Kanturk have too much class for Kildysart in Munster Championship
Kanturk's Grantas Bucinskas celebrates his goal with Alan Walsh at Cusack Park, Ennis. Picture: Eamon Ward
Kanturk 3-11 Kildysart 0-6
KANTURK'S bid to become the first ever club to capture Munster Intermediate Club Hurling and Football Championship titles certainly got off to an encouraging start when putting hosts Kildysart to the sword in Cusack Park, Ennis on Saturday afternoon.
Five years on from their historic provincial hurling success, the North Cork side’s appetite seemed to be sharpened once more as they overpowered their disappointing Clare hosts in what was a rather bloodless provincial opener.
Slow to get into their stride, Kanturk’s first-half profligacy of nine wides ensured that it took the Cork Premier Intermediate champions 13 minutes to open their account through an Ian Walsh free from 40 metres. However, they more than made up for lost time as three timely goals in the remaining three quarters put the result beyond any doubt.
The first arrived in the 19th minute when a Brian O’Sullivan interception allowed Grantus Bucinskas to counter with a perfectly floated delivery towards the square that was caught and finished to the net by Alan Walsh at 1-2 to 0-1.
Late points from brothers Can and Ryan Walsh established a 1-4 to 0-2 interval cushion that was quickly fleshed out almost immediately on the restart when Ian Walsh picked out Bucinskas to field and unleash a bullet past goalkeeper Conor Cusack.
Quickly followed by points for Colin Walsh and Lorcán McLoughlin to nudge Kanturk into a double figure 2-6 to 0-2 advantage, that momentum was not halted by the arrival of a hovering rescue helicopter that wisely saw the match stopped temporarily.
After a six-minute recess, Ian Walsh’s frees matched an Emmet McMahon-led Kildysart who simply never gathered pace at any stage.
Ronan Cashman was forced to tip away a shot from substitute Keith Murphy entering the final 10 minutes but after emptying their bench, the Cork champions finished the stronger. The clinching score arrived deep into injury time when Kanturk overturned a Kildysart kick-out at halfway and picked out Ian Walsh to race through and find the net.
By then, Padraig Kearns' side were already thinking ahead to Sunday's Kerry Intermediate Final between An Ghaeltacht and Rathmore as they host the winner at the penultimate stage in a fortnight.
I Walsh 1-4 (0-4 f), Alan Walsh 1-1 (0-1 f), C Walsh 0-3, G Bucinskas 1-0, R Walsh, L McLoughlin, L O’Neill 0-1 each.
E McMahon 0-5 (0-2f), M Donnellan 0-1.
R Cashman; T Walsh, D Browne, L O’Neill; M Healy, B O’Sullivan, J McLoughlin; P Walsh, Aidan Walsh; C Walsh, I Walsh, L McLoughlin; G Bucinskas, R Walsh, Alan Walsh.
J Fitzpatrick for R Walsh (48), C Clernon for Aidan Walsh (51), C Hendry for Bucinskas (55), L O’Keeffe for L. McLoughlin (55), C Mullans for O’Sullivan (55).
C Cusack; M Eustace, B Eyres, S Sheehan; R McMahpn, K Leahy, F Ginnane; K O’Connor, K O’Brien; L McGrath, S Casey, C Moloney; C Hassett, E McMahon, J Evans.
M Donnellan for Eustace (h-t), K Murphy for Hassett (47), J Cotter for R. McMahon (57).
Seamus Mulvihill (Kerry).
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