Depleted Mountmellick bow out of Leinster after defeat to strong Commercials

Mountmellick was looking to extend their run in Leinster having defeated Burren Rangers on the bank holiday weekend two weeks ago. On a chilly Sunday afternoon, they faced a Commercials side that looked impressive when beaten Lucan Sarsfields in the Dublin junior A hurling final.  

Mountmellick had numerous changes to the match day program. Ian Fennelly, David Fennelly, and Nigel Murphy all made way, and in came Tadgh Cullotten, Seamus Stapleton, and Barry Mangan. Jack Gorman and Bernard Rochford were moved back to full back and cornerback, with Mick Bermingham taking up the vacant wing-forward role. 

Commercials 1-27 

Mountmellick 0-10 

Mountmellick started the game well with an early point but it was soon canceled out by Commercials corner forward Adam Drewitt. Late change Cormac O'Nuallain put the Dublin champs ahead with his first score. 

With only five minutes gone in the game, the linesman called over the ref. It became apparent that Mountmellick manager Damien Carter had said something that was unsavory to the ear of the linesman and Carter was shown red. 

Commercials started to dominate the play but had some poor wides and really weren't taking advantage of the opportunities they were getting at this stage.  Bermingham leveled the scoring with his first free but Jack O Keefe immediately responded for Commercials. 

Commercials kicked on with force and soon Jack O'Keefe had the ball in the back of the Mountmellick net to put six points between the sides with fifteen minutes on the clock. Diarmuid O'Dulaing put Mountmellick further ahead with his second free of the afternoon. 

Bermingham pulled one back for the Laois outfit but O'keefe once again immediately responded to a Bermingham score by winning a puck out and sending it sailing over the bar. 

O'Keefe, who was playing a brilliant game got another point on the board to put Commercials ten points up. Commercials center forward Keogh then had a brilliant chance for a goal but Grehan pulled off a remarkable save. Keogh would finish off the passage of play with a point. 

Keogh and O'Keefe would get the next two scores to widen the margin further but Bermingham would have the final say of the first half with his fourth free and Mounmellicks fourth point. 

At halftime, Commercials held a commanding lead of 1-13 to 0-04. Mountmellick never really got going in the first half and the Dublin champions had dominated possession. Bermingham looked dangerous but most of the rest of the men in white and blue were losing their individual battles. The early red card to manager Carter wasn't ideal either. Credit to Commercials at this stage though they had some really dangerous looking forwards in Jack O'Keefe and Cormac O'Nuallain and their defence was extremely well organized. 

Mountmellick would get the first score of the second half before Grehan was called upon again to produce a wonderful save. A fourth free from Bermingham was once again immediately canceled out this time by corner forward O'Dulaing. 

John Connolly had an amazing score from a very difficult angle but once again it was immediately canceled out and from the sliotar being pucked out, it only touched O'Keefs's hurl before sailing over the bar. this occurrence had happened now four times and was a factor in Mountmellick never getting any momentum going. 

O'Dulaing's score which came right after a scrappy period received a huge joyful reaction from the home crowd. Adam McGarr would then see red to put the Dublin side down to 14 men for the remainder of the game. 

O'Dulaing and O'Nuallain continued to impress as they added two more points to the impressive Commercials tally. Wingback David Dungan got his first of the day to put Commercials clear by thirteen points. Dungan would soon get his second having strolled through a now defeated-looking Mountmellick defence for an easy tap-over. 

Substitute Jamie Flanagan was also making an impact for the now-dominant Dubs. He would chip in with three points on the trot to bring the tally to 1-26. 

A disappointing end to what was a very successful year for Damien Carter's side. Even though they were poor in this game, the Ballinakill native Carter can look back with pride on a successful tenure with Mountmellick. Carter will now begin his preparations for his new role as Laois Minor hurling manager.