Bride Rovers sweep past Cloyne into SAHC last four
Bride Rovers' Brian Roche celebrates his second goal against Cloyne during the Co-Op Superstores Cork SAHC quarter final at Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Picture; Eddie O'Hare
Bride Rovers 4-24 Cloyne 2-11
BRIDE Rovers maintained their impressive form in pursuit of the Co-Op Superstores SAHC title with a facile win over Cloyne in a one-sided quarter-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Saturday.
They responded to the ideal conditions by putting on a swashbuckling display of intelligent hurling and razor-sharp finishing to blow their east Cork rivals away.
At one stage, Bride Rovers thundered 3-21 to 0-9 ahead entering the closing 10 minutes of a second half that felt like an eternity in passing before Michael Cahill blasted in a couple of goals in as many minutes for Cloyne.
And it took a brave save by Bride keeper Cian Hogan to deny him a hat-trick before Adam Walsh closed out the tie with his side’s fourth goal in injury-time.
Earlier, a nightmare hour grew worse for Cloyne, when keeper Dylan Costine saw red in the 40th minute after clashing with Cillian Tobin off camera.
Following a quick chat with his umpires, impressive young referee Shane Scanlon reduced Cloyne to 14 players.
In the first half, a second-quarter purple patch drove Bride into a seemingly unassailable lead at the interval, a whopping 16 points in front after pouncing for three goals.
The first came after 21 minutes when the elusive Tobin picked out Brian Roche with a clever diagonal ball into space and the former under-age star duly finished in style for 1-8 to 0-3.
And yet it took a timely intervention from his twin brother Eoin at the other end to rescue a tricky situation after keeper Hogan lost control and Cloyne threatened a goal of their own only for Roche to mop up.
Then, in a devastating six-minute burst, including three added on for stoppages, Bride effectively put the tie to bed by adding 2-4 to their total.
Captain Patrick O’Flynn pointed from distance before the Rathcormac club were awarded a penalty in the 28th minute.
Tobin was fouled in the small square and while Walsh’s shot was smartly saved by Costine, the in-rushing Brian Roche put boot to ball to kick home the rebound.
Then, in the closing play of the half, Tobin had his turn in the limelight, scoring a brilliant individual third goal after making a great catch on the right and sprinting clear of the defence to make it 3-13 to 0-6 at the interval. There looked no way back for Cloyne.
The pattern continued on the resumption as Cloyne persisted with Paudie O’Sullivan as sweeper, but Bride nullified his influence by spraying the ball wide at every opportunity.
They stretched their lead by adding four more points at the start of the second half, Tobin finding the range twice and O’Flynn once again showing great leadership with a second monster score.
On an evening, when all six starting Bride forwards got on the score sheet, Conlaith Ryan showcased their array of talents by expertly cutting a sideline ball over from in front of the north stand.
Just before, Brian O’Shea ended a barren 19-minute spell for Cloyne landing a free, but it was only a token resistance as Bride ran down the clock without too much fuss.
A Walsh 1-5 (0-5 f), B Roche 2-1, C Tobin 1-2, C Ryan 0-4 (0-1 sl), W Finnegan, K Kearney 0-3 each, P O’Flynn, R O’Connell 0-2 each, S O’Connor, C Barry 0-1 each.
B O’Shea 0-7 (0-5 f), M Cahill 2-0, B Walsh 0-2, B Minihane, K Dennehy 0-1 each.
C Hogan; T O’Sullivan, S Walsh, J Pratt; P O’Flynn, captain, E Roche, S O’Connor; K Kearney, D Dooley; W Finnegan, R O’Connell, A Walsh; C Tobin, B Roche, C Ryan.
J Ahern for Tobin, C Barry for Pratt and M Collins for Walsh 46, Walsh for B Walsh 60.
D Costine; J Sherlock, A Sherlock, E Motherway; S Beausang, P O’Sullivan, E Motherway; C Cahill, B O’Shea; C Mullins, B Minihane, T O’Regan; M Cahill, B Walsh, A Walsh.
K Dennehy for Walsh and J Holmes for J Sherlock half-time, N Cahill for O’Regan 38, D Cronin for Mullins 40.
S Scanlon (Newcestown).
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