Hurling Championship Team of the Week

The first Meath GAA App Hurling Team of the Week has been announced and sees players selected from both the Ted Murtagh Clothing & Footwear Senior Hurling Championship and JM Food Services Intermediate Hurling Championship.

1. Mark Kennedy (Longwood) – Longwood came into the game against Clann na nGael on Friday evening knowing that they needed to pick up a win as they look to avoid being dragged into the relegation battle in Group B of the Senior Championship. They looked the likely winners at the three-quarter mark as Clann na nGael trailed by six points but in the end they left Kildalkey indebted to Mark Kennedy who pulled off a stunning late save to ensure they ran out winners by a narrow two point margin.
2. Iarla Hughes (Kiltale) – Ultimately Kiltale ran out comfortable winners against Na Fianna on Saturday afternoon and one of the reasons they did so was the typically composed performance at corner back by Iarla Hughes. It is very rare that his opponent gets the better of Hughes and once more on Saturday he was quick to snuff out any danger.
3. Conor Dempsey (Dunderry) – When there is a battle on the field of play, one man you would want in your corner is Conor Dempsey. He led by example throughout for the team as they claimed a first victory of the Championship to date when accounting for the challenge of St. Peter’s Dunboyne in Dunshaughlin.
4. Eoghan Ryan (Trim) – The 2022 Meath Minor Footballer has settled into life in the Trim Senior team like a duck to water. A tight marking defender, he never let his opponent get an inch on him in Longwood on Thursday evening and capped off a brilliant display when lofting over three points.
5. Simon Ennis (Rathmolyon) – When Rathmolyon needed leaders to step up against Drumree on Saturday, nobody did more to ensure they came away with a first win of the Championship to date than their county star Simon Ennis. He covered every blade of grass over the hour, breaking up attacks and decorated a brilliant display with three points.
6. James Toher (Trim) – There are few if any players in the county who play the centre back role as well as James who sat deep in front of his full back line offering them extra protection against Killyon and time after time he intercepted dangerous balls into the Killyon inside line before spraying intelligent ball out towards his half forward line, setting up attack after attack.
7. Sean Martin (Na Fianna) – Having made it onto the Football Team of the Week last week, Sean this week gets onto the Hurling version. He was outstanding in the first half for Na Fianna against Kiltale, operating as a sweeper but despite trying to put out fires as they popped up everywhere in the second half, he could do little to stop a Kiltale side that was rampant all over the pitch.  No blame could be placed at his door for their defeat.
8. Shane Whitty (Blackhall Gaels) – When his side trailed Kilmessan by seven points with fourteen minutes on the clock, few would have given Blackhall Gaels a prayer of coming away from Kiltale with the win. However, inspired in no small way by Whitty in the centre of the field, Blackhall somehow turned that seven point deficit into a five point winning margin by the games close.  A powerful performance from the man recently returned from Australia.
9. Stephen Morris (Blackhall Gaels) – The Meath star was another who did all he could to drag Blackhall Gaels back from the brink to record their third victory from three games in the Ted Murtagh Clothing & Footwear SHC. Broke up attack after attack and linked up with his forward line to great effect.  One highlight was a ‘blink and you’d miss it’ dummy handpass which led to a point.
10. Philly Garvey (Kiltale) – The experienced Garvey showcased all of his attacking ability with a goal and three points against Na Fianna. His ability to win aerial duels throughout the hour caused Na Fianna a lot of issues and he was one of the main dangers for Kiltale as they came from behind at half time to win.
11. Keith Keoghan (Killyon) – While his side fell to a heavy defeat, one player who did all he could to stem the Trim tide was former county player Keith Keoghan. Much of what was good about the Killyon play went through him while as the match progressed he dropped back into the defence as they looked to quell the influence of danger man Alan Douglas.
12. Paddy Conneely (Kildalkey) – It was a fruitful Sunday morning in Pairc Tailteann for Conneely as he emerged from their win over Ratoath with a personal tally of 1-10, 1-04 of which came from play. In that kind of form he is close to unmarkable and Kildalkey will need him to keep firing if the Jubilee Cup is to return to the club later in the year.
13. Evan Nolan (Dunderry) – On a difficult day for scoring, Nolan was like a veteran such was his consistency on the frees for Dunderry as they accounted for the challenge of St. Peter’s Dunboyne in Dunshaughlin. Whatever the distance or angle, the umpire could almost have the white flag in his hand before the free was taken such was the clinical nature of Nolans display.
14. Anthony Healy (Longwood) – As much as Mark Kennedy’s late save was crucial in Longwoods victory, it would have been immaterial were it not for the high scoring display Healy turned in. He showed a poachers instinct to grab a goal early on in the second half to compliment a brilliant goal from a twenty-five metre free in the first half to go along with the six points he mustered.
15. Michael O’Sullivan (Donaghmore/Ashbourne) – When you win a game by six points and your young gunslinger at corner forward helped himself to three goals over the course of the game, there can be little doubting who was one of the major factors in the Donaghmore/Ashbourne win over Wolfe Tones. A brilliantly talented dual player, Michael landed one goal in the first half and two in the second to help his side to a valuable win.  Remember the name.