Éire Óg 0-17 Blarney 0-17 

MUSKERRY rivals Éire Óg and Blarney played out a lively draw in the RedFM Division 3 Hurling League at Ovens. 

Éire Óg looked the likely winners for the majority of the game, they led by six points at the break and with 15 minutes remaining were five points ahead. However, a strong last quarter from Blarney led by Cian Barrett, younger brother of Cork hurler Shane Barrett, helped the team in red and white reel in the hosts.

Éire Óg made a fast start, an Eoin O’Shea free and a Jack Sheehan effort settled down the home team. Blarney, coached by former Limerick hurler Gavin O’Mahony, replied with points from the industrious Denis McSweeney and Barrett, until Éire Óg landed four unanswered points, Kevin Hallissey’s effort the pick of the bunch following a neat team move. 

Barrett, who was unerring from frees throughout, converted a placed ball, but the Ovens team were in control at this juncture, Hallissey and Daniel Healy raised white flags to push the home team five ahead, 0-8 to 0-3 after 18 minutes.

Blarney did hit three of the next four points, but the home team finished the half well with three consecutive points, 0-12 to 0-6 at the break.

The away team made a fast start to the second half, with Cathal Hegarty bisecting the posts 16 seconds in, and Barrett found the target following a clever pass from Olan Hegarty. Despite the positive start to the new half from Blarney, Éire Óg settled and were 0-16 to 0-11 ahead after 45 minutes. Blarney rallied, four unanswered points left just a point between the teams with five minutes remaining. 

O’Shea converted a free for Éire Óg, their first score in 12 minutes, but a Barrett free and a Shane Mulcahy effort in injury time levelled the game.

Éire Óg are away to Ballymartle on Sunday, April 16 at 11.30am. Blarney are at home to Blackrock’s second string the day before at 3pm.

Scorers for Éire Óg: E O’Shea 0-8 (0-6 f), K Hallissey, J Cooper 0-3 each, D Healy, D Desmond (f), J Sheehan, 0-1 each.

Blarney: C Barrett 0-11 (0-9 f), C Hegarty, D McSweeney 0-2 each, S Mulcahy, P Crowley, 0-1 each.

ÉIRE ÓG: D Desmond; J Mullins, D Dineen, K Cooper; C McGoldrick, M Brady, B Corcoran; E O’Shea, D McCarthy; J Sheehan, J Kelleher, J Cooper; O O’Shea, K Hallissey, D Healy.

Subs: C Malone for C McGoldrick, E Kelleher for O O’Shea (both h-t).

BLARNEY: E O’Neill; D Murphy, P O’Leary, J O’Keeffe; A McEvoy, P Crowley, C Power; D McSweeney, O Hegarty; M O’Leary, S Crowley, C Hegarty; W Crowley, S Mulcahy, C Barrett.

Subs: K Costello for M O’Leary (31, inj), C Dunlea for W Crowley (38), V O’Mahony for J O’Keeffe (44), P O’Connor for S Crowley (54).

Referee: Brendan Barry-Murphy (Aghabullogue).