Matthewson on fire as MacCumhaills shock champions  Burt  in hurling championship

CIiaran Matthewson hit 13 points  as Sean MacCumhaills got their championship season up and running with a shock win over champions Burt in MacCumhaill Park on Saturday night. 

Sean MacCumhaills ………….. 0-19

Burt…………………………………… 1-12

Burt started the game the more dangerous and points from Kieran Brady, a free from Ronan McDermott and a fine score from Joe Boyle had the visitors three points up  inside the fifth minute.

MacCumhaills’ first score came from a finely struck ‘65’ from Matthewson but Dara Grant and Ronan McDermott added  another two scores for the reigning champions who raced into a four point lead.

Matthewson  added a second from long range before Barry McGranaghan and Jamie De Ward pointed as the locals warmed to the contest.

Grant once again split the posts before MacCumhaills responded with four unanswered points. .

Matthewson (3) and a beautiful stroke off the stick of Chad McSorley tied up the game.

But Burt finished the half with a flurry and a McDermott point and a scrambled Kevin Glenn goal to a solitary reply from Matthewson saw the champions go in 1-9 to 0-9 in front at half-time. 

Mac Cumhaills came out in the second half a team possessed and hit six points without response, five of them fired over by Matthewson and the other from  Paddy Hannigan to take the lead. 

McDermott and Matthewson traded points before Joe Boyle reduced the margin. But Fintan Griffin and Matthewson closed out the game with late points and a famous result for the Finnsiders.

MACCUMHAILLS: Del Laverty; Anthony Patton, Justin McGhee, Conor Foy; Bernard McMenamin, Gavin Browne, Chad McSorley (0-1); Ciaran Matthewson (0-13, 8f, 2‘65s), Conor Griffin; Jamie De Ward (0-2), Paddy Hannigan (0-1), Barry McGranaghan (0-1), Robbie Geoghegan, Fintan Griffin (0-1), Dean Hannigan. Subs: Dean O’Donnell for J McGhee, David White for DHannigan

BURT: Paul Burns; Brandon McBride, Martin McGrath;Ciaran Bradley, Darren Gallagher; Christopher McDermott,  Johnathan Downey, Joe Boyle (0-2); Kieran Brady (0-1), Oisin Kelly; Kevin Glenn (1-0), Eanna McLaughlin, Johnathan McGrath, Ronan McDermott (0-6, 6f), Dara Grant (0.3) Sub: Sean McBride for Johnathan McGrath

 REFEREE: James Connors (St. Eunans)