St Mary’s got their FBD Insurance Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship Group 4 campaign up and running with a solid nine- point victory over Sean Treacys at Dundrum on Sunday morning.

Prior to the game, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of the late John Carr, a former club officer with Sean Treacys.

The Clonmel side will be happy overall with the result but won’t be happy with some of their shot choices, particularly during the opening half when they hit eight wides, on a day of little or no wind.

They defended the dressing room end during the opening period and were quickly off the mark when their top scorer, Seán Kennedy, fired over after just thirty seconds. They had raced into a three-point advantage by the seventh minute before Sean Treacys came more into the game to tie the contest for the fifth time with six minutes of the half remaining.

In the minutes coming up before the interval, the West side were guilty of needless indiscretions, resulting in Seán Kennedy putting over three placed balls in a four- minute spell to ensure that, at the break, St Mary’s led by three.

Mary’s started the second period in whirlwind fashion, hitting a goal and a point inside two minutes to go into a double scores lead, 1-11 to 0-7. From then on really there was going to be only one winner, as they upped their game considerably. Treacys introduced the Ryan (Rodgers) brothers, Jody and Seanie in an effort to stem the tide, but to no avail. They were nine points clear at the three-quarter stage and maintained this to the end, with Seán Kennedy and Peter McGarry leading by example.

Sean Treacys certainly won’t be happy with their second half performance, a period when they played second fiddle to a well-drilled Mary’s side, and when six of their seven points came from the stick of Patrick Dawson.

The game started with two well-taken points inside the opening fifty seconds. Sean Kennedy got the scoreboard moving following the throw-in before Mikey Feehan equalised from the resulting puck out. Goalkeeper, Enda Dunphy, eased St Mary’s back in front from a long range free, Seán Kennedy put two between the sides and Peter McGarry hit his opening point to put them three up after just seven minutes. They continued to take the game to Treacys but hit three wides in succession, two from open play and one from a placed ball.

Sean Treacys then hit a purple patch, their best period of the game, in which they scored four points from open play in a six-minute spell, three on the bounce from the impressive Colm Kennedy and one from Paddy Deegan.

St Mary’s hit back through Peter McGarry, who was coming more into the game, and Sammy Ryan with two good scores before Mikey Feehan set up Paddy Deegan for an equaliser, to bring the sides level for the fourth time.

Peter McGarry eased the South men back in front with his third of the game, before Mikey Feehan capitalised on a poor clearance to tie the game for the fifth and final time, with six minutes remaining before the break.

In the period coming up to half-time, Treacys allowed their opponents to take hold by conceding needless and avoidable frees, which were punished by the inform Seán Kennedy. He put over three in that four-minute period to leave the half time score St Mary’s 0-10, Sean Treacys 0-7.

St Mary’s introduced Ross Peters in a bid to strenghten their attack for the second half, and they attacked from the throw-in. Peter McGarry put over his fourth of the day before Michael Murphy attacked down the Station Road side, cut in from the corner and blasted past Shane Stapleton for the game’s only goal. St Marys were now seven to the good, 1-11 to 0-7, as they raised the intensity of the game.

Patrick Dawson eventually got on the scoreboard with a point from under the stand, but St Mary’s hit back on the double. Seán Kennedy again converted a placed ball before being set up by Ross Peters for his seventh of the day, and Richie Gunne put nine between the sides on forty four minutes.

St Mary’s consolidated that advantage for the final quarter, answering anything that Treacys threw at them. Niall Hoctor set up Conor Deely for a minor after an attacking run out of defence. Enda Dunphy hit his second long range free to stretch the lead out to eleven, before Patrick Dawson and Paddy Deegan pulled two back for the West men.

The pace dropped for the final ten minutes, as Mary’s gave game time to some of their bench. Patrick Dawson kept Treacys ticking over but man of the match Seán Kennedy had the last say when he closed out the game with his tenth point of the day from a free in injury time.

This victory will the give the South men plenty of confidence going into round 2, where they will take on North champions Burgess, while it’s back to the drawing board for Sean Treacys.

Scorers: St Mary’s: Sean Kennedy (0-10, 6 frees), Peter McGarry (0-5), Michael Murphy (1-0), Enda Dunphy (0-2 frees), Sammy Ryan (0-1), Richie Gunne (0-1), Conor Deely (0-1).

Sean Treacys: Patrick Dawson (0-6, 5 frees), Colm Kennedy (0-3), Paddy Deegan (0-3), Mikey Feehan (0-2).

St Mary’s: Enda Dunphy, Tadhg Condon, Liam Ryan, Josh Ryan, Darragh O’Connor, Tadhg Sheehan, Sammy Ryan, Conor Deely, Richie Gunne (captain), Oisín Forristal, Seán Kennedy, Michael Murphy, Peter McGarry, Niall Hoctor, Gavin Ryan.

Subs: Ross Peters for Oisín Forristal (HT), James Power for Niall Hoctor (49), Darragh Landers for Gavin Ryan (53), Thomas Charles for Conor Deely (57).

Sean Treacys: Shane Stapleton (captain), Brian Nolan, Sean Hickey, Andy O’Brien, Eoin Sheldon, Paul Nolan, Brendan O’Dwyer, Stevie Carr, Paddy Deegan, Brian Carey, Mikey Feehan, Colm Kennedy, Darragh Kennedy, Patrick Dawson, Paddy Carey.

Subs: Jody Ryan (Rodgers) for Paddy Carey (33), Seanie Ryan (Rodgers) for Darragh Kennedy (36), Cillian Kennedy for Stevie Carr (45), Tom Hickey for Brian Carey (47), Shane Fahey for Brendan O’Dwyer (57).

Referee: Keith Delahunty (Moyle Rovers).

Match report by John O' Shea - Nationalist.