Lower IHC: Kilbrittain guaranteed top spot in Group A with a game to spare

Kilbrittain have secured top spot in Group A of the Co-op SuperStores Cork Lower IHC after a commanding second-half performance gave them a 2-24 to 0-13 win over Dripsey at Bandon on Sunday.

The sides were tied at 0-9 each after a first half where they were level six times but, after Dripsey’s scorer-in-chief Michael O’Riordan pointed on the restart, Kilbrittain replied with a goal from Josh O’Donovan and never looked back.

O’Donovan finished with 1-7 for Jamie Wall’s side while Maurice Sexton and sub Conor Ustianowski also impressed and Philip Wall added a second goal late on.

Kilbrittain’s last game is against Grenagh, who have lost twice, but even if they were to lose that, they would have head-to-head advantage against either Argideen Rangers or Dripsey, who play off for second place.

Argideen triumphed by 2-14 to 1-14 against Grenagh in Cloughduv, with their goals coming from John Michael O’Callaghan and Seán Walsh.

In Group C, St Catherine’s made it two wins from two as they saw off Barryroe by 3-12 to 1-16 at Ovens. Brian Mulcahy and Eoin Davis netted the goals for the Ballynoe side, who will progress barring a heavy loss to Ballygarvan in their final match.

Ballygarvan, who had beaten Barryroe in their first outing, lost to Milford at Mourneabbey on a 2-19 to 0-16 scoreline. Mark Sheehy’s goal late in the first half helped Milford to hold a 1-13 to 0-10 advantage, with Brian Murphy, Killian O’Gorman, Anthony Watson and Tommy Curran among the points. Cormac Dowd carried much of the Ballygarvan scoring burden but a goal remained elusive for them and Darragh Hannigan was on hand to raise a second green flag for Milford in the closing stages. Victory for the North Cork side against Barryroe would make qualification a near-certainty.

Group B is sorted in terms of progression as Lisgoold and Tracton both picked up their second wins, meaning that their clash in three weeks will determine who finishes in first and second places.

A late goal from Mark Byrne finally pushed Tracton clear of St Finbarr’s at Ballinhassig, the final scoreline 1-23 to 1-16. Ronan Walsh and Joseph Kingston both contributed on the point-scoring front for the south-east side.

Lisgoold, the county junior A champions for 2020, were 2-21 to 0-19 winners against Russell Rovers, who played the 2020 lower intermediate final against Castlemartyr in August but are now out of contention.

James O’Driscoll netted in the 20th minute for Lisgoold while Liam O’Shea got their second goal shortly before the second-half water break and also landed 14 points.