Fresh from a Brilliant victory over St Brigid’s last Sunday. The St Brendan’s Hurlers, sponsored by Bodibro, bid for back-to-back victories in the Go Ahead Junior C Championship, with Rathcoole based Hurling Only club Commercials the visitors to Longmeadows. Today, weather wise, was a stark contrast to last Sunday, which was played in glorious sunshine, however, the conditions here were like playing in a rain forest, wet and high humidity. 

As the heavens opened in abundance at throw in, it was the away side who got the scoring underway and raced into a two point lead after two minutes. Jack ‘The Relegator’ McCarron collected The Wexican Oisin Carley’s puck out and after a few steps, opened The Dark Forces first score.   

After a third Commercials point, Pa Carey got hooked twice going for goal, but the slioter went as far as nippy full forward Liam ‘Affordable’ Forde to puck St Brendan’s point number 2. 

The sides were level, 3 each after Eoin ‘Quinn Roux’ Fallon scored a close range free in after being pushed in the back. Michael Harte gave the home side the lead with a 65 after a Forde shot was saved for a 65, which Harte converted.  

A shot from Commercials went wide but the referee gave a free out, Joe ‘Godley’ O’Connor took the free out, won by Rob ‘Shane Lowry’ O’Hanrahan and finally onto Fallon for his second point and a two point lead 0-5 to 0-3. 

Commercials hit a brace of points to level the contest, Oisin Carley got too eager to get the puck out after the second of that brace and the referee told the Wexican to "Relax the Cacks!”. He did so, and in the end yielded the 6th St Brendan’s point after Eoin ‘Concrete’ Corcoran won the aforementioned Carley puck out and passed to Harte for the point. 0-6 to 0-5, 10 minutes to go in the first half. 

The away side equalized with some route one Hurling of catch, puc, catch and puc, then took the lead with a point not on the same scale as the previous point. Damien Daly’s final contribution of the match, before coming off for Dave Lowry after 25 minutes, was to supply the final pass to Fallon and get on his favored right hand side for another equalizing score, the away side then retook the lead with a 50 meter free in. 

The away side opened a two point lead when their half forward pucked the ball, on his knees over the bar, while O’Connor ensured Carley wasn’t beaten for goal by a timely hook and drawing the foul for the free out, which resulted in another point for Sean ‘Crème’ Butler to leave the half time score St Brendan’s 0-8 Commercials 0-9. 

Like in the first half, The Hurling only club from Rathcoole, scored the first two points of the second half and could have got a goal but for unbelievable defending from Mark ‘The Edge’ Kinsella who forced his marker all the way to the side lines. Indeed Commercials made it a four point game, 12 to 8 with a 65. 

The away side totally dominated the opening 10 minutes of the second half, but couldn’t convert the scores and hit five wides despite the three points.  

Despite a shot from Eoin Fallon going inches short, Ger Bannon, yes the Footballer, playing his first Hurling game in yonks, scored St Brendan’s 9th point of the morning, is this a good omen for the Tipperary native for later on in Croke Park? 

Michael Harte hit a crucial score to keep his side in the contest after Bannon was tripped collecting Noel Murphy’s hand pass. But Commercials pointed and the four point lead again, then make it a 5 point lead 0-15 to 0-10.  

Commercials dominance continued, even if it didn’t show on the scoreboard, scoring only two more points and Hitting 4 more wides. 

4 minutes to go and Bannon made it a six point game 17 to 11, after good play from Lowry and McCarron.  

A final free in from Commercials was hit in the final minute, but much to Carley’s relief, they never threatened for goal, but still a disappointing defeat and next Sunday face a Fingallians side who hit 6-23 against St Brigid’s also this morning.  

Final score from Longmeadows St Brendan’s 0-11 Commercials 0-18.