East Cork GAA

16 March, 2009

Match Reports

Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Hurling League

In Group 1 of the Ulster Bank Co Premier 1 Minor Hurling League Na Piarsaigh got their season off to a winning start when they had a 3-16 to 2-10 home success over Sarsfields on Saturday afternoon last. Sarsfields had the better of the opening exchanges and with the aid of a goal from James Burke and points from Eoin O’Sullivan and Thomas Crowley they stormed into an early lead. Gradually the home side began to find their feet with Keith Harris in goal, Pa O’Rourke, Shane Duggan, Alan Kenneally and Adrian Field leading the charge. A goal from O’Rourke brought them back into contention in the 20^th minute but Sars who had Fintan Burke, James Burke, Aidan O’Neill and Jonathan Delaney in fine form added further points from Burke, O’Sullivan and Crowley to go in at the break leading 1-07 to 1-04 with Christopher Joyce and Shane Duggan adding the points from Na Piarsaigh. The home side came out for the second half in a much more determined mood and with an early goal from Keith Waters and some excellent points from Alan Kenneally they took over the ascendancy. Although Sars, who had a second goal from Paul McCarthy, maintained their challenge but Na Piarsaigh finished strongly and with a goal from Shane Duggan and some well executed points from Eoin Keohane, Jamie Curtin and Duggan saw them run out worthy winners.

Duhallow were another team to shine this weekend after they travelled to Bishopstown and came away with the points at the expense of the local side. In what was a closely fought opening half the visitors with the aid of a goal from John Buckley and points from Kieran Sheahan, Aidan O’Flynn and Eamon Brosnan went in at the break leading by the bare minimum 1-05 to 0-06 with Brian Coffey, David O’Sullivan, Brain Dooley and Brian Murray on the mark for their opponents. On the resumption Duhallow who had solid showings from Kevin Tarrant, Brian O’Connell, Brendan O’Sullivan, Michael Vaughan, Kieran Sheahan and Eamon Brosnan maintained their grip on the game. In fairness to the home side they battled hard with Mark O’Driscoll in goal, Diarmuid Lester, Coffey and O’Driscoll always prominent and with the game entering its final quarter they were still very much in contention. However the visitors increased their efforts and with points from Sheahan, Brosnan and Thomas O’Reilly they ended up victorious on the final scoreline of 1-13 to 0-07.

In Group 2 of the same competition Blackrock made the trip to Carrigtwohill on Saturday and came away with a share of the spoils thanks to a late goal from Donal Cremin. In what was a hard fought encounter in which scores were hard to come by the home side with well taken points from Jason Leahy, Colm Cronin, Tomas Hogan and Kevin Murphy went in at the interval leading 0-05 to 0-03 with Patrick Deasy accounting for the “Rockies” tally. The second half continued on a similar vein but as the game was entering its final stages the home who had impressive displays from William McCarthy, Cathal McCarthy, Colm Cronin and Kyle O’Shea, had stretched their advantage to three points and looked to be on their way for victory. However Blackrock had other ideas and the never-say-die attitude of Dylan Stokes, Mark Ryan and Eoin O’Farrell paid dividends when Donal Cremin popped up for the equalising goal to leave the final scoreline read Blackrock 1-05 Carrigtwohill 0-08.

Midleton, who are the holders of this competition, got their campaign off to the perfect start when they had a 3-12 to 3-08 away victory over Glen Rvs on Saturday afternoon last. In what was an entertaining contest in which both sides displayed some fine passages of hurling the home had the better of the exchanges in the opening half with Colin McCarthy in Goal, Dean Brosnan, Andrew Evans, Paul Virgo, Colm Burns and James Mulcahy leading by example. Two goals from Evans and some fine points from Brosnan saw them heading for the break with a four points advantage but a late goal from Paul Haughney brought Midleton back into contention to leave only the bare minimum between the sides 2-05 to 1-07 with Conor Lehane accounting for six points and one from Brian O’Sullivan for the visitors. In the second half Midleton began to up the tempo of the game with strong performances from Leslie Coughlan, Killian Burke, Cormac Walsh, Patrick Whyte, Brian O’Sullivan, Paul Haughney and Conor Lehane. In fairness to the home side they put in a strong resistance but in the final ten minutes Midleton began to pull away and with a goal from Lehane, who ended up with a personal tally of 2-07, and points from the same player, Haughney and Paudie O’Farrell they fashioned a merited victory.

Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Hurling League

In Group 1 of the Ulster Bank Co Premier 2 Minor Hurling League there was a historic occasion in Riverstick on Friday night last when a Kerry Dev. Squad made their first foray into Cork soil and came away with a share of the spoils against Courcey Rvs. Despite the murky conditions the facilities in Riverstick were in top class order and both sides displayed a fine brand of exciting hurling. Exchanges were close throughout with the sides going in at the break on level terms at 1-06 apiece where Ronan Connery and Shane Nolan shared the goals while David Lordan, Stephen Nyhan, Olan Crowley and Darragh Lordan shot over some fine points for Courceys with Edward Griffin, Jason Bowler and Nolan replying for the Kerry side. In the second half the men from the Kingdom who had impressive displays from Stephen O’Connor, Brendan Brosnan, Paudie O’Leary, Tommy Maunsell, Jason Bowler, Colin Harty and Edward Griffin began to increase their efforts. Well-worked points from Bowler, Griffin, Nolan and sub Shane Durcan gave them the advantage and with time ticking away they were three points to the good and it looked like a victory was on the horizon. However Courcey Rvs were not to be outdone and with Darragh Lordan, David Lordan, Stephen Nyhan, Liam McCarthy, Brendan Dalton and Colm Daly rallying to the cause they equalised with a late goal from Daly for a share of the spoils 2-07 to 1-10

St Catherines opened their campaign with a solid 3-10 to 1-07 away victory over Brian Dillons. The winners who had wind advantage in the opening half made most of their advantage to go in at the break leading 1-06 to 0-03 with their goal coming from Denis Lane and points from Stephen O’Brien, Brian Mulcahy and Pa Roche. On the resumption the visitors continued to take the game to their opponents with Conor Hegarty, Pa Roche, Stephen O’Brien, Brian Mulcahy and Denis Lane leading the charge. Although their opponents put in a battling performance in trying to get back into contention further goals from Donal McAuliffe and Mulcahy gave St Catherines the cushion they needed and with Colm Ahern and Liam Heffernan also getting their names on the score-sheet they ran out comfortable winners.

Eire Og travelled to Aghada during the week and came away with a deserved 0-12 to 0-08 victory. In what a difficult night for hurling due to the inclement conditions the home side played with the elements in the first half and led at the break by double scores 0-06 to 0-03 thanks to points from Michael Russell and Ronan Kennedy while John Dinan and Kevin Hallissey were on the mark for Eire Og. On the resumption the visitors began to up their performance with James Shiels, Ciaran Hutchins, John Kelleher, Kevin Hallissey and John Dineen coming more into view. Some fine points from Dineen and Hallissey gave them encouragement and with further points from the same players and Eoin Lyons and Fintan Brennan they secured victory despite the best attempts of Eoin Savage, Kenneth Higgins, Eoin Healy and Seamus O’Gorman who never gave the chase for the home side.

Shandrum got off the perfect start when with a late surge they saw off the strong challenge of Valley Rvs in Newtownshandrum. The visitors led at the break 1-04 to 0-03 but the home side with Jamie Coughlan, David O’Connor, Stephen O’Toole, Kieran Morrissey, Eoin Doyle and Billy Naughton increasing their efforts upped a gear in the second half. A goal from Coughlan gave them the kick start they needed and although Valley Rvs kept pace a further brace of goals from Coughlan in the final quarter killed off the challenge and with points from Morrissey, Jerry Lane, Kieran O’Connor and David O’Connor they ran out deserving winners.

In Group 2 Castlelyons made a successful trip to Donoughmore and came away with a 2-16 to 1-04 victory. The winners were best served by Eoin Maye, Darran Tobin, Aidan O’Sullivan, Brian Carroll and Colm Barry. Their goals came from Rob Feeney and Alan O’Regan while Tobin, Feeney, Maye, O’Regan and O’Sullivan also got their names on the score-sheet with some superb points.

Mayfield made an encouraging start to their campaign when had a 2-13 to 1-10 home victory over Fr O’Neills on Sunday morning last. Although playing against the wind in the opening half the home side led at the break 0-07 to 1-03 with their points coming from Danny O’Gorman, Olan Bond and Ian Monaher while Gavin Foley with a goal and points from William Joyce, Foley and Liam O’Driscoll kept their opponents in contention. On the resumption the home side led by the promptings of Ian Monaher, Gary Lehane, Danny O’Gorman, Darran Crowley, Devon Frawley and Shane O’Donovan maintained their momentum and with the aid of goals from Olan Bond and Eamon O’Brien and points from O’Gorman, David Malone, Kelvin O’Sullivan and Keith Punch they increased their advantage. To their credit Fr O’Neills battled hard to get back into contention and in Irwin Lane, Mark Hayes, Liam O’Driscoll, Tony Motherway and William Joyce they had some quality players but in the end the had to give better to the home side who ran out comfortable winners.

A strong first half performance gave Sliabh Rua a well deserved 5-09 to 3-09 home victory over Killeagh/Itas on Sunday last in Riverstick. Although the visitors opened brightly with a goal and a point the home side soon got into their stride and with the aid two goals from Sean O’Mahony and one form Keith Fitzpatrick they went in at the break leading 3-04 to 1-05. In the second half the home side through the efforts of TJ Murphy, James Vaughan, David O’Mahony, Daniel O’Leary and Sean O’Mahony continued to take the game to their opponents. Although Killeagh/Itas made a comeback Sliabh Rua stood firm and with further goals from David and Sean O’Mahony and points from Fitzpatrick and O’Leary they secured victory.