Bill Cooper hits the net for Youghal as they hold their nerve against Courceys

Youghal 3-16 Courcey Rovers 2-17

YOUGHAL got their Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship campaign back on track with a narrow win over Courcey Rovers at Ovens on Saturday evening.

The East Cork side must now face group leaders Carrigaline in their final game where another big performance will be required if they are to qualify for the knockout stages, while for Courceys, who next meet Aghada, it looks like the end of their interest in the championship.

This was a big win for the Imokilly outfit having gone a few years without a championship win and it was also pleasing that all of their forwards got on the scoreboard.

Two points from play in as many minutes from Bill Copper settled Youghal before Courcey’s replied with two points from Ritchie Sweetnam and a long-range free from goalkeeper Stephen Nyhan to take the lead.

A long-range free from Brett Moloney hit the upright and the alert Andrew Joyce hit the rebound to the net for Youghal’s opening goal.

Cooper raced through a minute later but Stephen Nyhan expertly blocked his goal-bound shot.

A solo from Moloney found Cooper who made no mistake to give Youghal a 2-4 to 0-5 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Approaching half time the Ballinspittle side outscored Youghal six points to four and a thundering run out of defence by Jerry O’Neill found Sweetnam who blasted home a goal to equalise.

A free from Moloney saw Youghal lead by 2-9 to 1-11 at half time.

Both sides exchanged points approaching the end of the third quarter when a solo from Aidan O’Donovan setup Tadgh O’Sullivan for a goal to put Courcey ahead by two points.

Approaching the final ten minutes a solo from Cooper saw substitute Rory McMahon find the net to put Youghal two ahead a lead they never lost.

Scorers for Youghal: B Cooper 1-3, A Joyce 1-0, R McMahon 1-0, J O’Mahony 0-3, P Kirk 0-3, B Moloney 0-3 (0-2 f), O Dempsey, C O’Mahony 0-2 each.

Courcey Rovers: R Sweetnam 1-9 (0-8 f), T O’Sullivan 1-2, S Nyhan 0-1 f, A O’Donovan 0-1 sl, J O’Neill, M Collins, M O’Donovan, J McCarthy 0-1 each.

YOUGHAL: R Cunningham; J Cooper, C Spillane, M Farrell; R Walsh, A Frahill O’Connor, B O’Sullivan; N Roche, J O’Mahony; C O’Mahony, B Cooper, P Kirk; A Joyce, B Moloney, O Dempsey.

Subs: R McMahon for Dempsey (45), R Coady for Joyce (51).

COURCEY ROVERS: S Nyhan; C Daly, B Collins, B Mulcahy; D Coughlan, F Lordan, J O’Neill; DJ Twomey, M Collins; A O’Donovan, O Crowley, M O’Donovan; R Sweetnam, R Nyhan, T O’Sullivan.

Subs: J McCarthy for M O’Donovan (40), T Collins for Twomey (52).

Referee: Joe Larkin (Ballinora).