PIHC: Ballymartle make better use of wind in deserved win over Carrigaline

Ballymartle 0-19 Carrigaline 0-13

Ballymartle got their Co-op Superstores Premier IHC campaign off to a winning start at Shamrocks GAA Club on Saturday.

Overall there were deserving winners as they made better use of the strong wind which was in their favour in the first half.

In the second their defence stood up when it had to against it, led by Eoghan O’Leary and Liam Corry.

Up front, Shane Cummins and Brian Corry were a constant threat, but Rickard Cahalane was simply outstanding.

He was all over the pitch and if there was a Player of the Game award he would have been the worthy winner.

The big concern for Carrigaline will be the number of wides they had over the hour, 17 in total. They won’t have to be told that is not good enough at this level.

As expected with the wind Ballymartle got off to a better start with Donnacha Desmond, Cummins, Corry, and Darren McCarthy putting them 0-4 to the good.

Brian Kelleher, who hit six from frees for Carrigaline in the first half, got their opening score.

Two frees from McCarthy kept his side well ahead, but in their best spell of the half Kelleher hit two, along with one from David Drake, to make it 0-5 to 0-7 after 20 minutes.

Three frees from McCarthy had Ballymartle back in control and he got the last score of the half to see them lead 0-11 to 0-8 at the break.

Even at that Carrigaline were still in a good place turning to play with the wind. Drake pulled a point back, but again Ballymartle responded in style with two from McCarthy, either side of a Corry point.

The only real goal chance fell to Carrigaline in the 42nd minute, but John McCarthy saved well from Rhys McCarthy.

Kelleher made it a three-point game and with five minutes to go the lead was still that for Ballymartle, 0-16 to 0-13.

But they finished the game strongly with two from Luke O’Callaghan helping them to run out deserving winners as they now face Valley Rovers in round two next week.

Scorers for Ballymartle: D McCarthy 0-10 f, B Corry, L O’Callaghan 0-3 each, S Cummins 0-2, D Desmond 0-1.

Carrigaline: B Kelleher 0-8 f, D Drake 0-2, E Desmond, D Greene, K O’Reilly 0-1 each.

BALLYMARTLE: J McCarthy; C Coleman, TJ Murphy, E O’Leary; L Corry, J Dwyer, P Dorney; R Deasy, S Dorney; S Cummins, D McCarthy, B Corry; D Desmond, R Cahalane, L O’Callaghan.

Subs: S Corry for P Dorney (6 inj), N Crowley for D Desmond (46), P Geary for B Corry (59).

CARRIGALINE: R Foster; N Coleman, C Vaughan, D King; R O’Shea, Kieran Kavanagh, D Griffin; R Kelleher, N O’Keeffe; Kevin Kavanagh, R McCarthy, B Kelleher; F O’Connell, D Drake, E Desmond.

Subs: S Williamson for C Vaughan (35), K O’Reilly for F O’Connell, P Mellet for D Drake (both 42), D Greene for R Kelleher (50).

Referee: Brendan Barry Murphy (Aghabullogue).