Senior B Hurling Championship Quarter-Final: Longwood 2-17 Dunderry 1-10
While it took a little longer than they would have liked, Longwood’s hurlers secured their first victory of championship 2025 with a hard-earned victory over a youthful Dunderry side in Trim on Sunday morning.
In doing so, the boys ensured that they would avoid a dreaded relegation play-off. With their senior status secured for next season, they can now look to build on this performance and try to finish the season on a positive note.
The opening twenty minutes had promised a very different outcome. Dunderry bounced into the game on the back of some excellent performances in the group stages, and they looked confident and organised as they built a 0-7 to 0-2 lead.
Conversely Longwood had suffered five consecutive defeats, admittedly while severely compromised by injuries, and the opening chapter could have given them cause for concern. They struggled to gain a foothold in the game and looked surprisingly flat.
At such times, leaders are required, and we are blessed with many. Anthony Healy was unerring with his frees, younger brother Damien stormed into the game, ably supported by Sean Coloe, Gavin Griffith and Joe Stenson, to name but a few. In the final ten minutes of the opening half, they outscored their opponents by 1-7 to 0-0, turning a five-point deficit into a five-point lead.
The goal by Kevin Heagney was an obvious catalyst but there were some excellent points too; a monstrous Sean Coloe effort from close to 90 metres and a couple of tidy finishes from Ryan Moore and Conor M Dixon.
Half-time: Longwood 1-9 Dunderry 0-7
The opening minutes of the second half were scrappy with little fluency to the play.
That all changed in the 37th minute. Longwood won a sideline in their own half and Ryan Moore assumed control. Having spotted that Damien Healy was making a run up the far side of the field, Moore floated a delicious sideline cut directly into the path of the marauding Healy who controlled the ball instantly before dispatching it to the net. A thing of beauty.
It gave Longwood a decisive lead and they were able to maintain a degree of control on the remainder of the game. While Dunderry never gave up and scored a penalty midway through the second half, Longwood responded with a run of points from Anthony Healy before a well taken point from the excellent Billy Hogan put the seal on a fine win.
The referee’s whistle brought proceedings to an end and the sense of relief was palpable. Longwood had secured a much sought after victory, the prize for which is a place in the semi-final where they will renew acquaintances with Blackhall Gaels.
Longwood: Mark Kennedy, Gavin Griffith, Niall Mulvey, Brian Stagg, Joe Stenson, Mickey Burke, Sean Sheridan, Billy Hogan (0-1), Sean Coloe (0-1), Kevin Heagney (1-0), Damien Healy (1-0), Ryan Moore (0-1), Ben McLoughlin, Anthony Healy (0-13), Conor M Dixon (0-1). Subs: Tomás O’Brien for Dixon, David Coloe, Aaron Ennis, Enda Dixon, Adrian Maguire, Ross Healy.
A special mention must go to the Healy brothers whose grandmother, Pauline, sadly passed away on Saturday. The matriarch of the family, Pauline was an incredibly loyal and dedicated Longwood supporter. We have no doubt that she would have been incredibly proud of the performance delivered by her grandsons on Sunday. Well done lads, a fitting tribute to your grandmother. Our sincere condolences to the Healy family at this sad time.
Special mention too for Dunderry’s Rian Fay who lost his grandfather Jimmy, a true Meath legend, last week. The Fay family are also in our thoughts and prayers at this time.
