Bennettsbridge Junior B team won the Joe Walsh cup final after a great display against Carrigeen in Thomastown on Friday night.  After a poor enough opening five minutes and the loss of their captain James Moran to injury, the lads settled and played some great direct hurling which paid dividends with Dylan Walsh bagging two goals in the first half.  Carrigeen did not help themselves by giving away frees and there were a few off the ball incidents that went unpunished.  The lads finished the half strong and went in at half time leading 2-05 to 0-04. The Bridge started the second half as they left off in the first with the added advantage of the strong sun at their backs.  They kept hurling and getting their frees and taking their points and then the contest was put to bed by Shane Byrne when he rounded his man and buried the ball to the back of the net.  Then there was an unsavoury incident when the Carrigeen goalkeeper hit the ball at the Bridge umpire who did not agree with the goal being given and he was shown a second yellow as he was booked in the first half for a wild swing on Dylan Walsh.  After that the management made some changes and took off four minors who will be playing next Tuesday.  The contest was well over at this stage but Willie Murphy made sure of it with a bullet of a shot to the top corner and was unlucky not to bag another just beforehand. The final score was Bennettsbridge 4-10 Carrigeen 0-07. The Bridge lined out as: Ben Tynan, Shane Nolan, James Moran (sub 15 mins Eoin O Connor), Bill O Neill (sub 45mins Richie Walsh), Michael Power, Sean Wemyss, Eddie Murphy, Gareth Hickey, Luke Dowling (sub 45mins Tim Dooley), Willie Murphy (1-05, 3f), Gary Geoghegan, Kevin Brennan (0-03,1f, Sub 50mins Maurice Walsh), Shane Byrne (1-01, sub 45mins Patrick O Neill), Dylan Walsh (2-01).

 

That was the last match for the Junior B this year but all in all it was a great year for the lads as they played 13 matches and won 10 of them.  The management team of Richie Walsh, John Brennan and John Nolan are to be commended for their efforts and it was great for them to finish their season with some silver ware.  But the season is not finished by a long way and all 27 members of the Junior B team will now focus on the Junior team and continue training and pushing for places on the Junior team, as competition for places is what everyone needs and it will keep everyone sharp and benefit everyone in the long run.