Fourteen man Lixnaw edge gallant Parnells in thrilling SHC opener

DIGGING DEEP: Fourteen man Lixnaw had to dig deep to overcome debutants Tralee Parnells in the opening round of the Garveys Supervalu Kerry Senior Hurling Championship. 

Garveys SuperValu Kerry SHC: Group 2: Lixnaw 0-16 Tralee Parnells 0-14

Fourteen man Lixnaw had to dig deep to overcome debutants Tralee Parnells in the opening round of the Garveys Supervalu Kerry Senior Hurling Championship. It was a historic game of hurling in Tralee, over a century in the making.

The 2023 Intermediate kingpins Tralee Parnells only started playing adult hurling in 2019 having reformed the club in 2012.

Parnells were disbanded in the 1920’s and showed no fear in the early exchanges making that long-awaited step up to senior hurling. Gearoid Doherty (two frees) and a lovely score from Oisin O’Brien had the Tralee side ahead 0-3 to 0-1 after nine minutes.

Lixnaw, the nine time winners, are missing a host of players including their talisman Kerry hurler Shane Conway. It took awhile for them to settle but had levelled the tie by the tenth minute. By quarters end Eoghan Stack nudged Lixnaw ahead 0-4 to 0-3, O’Doherty was able to level less than sixty seconds later.

Playing against the wind in the opening half Lixnaw would tally seven points, points from Shane McElligott and two Tadhg Brosnan frees had the 2018 winners ahead 0-7 to 0-4 at the break. Parnells will feel aggrieved not to get a penalty as John Sherman looked to have been tripped inside the area late in that opening half.

The Tralee side again had the bit between their teeth early in the second half, O’Brien (three) and Eddie Sheehy waved the white flag to cut the gap  by the 39th minute.

By quarters end the tie again was level 0-10 to 0-10 as Lixnaw looked a little shaken by the heart shown from Parnells. The game was on a knife edge and a terrific save from Ronan Gilsenan, thwarted Shane McElligot a goal ten minutes from time.

Brosnan pointed the resulting 65 for the lead but the sides kept exchanging scores, as the clock ticked into the red. Colin Sheehy saw red three minutes shy of the hour mark however Lixnaw were ahead by the minimum 0-14 to 0-13.

Jamie Galvin and Ricky Heffernan pointed vital scores in stoppage to prevent a major upset occurring in the opening round. Tadgh Brick had a late chance for Parnells and Shane Healy was denied a goal as Lixnaw escaped to victory.

Scorers for Lixnaw: T Brosnan 0-5 (4fs, 1 65), E Stack 0-3, S McElligott 0-2, C Sheehy, J Brosnan, K Molloy, J Galvin, R Heffernan 0-1 each 

Scorers for Tralee Parnells: O O’Brien 0-7 (5fs), G O’Doherty 0-5fs, E Sheehy, M Madden 0-1 each 

LIXNAW: M Stackpoole; C O’Sullivan, G Stackpoole, D McElligott; D Conway, D Shanahan, A Shanahan; S McElligott, R Heffernan; J Brosnan, C Sheehy, T Foley; D O’Brien, T Brosnan, E Stack.

Subs: K Molloy for D O’Brien (40), J Galvin for T Foley (50) 

TRALEE PARNELLS: R Gilsenan; A Morrissey, D Keane, J Lowe; D Maloney, T Brick, N Cassidy; M Madden, E O’Connor; C O’Riordan, S Morrissey, J Sherman; E Sheehy, G O’Doherty, O O’Brien.

Subs: J Downey for J Lowe (47), S Healy for J Sherman (48), S Woulfe for S Morrissey (55) 

Referee: J Hayes (Limerick)