SAHC: Fr O'Neill's have too much firepower for Cloyne
Cian Twomey, Newcestown, battles Declan Dalton, Fr O'Neill's. Picture: Jim Coughlan.
Fr O’Neill’s 2-23 Cloyne 2-10
TWO Declan Dalton goals within a minute summed up the difference in quality between these sides at Castlemartyr in this Co-Op Superstores SAHC Group C match.
Fr O’Neill’s cruised to victory and it was one-way traffic from the throw-in with two points in the opening minute, through Kevin O’Sullivan and Billy Dunne. Deccie Dalton added another from play before Brian O’Shea struck a placed ball in reply for Cloyne a minute later.
Then Dalton rattled the Cloyne net on the fifth minute when he blasted through the defence and left Donal Óg Cusack motionless as the sliotar was clinically put away.
O’Neill’s were awarded a free seconds later 20-metres out from the Cloyne goal and as the Cloyne defence were sorting themselves out, Dalton caught them all napping and shot into the net again for a seven-point lead.
The men from Aghavine piled on more pressure with a Dalton free, two further points from play from Dunne, and a fine score from the corner from Paudie McMahon.
Cloyne in response had another free from O’Shea and before the water break a penalty from O’Shea to put 10 between the sides.
Dalton converted two further frees. We saw another two fine long-range points from O’Sullivan and a lovely effort from Thomas Mellerick, after some magical stick work.
Cloyne had just one in reply, a Paudie O’Sullivan free, leaving O’Neill’s in complete control.
The second half was always going to be a dead rubber with the sides going through the motions.
Dalton, Dunne and McMahon continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over, whereas Cloyne did have a further four Paudie O’Sullivan frees and a late goal from Brian Minihan which put some respectability on the scoreboard.
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