East Cork GAA

30 March, 2009

Ulster Bank C o Premier 1 Minor Hurling League

Late points from Colin Murphy and Darragh O’Brien enabled Blarney to gain a share of the spoils with Mallow in this exciting Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Hurling Group 1 game which was played in Mallow on Wednesday night last. In what was a low scoring first half the sides went in at the break on level terms at 0-05 apiece with Ciaran Buckley, Damien Hyde and Barry Phelan getting the points from Blarney while Kieran Sheehan was the lone scorer for Mallow. The visitors with Tomas Barrett in goal, David Walsh, Craig Sykes, Kevin Hyde, Cian Buckley and Barry Phelan in full flow upped the tempo on the resumption. An early goal from Buckley sat the trend and with some fine points from Darragh O’Brien and Eoin O’Connor they raced into a six points lead with the game entering the final quarter. Mallow could now see the game slipping away from them but with battling performance from Yassin Browne, Odhran O’Connell, Kevin Sheehan, Adrian O’Reilly and Eoin Murphy they turned the game around. A goal from Padraig Buckley started their revival and with Eoin Murphy, Christopher Quill and Brendan Murphy adding some well executed points they edged into a two points advantage as time ticked away. However their there was still a kick left in their opponents and in a last ditch effort they rescued the game with points from Colin Murphy and Darragh O’Brien for a deserved draw at 1-12 apiece.

Blarney went one better on Sunday evening when they had eight points to spare over Duhallow in Blarney. The home side went in at the break leading by two points 1-09 to 1-07 with Ciaran Buckley grabbing the goal and points from Barry Phelan, Damien Hyde, Eoin O’Connor, Cian O’Shea, Darragh O’Brien and Buckley. On the resumption Blarney started well with Tomas Barrett, David Walsh, Paul Hallissey, Mark O’Leary and Eamon Flannery most prominent. Some well executed points from Phelan, O’Shea and O’Brien strengthened their position and although Duhallow fought back there was to be no denying the home side as Buckley broke through for his second goal and with Phelan, O’Shea and Conor Sykes adding some fine points they ran out winners on the final scoreline of 2-19 to 2-11.

Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Hurling League

In Group 1 of the Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Hurling League Courcey Rvs made the trip to Innishannon on Saturday evening last a worthwhile exercise when after a most entertaining contest they saw off the challenge of Valley Rvs 3-10 to 1-11. The home side held a slight advantage in the opening half with Gary Farrell, Gearoid Coughlan, Darragh Crowley, Jer Rice and Ciaran O’Sullivan to the fore and went in at the break leading 0-08 to 0-06 thanks to points from Rice, O’Sullivan and Crowley while the accuracy of Darragh Lordan especially from placed balls kept Courcey Rvs in touch. In the second half the visitors began to increase their efforts and with John Collins, Liam McCarthy and Liam O’Keeffe launching their attack from the half-back line they began to take the game to their opponents. The move of Craig Minihane to full-forward also began to pay dividends and he was ably assisted by Darragh Lordan, Brendan Dalton, David Lordan and Colm Daly. An early goal from Gary Minihane gave them the lead and with further goals from Craig Minihane and Darragh Lordan they cemented their position. Although Valley Rvs battled to the last they were not to be successful on this occasion as their opponents had too much on hand and ran out impressive winners.

In Group 2 of the same competition there were victories for Donoughmore and Sliabh Rua over Ballinhassig and Fr O’Neills respectively.

Colm O’Callaghan with a personal contribution of 1-11 was Donoughmore’s top scorer in their 4-13 to 0-09 away success over Ballinhassig. In what a closely contested opening half in which a goal from Donoughmore’s Patrick Crowley before the break divided the sides. On the resumption Donoughmore, who also had huge contributions from Tadhg Hartnett, Kevin Horgan, William Murphy, Phillip O’Callaghan and Dermot Healy in goal, began to force the pace. Goals from O’Callaghan, Paul Crowley and Leon Cogan strengthened their position and with O’Callaghan striking over some neat points they ran out comfortable winners.

Sliabh Rua got back into winning ways when they defeated Fr O’Neills by double scores 0-16 to 0-08 in Riverstick on Sunday evening. The visitors led at the break 0-06 to 0-05 but the home side came good in the second half and with top displays coming from Colm Coleman, Paul Allen in goal, Jamie O’Connell, James Vaughan, Sean O’Mahony and Keith Fitzpatrick the scores began to follow. Some great points from O’Mahony, Fitzpatrick, Denis O’Leary, Jamie Daly, Liam Corry and David O’Mahony confirmed their authority and although their opponents tried their utmost to halt the flow there was to be no stopping the home side who secured a well deserved victory.

Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Football League

A goal in injury time by Michael Dineen gave Castlehaven victory by the narrowest of margins over Mallow in this Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Football League, Group 2, game which was played in Mallow on Sunday morning last. In what was a close and gripping contest throughout the home side, who played with wind advantage, went in at the break leading 0-05 to 0-03 with the visitor’s points coming from Michael Dineen and Brian Hurley. Castlehaven with impressive displays from Michael Dineen, Brian Hurley, Niall O’Leary and Damien Cahalane came out for the second half in a much more determined mood and quickly sat about their task. Seven unanswered points from Hurley, O’Leary, Patrick O’Brien and Stephen Collins saw them race into the lead. Mallow to their credit fought back and with time ticking away forced themselves into a two points lead and it now looked as if they had victory within their grasp but in one final attack the ball was worked goal-wards and up popped Dineen to grab the winner and maintain Castlehaven’s unbeaten run on the final scoreline of 1-11 to 1-10.

St Finbarrs travelled to Carrigtwohill on Tuesday night last and came away with the points at the expense of the local side to maintain their unbeaten run in Group 3. The ‘Barrs who had solid showings from Sean Keane, Cormac Holland, Jamie Burns, Ian Power and Eoin McGreevy took control of the game from the outset and with the aid of a goal from McGreevy and some superb points from the same player and Power they went in at the break leading 1-10 to 0-02. The trend continued after the resumption with Power adding a goal and with Burns, Robert Browner and Ian Lordan also getting their names on the score-sheet they ran out comfortable winners despite the best attempts of Jason Leahy, Kyle O’Shea and Kieran Murphy who battled hardest to stem the tide for the home side.

Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Football League

A goal four minutes from time by Josh O’Shea saw Aghada gain the points in this Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Football League, Group 1 game which was played in Rostellan on Thursday night last. In what was a hard fought encounter the visitors went in at the break leading 1-01 to 0-03 with their goal coming from William Holland, after a brilliant move started and finished by himself, and a point from Cian O’Connor while their opponent’s scores came from Michael Russell, Michael Desmond and Josh O’Shea. In the second half the home side came more into contention and with Michael Russell, Andrew O’Donovan, Eoin Savage, Tommy Dobbins, Josh O’Shea, Seamus O’Connor and Christopher Cashman coming more into view. Some excellent points from Russell, Desmond and O’Shea gave them the advantage but with the game reaching its final phase Mayfield who had stern performances from Olan Bond, Niall Creedon, Darran Wise and William Holland fought back and drew level with a stunning goal from Liam Chevalier and it now looked as if they would take the laurels but in an inspirational moment O’Shea won possession and with coolness lobbed the advancing ‘keeper for the winning goal to give his side a 1-08 to 2-02 victory.

In the same group St Nicholas had missed fortunes during the week when on Wednesday night they saw off the challenge of Fr O’Neills 0-17 to 1-02 at the Glen Field while on Sunday afternoon they made the trip to Rosscarbery to play Carbery Rngs but unfortunately for them they found the home side too strong and came away at the wrong end of a 4-08 to 0-09 final scoreline. In their game against Fr O’Neills they led at the break by the bare minimum 0-05 to 1-01 after points from John Corcoran, Ian O’Regan and Daniel O’Callaghan while Patrick Quinlan with a goal and a point from William Joyce accounted for their opponent’s scores. St Nicks with Glen Cunningham, Andy Evans, John Corcoran and Evan Kennedy leading the charge upped a gear in the second half and with some beautiful points from Corcoran, Evans, Carmody, Ian O’Regan and Daniel O’Callaghan they ran out comfortable winner despite the best efforts of Irwin Lane, John Barry, Fergal Duffy and Noel O’Driscoll.

On Sunday it was a different story with Carbery Rngs taking the game to their opponents from the outset. Two goals from Sean O’Neill and by Christopher O’Donovan from the penalty spot saw the home side lead at the break 3-04 to 0-03. Although St Nicholas came more into the game on the resumption the home side who had stirling displays from Peter Nagle, Christopher O’Donovan, Sean O’Neill, Phelim Duignan and Micheal O’Donovan held the upper hand and with a goal from Barry O’Hea and points from Nagle, Eoin Lane and John O’Rourke they ended up worthy winners.

In Group 2 of the same competition Glanmire had their first win of the current campaign when had a 2-08 to 0-04 home success over Midleton. In a low scoring first half the sides were on level terms at the break at 0-03 apiece but in the second half the home side with Graham Murray, Tiernan Hourihan, Fergal Burke, David Dennehy, James Berkeley and David Murphy growing in stature upped the tempo of the game and with goals from Hourihan and Joe Condon and some well worked points from Burke, Stephen Egan, Niall Hayes and Condon they ran out comfortable winners.