On Saturday evening last, Ahane hosted Doon in the opening round of the premier minor hurling championship in Mackey park.

As storm Hannah was still winding down and heading Eastward, it was going to prove to have a deciding factor in the outcome of this game surely…

Doon won the toss and elected to play with the strong wind in the opening half but it was the home them that got the better of the opening exchanges and after 10 minutes of play,

the sides would be level at 2pts a piece. There were some brilliant passages of hard, honest hurling in that opening period and Ahane used the ball well keeping possession and worked tirelessly in defence to halt numerous Doon attacks.

It would be the home team that notched the first goal of the game after a great passage of play that saw the sliothar worked through the defensive lines swiftly into the inside forward line and to the back of the Doon net.

To their credit though, Doon regrouped and within minutes had responded with a goal for their own, sides level again on 1-03 each.. Doon looked like they might push on from there but credit to the home side, it was they

who were to finish the half stronger, netting another goal and 2 further superb points from play. Half time Ahane 2-06 Doon 1-04.

On the resumption, Doon were quick out of the blocks and within 5 minutes had narrowed the gap to just 1 point with a quick fire point followed by a goal. Ahane regrouped and settled back in to the game again with some great passages of play

leading to some well taken points and would hold onto the lead until 5 minutes before the long whistle when Doon would score their 3rd goal and takeover the lead by a single point. Another point from a free to Doon saw them into a 2 point lead with minutes remaining,

but Ahane responded with another pointed free to leave just a single point between the sides with time nearly up. From the resultant puckout, Doon managed to find space on the wing for one of their forwards to run into and get the final score of the game.

Final score – Doon 3-13 Ahane 2-14. Credit to both sides for a highly entertaining game and with 6 more group games each, it wouldn’t be surprising if they meet each other again come September.

Ahane panel : Rob Magill, Evan O’Leary, Andy Rowsome, Shane O’Grady, Peter O’Grady, Padraig Harnett, Andrew Shanahan, Adam Murrihy, Kevin Morrissey, David Brennan, Cian Casey, Mark Hickey, Ronan Fox, Peter Donohoe, Mark Donnellan, Denis Hayes, Jack Barry, Glen Jones, William O’Leary, Conor O’Brien, Aiden Carroll, Liam O’Mara, Eddie Hartigan, Cormac Greaney, Alex Holmes, Craig O’Connell, Colm Wright.