Setanta cruise to victory in opening round of hurling championship

Setanta had most of their county stars back, and it showed, as they produced a big win over their neighbours Sean MacCumhaills at the Cross. 

The winners were never troubled and led by 1-14 to 1-4 at the break as Gerard Gilmore top scored for the winners with 1-11 while Lee Henderson hit 1-6 of Sean MacCumhaills’ total. 

MacCumhaills got the opening score from a Henderson free, but this was quickly negated by a Gilmore goal from a free which set the pattern for total dominance. 

Josh McGee Cronolly, Niall Cleary, and Gilmore pointed, and Henderson goaled from a free for the visitors to leave the score at 1-3 to 1-1. 

But that was as good as it got for the visitors as Setanta tacked on points from McBride and McGee Cronolly (0-3) midway through the first half. 

Henderson replied with frees, but Dean Harvey, McBride, Ruairí Campbell, Danny Cullen and Gilmore 0-4 completed the scoring. 

Setanta’s scoring rate dropped slightly on the restart but not their dominance although MacCummhaills once again opened the scoring with a point from Jamie De Ward. 

But goals from Dean Harvey and Cleary, along with points from Campbell, Cleary, Gilmore (0-6) and Danny Cullen sealed an easy win. 

MacCumhaills had further points from Henderson and Joel Bradley Walsh, but it was very much Setanta’s night. 

Setanta scorers: Gerard Gilmore 1-11, 1-6fs; Niall Cleary 1-2; Dean Harvey 1-1; Josh McGee Cronolly and Ruairi Campbell 0-3 each; Stevie McBride and Danny Cullen 0-2 each. Sean MacCumhaills scorers: Lee Henderson 1-6, 1-5f; Jamie De Ward and Joel Bradley Walsh 0-1 each. 

Setanta: Declan Coulter; Ruairi McLaughlin, Conor McGettigan, Mark Callaghan; Ryan Coyle, Steven McBride, Bernard Lafferty; Fionn Farren, Dean Harvey; Niall Cleary, Danny Cullen, Conor Gallen; Josh McGee Cronolly, Gerard Gilmore, Ruairi Campbell. Subs used: Colm Melaugh. 

Sean MacCumhaills: Dylan Lafferty; Conor Murphy, Kyle Tourish, Davitt Bradley Flynn; Conor Griffin, John Anthony Chambers, Sean Brady Devenney; Gavin Brown, Chad McSorley; P J Browne, Fintan Griffin, Dean Hannigan; Lee Henderson, Joel Bradley Walsh, Jamie De Ward. Subs used: Riain McBrearty, Aaron McCauley, Anthony Patton, Gavin Dunne, Patrick Bradley. 

Referee: James Connors (St Eunan’s)