07/03/04 Johnnies 'Straining at the Laois' in Camross

Camross, Laois……4:06 St. John's, Antrim….2:12 St. John's 'Laois Retreat' continued at midday on Sunday with an encounter with the Laois Division 1 outfit Camross. This game was played on a beautiful sunny March day in beautiful surrounding in Camross in the south of County Laois.

St. John's Senior Hurlers

Camross, sporting their county stars Packie Cuddy and Damien Cullerton, certainly took the game to the Johnnies, in fact it looked as if Camross would run away with the show during the first half.

Collie 'Golden Balls' Thompson strikes the ball

Despite an evenly matched first half St. John's gifted three soft goals in the first twenty minutes. And St. John's were trailing 3:05 to 0:02 before they seemed to awaken with a flurry of points from Stephen Thompson, Gerard McFall and Thompson again to go in at the interval 3:05 to 0:05 down.

A goal for Camross from Thomas Delaney in the first minute of the second half gave Camross an unassailable lead of twelve points with a lead of 4:05 to 0:05.

That is before the Johnnies had a come back which made Lazarus look like an amateur!! Colin Thompson (Golden Balls) won possession on six minutes and hand passed to Paul Montgomery who pointed from 25m.

Stephen Thompson goes in for the hook

This was followed two minutes later with a well taken point from Brendan Moss from 30m out on the right wing before Gerard McFall picked off another free from 35m.

Gerard McFall prepares to take his free

Three minutes later Locky 'The Old War Horse' McCurdy pulled an intelligent 40m ground stroke to the left corner for Stephen Thomson to collect, round his marker and take his point from 20m out on the left. A minute later Thompson was fouled again and Gerard the 'Panther' promptly popped over his point.

A long ball followed from Conor Gannon directly into the square where Paul Montgomery (The General) promptly dispatched a low ground stroke from 5m to the Camross net before Mount Rath replied with a point from 30m from the left wing from Jackie Cuddy.

Shortly afterwards the industrious Brendan Moss was fouled in the square but Paul Montgomery blasted the resulting penalty over the bar. Another point from Cuddy for the midlanders gave Mount Rath a four point lead of 4:06 to 1:11. Gerard the 'Panther' then picked off another 30m free fro the right.

Brendan Moss, closely followed by his marker Stephen Mortimor

And, with three minutes remaining, St. John's Conor Gannon broke up the right wing on a 45m solo run just short of the edge of the square where he drew out the Camross fullback line.

Collie Thompson just before his fateful hit?

He deftly hand-passed over the approaching Camross defenders to Brendan Moss who caught and blasted the ball to the net (from an acute angle and under pressure) to level the scores. Full time score - 2:12 to 4:06 For Mount Rath Paul Nolan was sound in goal.

Stephen Mortimor and Packie Cuddy played well in defence and Damien Cullerton and Tony Delaney played well up front.

St. John's had a mixed bag of performances as tiredness, travel sickness, home sickness and injuries began to catch up with some of our players. Stephen Thompson had another good game and is more than capable of playing at a higher level.

.Brian Russell pucks the ball

Paul Montgomery with 1:04 to his credit did the business.

Collie Thompson just before his fateful hit?

The 'Knight Sir Lancelot' Joe Herald ('Launch-a lot not Lunch-a lot') certainly, along with Hugh Kennedy, played well. Michael O'Neill ('The Ginger Mixer') and Colin Thompson were steady. Actually Colin Thompson was a bit 'unsteady' after getting hit in his testicles midway through the second half.

Not funny. Why people persist in laughing when a player gets hit there is beyond me. Colin, on behalf of the team, management and mentors we wish you and your testicles a speedy recovery and we hope that the high alto pitch in your voice returns to its more manly sound as soon as possible.

Many thanks to the Camross Club and Senior Hurling team for the game and hospitality.
SC

Camross: 1.Paul Nolan 2.Stephen Mortimor 3.Larry Cuddy 4.Andrew Lowry 5. Damien Keegan 6.Packie Cuddy 7.Martin Moore 8.Tony Doran 9.Gary Cuddy 10.Damien Culleton 11.Ken Cuddy 12.Jacky Cuddy 13. Brendan Lowry 14. Tom Guilfoyle 15. Tommy Delaney 16.C.Dooley 17. Matty Collier 18. Zane Keenan.

Camross Scorers: Jackie Cuddy 0:02, Brendan Lowry 1:01, Tommy Delaney 1:00,Tom Guilfoyle 1:00, Damien Cullerton 0:01, Tony Delaney 0:01, Matty Collier 0:01.

Manager: Fintan Scully
Mentors: Matty Collier, Fintan Lawlor, Ritchie Maloney

St. Johns: 1. Conor McCormick 2.Hugh Kennedy 3.Michael O'Neill 4.Anto Brennan 5.Joe Herald 6. Ronan Heenan 7. John Joe Hartigan 8.Gerard McFall 9.Conor Gannon 10.Colin Thompson 11.Kevin Rafferty 12. Locky McCurdy 13. Brendan Moss 14.Paul Montgomery 15.Stephen Thompson
Substitutes: 16. (Ball sub) Brendan McGibbon 45min (5mins) for Colin(Golden Balls)Thompson 17.Martin McMahon 18.Eoghan Caldwell 19 Brian Holmes 20.Barry McFall.

St. John's Scorers: Paul Montgomery 1:04(0:01 penalty), Gerard McFall 0:04(0:03 frees), Brendan Moss 1:01, Stephen Thompson 0:02 Colin Thompson 0:01.

Manager: Liam Donnelly
Mentor: Brendan Mackin