PIHC: Castlelyons drive on as Éire Óg face relegation playoff

Castlelyons 1-15

Éire Óg 1-12

A good start was key in helping Castlelyons to advance to the semi-finals of the Co-op SuperStores Cork Premier IHC at Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.

The East Cork side – beaten finalists in each of the last two years – were 0-9 to 0-1 ahead when Éire Óg were reduced to 14 after a red card for Lar Considine. The lead stretched to nine points when Alan Fenton landed his ninth of the day, but between then and half-time Éire Óg bounced back, with Darragh Coakley’s goal helping them to trail by just three, 0-11 to 1-5, by half-time.

While Castlelyons looked to have steadied at the break as another Fenton point was followed by James Kearney’s goal, they were never able to fully shake off their Ovens opponents, even if the lead was never reduced to less than two.

Ultimately, they finish top of the group, with the win enough to secure them one of the two automatic spots in the last four, with the longer break giving a chance for injured players like Colm Barry, Anthony Spaillane and Ronan Fenton to get back in contention. However, their scoring efficiency will need to improve as a tally of 15 wides could have been costly.

Fenton and Eoin Maye did well at midfield for the victors while Niall O’Leary brought his influence to bear in defence. Apart from Dylan Foley’s first-minute point for Éire Óg, Castlelyons cruised in the opening quarter, with Fenton excellent from dead balls while Barry Murphy, on as a temporary sub, scored two points. Things got worse for Éire Ó when Considine was dismissed on 15 minutes for a high foul on Fenton, but the numerical disparity didn’t stop them gaining a foothold in the game, with Diarmuid Dineen impressive in the half-back line for them.

They had a goal when Colm O’Callaghan won a puckout and fed Coakley, who fired home. Kevin Hallissey (65), Coakley and Dineen had points as they retired trailing by three, with Castlelyons’ wides tally reaching nine by the break.

Fenton pointed a free on the resumption and then it was his pass that allowed Kearney to created space for himself before producing a good near-post finish for a 1-12 to 1-5 lead but they would endure 12 scoreless minutes as Éire Óg again ate into the lead.

Kearney might have scored a second goal only for Dylan Desmond to deny him with a good save, with Fenton pointing to put them five ahead again. Éire Óg wouldn’t give in though, with O’Callaghan and Ronan O’Toole scoring good points. They were just two points down when goalkeeper Dylan Desmond landed a long-range free.

Eoin Maye responded for Castlelyons and Colm Spillane looked to have put them four ahead only for that point to be chalked off. In the end, they didn’t need it.

Scorers for Castlelyons: A Fenton 0-9 (0-5f, 0-2f), J Kearney 1-1, E Maye, B Murphy 0-2 each, C Spillane 0-1.

Éire Óg: D Coakley 1-1, K Hallissey 0-3 (0-1f, 0-1 65), C O’Callaghan, D Dineen 0-2 each, D Foley, R O’Toole, J Cooper, D Desmond (0-1f) 0-1 each.

CASTLELYONS: J Barry; L Sexton, C O’Neill, J O’Leary; D Spillane, N O’Leary, L Doocey; E Maye, A Fenton; P Roche, C Spillane, K O’Leary; O Hallihan, J Kearney, D Morrison.

Subs: B Murphy for Kearney (6-14, blood), Murphy for Hallihan (half-time), B O’Donovan for O’Leary (57).

ÉIRE ÓG: D Desmond; J Mullins, J Kelleher, D Kirwan; D Dineen, D O’Herlihy, D McCarthy; R O’Toole, J Cooper; D Foley, K Hallissey, D Coakley; J Kelleher, L Considine, C O’Callaghan.

Subs: O O’Shea for Foley (47), M Brady for Coakley (54).

Referee: C Dineen (Douglas).