PIHC: Ballinhassig edge out Castlemartyr in a cracker 

Ballinhassig: 1-20 

Castlemartyr: 1-17 

BALLINHASSIG eked out a win against last year’s beaten finalists Castlemartyr in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC at Ballygarvan on Sunday afternoon.

This opening Group C encounter pitted two teams fancied to go a long way in this seasons championship. It was a cracking game of hurling and undoubtedly one of the games of the weekend.

Castlemartyr, aided by the wind in the first-half, hit the first score inside the first minute through a Mike Kelly free only for Ballinhassig, coached by Seán Guiheen from Na Piarsaigh, to reply with two points. Fintan O’Leary and Conor Desmond with the scores.

In what was a hugely enjoyable game watched by a huge crowd, it was tit for tat throughout and by the end of the first quarter the teams were level at 0-6 apiece. Both teams were unable to open up a sizeable advantage. 

Ballinhassig hit two of the next three points, in what was a high scoring first-half. A Donncha O’Donovan free and a Conor Desmond effort, the scorers for Ballinhassig. Joe Stack with Castlemartyr’s white flag, 0-8 to 0-7 after 17 minutes. It was a ding dong battle and after Ballinhassig opened up a two point gap (0-10 to 0-8), the Imokilly side struck for a goal. Ciarán Sice did very well to win the ball and gave a handsome hand pass across to an unmarked Stack who rounded Ballinhassig netminder Patrick Collins to raise a green flag.

The sides exchanged points before Desmond and O’Leary points pushed Ballinhassig 0-13 to 1-9 clear after 28 minutes. In a huge blow for Castlemartyr, Cork senior hurler Ciarán Joyce, recently back after a couple of months in America, went off the pitch with a hamstring injury. The Imokilly side helped by the wind finished the half well though with points from a Kelly free and a Conor Whyte effort, 1-11 to 0-13 at the break.

On the resumption, with Ballinhassig now aided by the wind, the eventual winners hit four of the five points in the third quarter to lead 0-17 to 1-12. Castlemartyr weren’t as fluent as the first-half but they were hanging in there and a Kelly free left just a point between the teams. The crucial score arrived ten minutes from time, a goalmouth scramble resulted in O’Leary kicking the ball into the net from close-range as the Blues opened up a four point lead.

The sides traded points until two points from the team in red and white reduced the margin down to two points going into injury-time. The Carrigdhoun outfit hit two of the last three points as they had the experience and guile to see out the game.

Ballinhassig face Watergrasshill next Saturday in Riverstown at 5pm while Castlemartyr are out the day after against Kilworth in Lisgoold at 4pm.

Scorers for Ballinhassig: B Lynch 0-6 (0-4 f), F O’Leary 1-3, D O’Donovan 0-3 f, C Desmond, G Collins, A O’Sullivan 0-2 each, M Collins, C Tyers 0-1 each.

Castlemartyr: M Kelly 0-9 (0-8 f), J Stack 1-2, Barry Lawton 0-3, J McGann, E Martin, C Whyte 0-1 each.

Ballinhassig: P Collins; E Lombard, D O’Donovan, K Maguire; M Collins, S McCarthy, M Sheehan; Darragh O’Sullivan, C Grainger; R Lombard, C Desmond, G Collins; A O’Sullivan, B Lynch, F O’Leary.

Subs: C Tyers for M Sheehan (40), S Lombard for G Collins (54), Diarmuid O’Sullivan for R Lombard (61).

CASTLEMARTYR: D Coughlan; C Martin, J Lawton, B O’Tuama; D Joyce, C Joyce, J Stack; M Cosgrave, Brian Lawton; Barry Lawton, M Kelly, J McGann; E Martin, J Stack, C Sice.

Subs: C Whyte for C Joyce (29, inj), A Kelly for J McGann (49).

Referee: Brian Coniry (Crosshaven).