Valley Rovers edge out Ballymartle for vital PIHC victory
Colm Butler nailed some key scores for Valley Rovers. Picture: Larry Cummins
VALLEY Rovers got their first win in the Co-op Superstores Premier IHC by coming from four points down to beat a fancied Ballymartle in Carrigaline.
Valleys had a fast start and they went into an early 0-5 to 0-2 lead. Charlie Lyons, Jack Walsh and Colm Butler all put over scores during this period of the game, and Ballymartle reacted with three successive white flags.
Once they drew level with Valley Rovers, the side from Carrigdhoun had a sense of confidence that they used to go into the lead. Luke O’Callaghan made it 0-6 to 0-5 in favour of Ballymartle in the 17th minute and that marked a decisive shift in the first-half momentum.
The difference between the two clubs was minimal, but a key factor was the variety of scorers in the Ballymartle team. Five players put the ball over the bar in the first half, and they hit seven wides.
With 30 minutes played in Carrigaline, it was 0-11 to 0-08 and Valley Rovers went into the break searching for answers.
They needed a win to stay in championship after their loss to Éire Óg last week, and a turnaround was willed into existence by a group that had just three scorers in the first half. Lyons got their first white flag after the break from open play and Butler converted a free and a 65.
After Lyons equalised, Valleys went for goal and John McCarthy made a stretched save. The resulting 65 was converted by Butler and that gave them a one-point lead.
It was a different game, with the side from Innishannon suddenly seeing a lot more of the ball and Ballymartle were struggling to create from open play.
McCarthy did put over his 10th free of the game during this period, and it meant very little as Valley continued to add to their tally, despite the strong winds in Carrigaline.
C Butler 0-10 (0-7 f, 0-3 65), C Lyons 0-6, A Kenneally, J Walsh 0-2 each, K Canty C Kilduff 0-1 each.
D McCarthy 0-12 (0-11 f), L O’Callaghan 0-3, C Cummins, D Desmond, R Deasy, S O’Mahony (f) 0-1 each.
J Lynch; J O’Driscoll, C Desmond, T O’Brien; E Delaney D Murphy, W Hurley; C Kilduff, E Guinane; C Butler, J Walsh, S O’Leary; K Canty, M Savic, C Lyons.
A Kenneally for Savic (42) J Kenneally for O’Leary (51), D O’Shea for Guinane (54).
J McCarthy; C Coleman, TJ Murphy, E O’Leary; L Corry, J Dwyer, S Corry; R Deasy, S Dorney; S Cummins, D McCarthy, B Corry; D Desmond, R Cahalane, L O’Callaghan.
N Crowley for Corry (44), P Geary for Cahalane (54), S O’Mahony for Deasy (56).
Brian Coniry (Crosshaven)
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