  hammer over two more well taken points to bring this games scoring on the verge of  the games fourth quarter as 3 goals 8 points to 2 goals 10 points for the St Patrick's visitors.  A mere one point separated they teams.  With this game now well into its final quarter, it was all to play for.  Following left half forward   Sean Corrigan's third point which created this games only second draw, and then a moment later the same player put his side in front for this games only second time.  Down to the Wire and Beyond With most of this games fourth quarter well eaten into, this was the moment when true champions excel themselves.  And no better lads than the boys for the Hard Rocks of Lisbellaw when they massively stepped up their scoring rate.  First up to the scoring plate was their icon John Duffy who dutifully registered his sides thirteen point.  With J.P. McGarry now reigning supreme at mid-field and floating uncanny acute slithor, one find the man and the target. With less than a few minutes to full time the big mid-fielders bombardment paid off and when a dropping came down on the edge of the square, an outstretched hand of Lisbellaw centre half forward Turlough Cox was their to grab and immediately bang the ball to the back of the Faugh's now nervously guarded net. A moment McGarry turned scorer when raised pointed over his sides fourteenth and final point.  All was not over for the St Patrick's lads for the Lisbellaw had an other big one waiting to driven or to be precise booted home Renaldo like by Seamus Bogue.  So ended Lisbellaw's fantastic performance under the floodlights at Annyala. Lisbellaw minor hurlers taken Newry Shamrock's in Round ì2îhome fixture at Cavanacarragh on Saturday 20th September, 2008. Final scores Castleblaney Faugh's, 4 gls. 8 pts; Lisbellaw St Patrick's, 4 gls. 14 pts. The teams, Lisbellaw St Patrick's, Dwayne McPhillip's, Ryan Hyde, Luke McQuade (Capt.), Daniel Teague, Kevin Brannigan, Pearse Martin, Eoin Markey, J.P. McGarry (1 pt.), David Harte, James Gallagher, Turlough Cox ( 1 gl. 1 pt.), Sean Corrigan ( 4 pts.), Rory Porteous, Seamus Bogue ( 1 gl.), John Duffy ( 2 gls. 8 pts.) Managers, Kevin Corrigan & Kevin Corrigan. Subs. Declan O'Brien, Ben Swift, Fergal O'Brien & T. Swift. Castleblaney Faugh's, Ronan Mc Anallen, Brian Flanagan, Darragh Morris, Jack Deasey, Mark Trainor, Finbar Finnegan, Hugh Byrne (3 gls. 5 pts.), Cathal Crowe (1  (Stephen Forde, Ciaran Brophy ( 1 gl.), Peader Finnegan, David Maguire, Fergal Rafter (2 pts.), Liam McCooey. Mangers, Declan Crowe & Declan Conway.   Fixture Ulster Minor Club League - 2008 Division 2b Round 2 Cavanacarragh Saturday 20 September 2008 12. 30 pm. Lisbellaw St Patrick's, v Newry Shamrock's Tweet

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