SAHC: Mallow squeeze past Cloyne in a hurling classic
Mallow's Pa Healy clears his lines as Cloyne's Briain Minihane closes in, during their Cork Senior AHC clash at Fermoy. Picture: David Keane.
Mallow 3-16 Cloyne 2-17
MALLOW edged past Cloyne in a thrilling Co-op Superstores Senior A Hurling Championship Round 2 game in Fermoy on Friday night to lift their championship aspirations once more.
On a near-perfect night for summer hurling the boys from the Blackwater Valley had to dig deep against a side that threw everything they had at the clash.
An almost perfect start for Cloyne had them 1-2 to a point up after five minutes thanks to points from Brian O’Shea and Conor Cahill as well as a superb finish to the net from Brian Walsh.
Mallow were back on level terms by the 10th minute with minors from Mark Tobin and Niall O’Riordan and a smash and grab effort from Daniel Sheehan (the corner-forward’s third goal in two games).
The Avondhu side bagged the next four points on the bounce as they looked to be getting into their groove however another point from O’Shea and a second green flag from Walsh had this one back level as the game passed the quarter-hour mark.
Mallow again hit the front soon after, this time a goal from full-forward Denis Hayes raised the spirits but two late points from the East Cork side had the game down to the minimum at the break: 2-7 to 2-6.
Mallow keeper Podge Buckley had to make a great save to keep Mallow in front shortly after the break however three of the next scores went the way of O’Shea – game level again with 20 left to play.
Two minutes of brilliance from Sheehan, first a tasty point, then the fifth goal of the game had Mallow looking on their way, but Cloyne fought back once more and a trio of frees from O’Shea almost undid all the Mallow good work.
Still, Joe Buckley's team had enough in the tank to see this one out and now move on to face Fermoy in what looks like an all-or-nothing clash.
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