SAHC: Huge win for Cloyne as they hold off Fermoy fightback
Brian Walsh, Cloyne, winning this ball from Adam Creed, Fermoy during their Co-Op Superstores SAHC tie in Youghal. Picture: Dan Linehan
CLOYNE were worthy victors over Fermoy in this Group C encounter of the Co-op Superstores SAHC at Youghal on Saturday evening.
Once Brian O’Shea gave them a 0-3 to 0-2 lead in the eighth minute, they never looked back as they attacked with precision and defended with vigour as they now look forward to an Imokilly derby next weekend against Carrigtwohill while Fermoy must re-group before taking on their rivals from Avondhu, Mallow.
Inspired by O’Shea, Diarmuid Byrne and Noel Cahill, they led by nine points at the interval and as the second half progressed they went tit-for-tat with Fermoy, which was all they needed to do. The sides broke even at 0-3 each before Fermoy finally made a dent in the Cloyne lead when Shane Aherne goaled to bring his side back into it with twenty minutes to go.
Cloyne’s response was impressive as O’Shea and Cahill hit the next two scores to leave them seven clear going into the final ten minutes. Gradually, Fermoy narrowed the gap with Jake Carr on target with frees and Gary O’Callaghan on target from play but when O’Callaghan got a sniff of goal, Ashley Walsh saved brilliantly even if Carr pointed the resultant free.
Fermoy continued in vain to search for a goal and though Carr and Shane Coughlan added further points, they couldn’t get close enough.
Cloyne left last year’s championship with a whimper against Bride Rovers but they started with a scream here as they completely dominated the first half. They hit 1-12, all but 0-2 of which came from play, they had seven different scorers and annihilated Fermoy on the breaking ball as they took full advantage of the significant wind that was filling their sails.
Two early scores from Cloyne’s talisman, Brian O’Shea, were blotted out by two Jake Carr scores for Fermoy but from there the Imokilly side ramped it up as they hit six in a row to take control at the end of the opening quarter. O’Shea landed another brace, while Conor Cahill, Noel Cahill, Jack Hallihan and Byrne all found their range as Fermoy struggled to make the ball stick in their forward line.
Fermoy then had a brief purple patch as points from Brian O’Sullivan, Carr and Aherne outdid another Conor Cahill effort but Cloyne were soon to take control again. Byrne and Noel Cahill pointed before the later fed Ian Cahill who in turn played in Michael Cahill who applied the finish for the game’s opening goal.
Keith Dennehy further extended their lead before a David Lardner point left Fermoy trailing by 1-12 to 0-6 when Conor Lane blew the short whistle.
The question was would that lead be enough with the extent of the wind? In the end, it was more than adequate.
B O’Shea 0-7 (0-3 f, 0-2 65), N Cahill 0-4, M Cahill 1-0, C Cahill 0-3, D Byrne 0-2, J Hallihan, K Dennehy 0-1 each.
J Carr 0-8 (0-6 f), S Aherne 1-1, D Lardner, D Daly, B O’Sullivan, S Coughlan (f), G O’Callaghan 0-1 each.
A Walsh; B Minihane, Eoin Motherway, T O’Regan; K Dennehy, S Beausang, D Byrne; C Cahill, Eánna Motherway; J Hallihan, B O’Shea, N Cahill; B Walsh, I Cahill, M Cahill.
Cian Motherway for N Cahill (inj, 53), C Mullins for M Cahill (61).
S Coughlan; G Lardner, S Shanahan, C Condon; P Murphy, J O’Brien, P de Róiste; M Brennan, A Creed; T Clancy, D Daly, S Aherne; J Carr, D Lardner, B O’Sullivan.
G O’Callaghan for Condon (36), D O’Callaghan for Clancy (49), J Molloy for Daly (55).
Conor Lane (Banteer/Lyre).
App?
