Castletownroche 3-22 Lough Rovers 2-17

AFTER a 21-year gap Castletownroche won the Cork County Junior B Hurling Championship for the second time with a hard-earned victory over a brave Lough Rovers at Páirc Uí Rinn last Saturday night.

Castletownroche goalkeeper Donal Relihan pulled off some fine saves in the closing stages as Lough Rovers did everything to save the game and Niall Hazelwood’s goal in the seventh minute of added time put the icing on the cake for the north Cork side.

It was the fitness of the Castletownroche side that proved the difference as they won several of the breaking ball tussles, while Lough Rovers were relying heavily on Johnny English for their scores as he contributed fifteen points of his side’s tally; eleven of them from placed balls.

Johnny O’Callaghan settled Castletownroche’s nerves with a goal after eight minutes after he raced through to score.

Trailing by six points approaching the break Paul Cumming ran through the Castletownroche defence to score a goal for the city side but it was the Avondhu side who led 1-11 to 1-7 at half time.

Entering the final ten minutes Castletownroche still held a four-point lead when substitute Danny Kiely flicked the ball into the net and a point from Timmy O’Keeffe tied the scores.

However Castletownroche raised their game and points from Mark O’Callaghan, their top scorer with nine points, Johnny O’Callaghan and Dane O’Neill along with goals from O’Neill and Hazelwood saw the Avondhu side claim the trophy.

Scorers for Castletownroche: M O’Callaghan 0-9 (0-6 f, 0- 1 65), D O’Neill 1-4, J O’Callaghan 1-2, N Hazelwood 1-1, D O’Connor 0-4, M Browne, J Batterberry 0-1 each.

Lough Rovers: J English 0-15 (0-10 f, 0-1 65), P Cumming, D Kiely 1-0 each, T O’Keeffe 0-2.

CASTLETOWNROCHE: Donal Relihan; JP Ryan, T Barrett, W Madden; J Browne, M Browne, David Relihan (c); D O’Connor, S Skinner; J Relihan, M O’Callaghan, N Hazelwood; D O’Neill, J Batterberry, J O’Callaghan.

Subs: S Murphy for M Browne (48 inj), H O’Farrell for JP Ryan (59), P Madden for Batterberry (67).

LOUGH ROVERS: G Aherne; C Crowley, S Keane, J Lee; C Oliver, P Foy (c), C Keane; K Kenneally, P Cumming; J O’Connor, J English, E O’Keeffe; S Long, T O’Keeffe, A O’Sullivan.

Subs: D Kiely for O’Sullivan (29), S Murphy for Lee (64).

Referee: B Barry Murphy (Aghabullogue).