Richard O'Sullivan and Ed Kenneally fire Newcestown to big SAHC win over Ballyhea
Newcestown's Richard O'Sullivan wins the ball in the air from Ballyhea's Adam Barrett during the Co-Op Superstores SAHC tie at Mourneabbey. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
NEWCESTOWN made it two Co-Op Superstores Cork SAHC wins from two with this facile victory over Ballyhea in Mourneabbey on Saturday.
Their final group game is against eliminated Courcey Rovers and after beating Blarney in their opener, they've secured their berth in the knockout stages.
This was an excellent display by a super-fit Newcestown, who, with the aid of the strong wind in the opening half, outran and outplayed Ballyhea all over the park. They also had far more firing power than Ballyhea with Richard O’Sullivan firing in 1-4 and Edmund Kenneally 0-6.
From the time the excellent O’Sullivan fired over two points in the opening minute of the contest, Ballyhea were struggling and despite a fine display by center back Tom Hanley they never had the ammunition to trouble a teak-tough Newcestown defence with Gearòid O’Donovan and Luke Meade imperious.
John Morrissey did reply quickly to O’Sullivan’s opening points for Newcestown but the winners, spreading the ball over the park, were in no mood for complacency. Jack Meade, Colm Dineen, Ed Kenneally and Sean O’Donovan piled on the scores and the winners led 0-6 to 0-1 after the opening quarter.
With Pa O’Callaghan off-radar with a few frees, albeit into a difficult wind, Ballyhea were struggling as Kenneally stretched Newcestown’s lead even further with some nice points.
The excellent Tom Hanley get a beauty in reply for the losers but they were jolted again in the 24th minute when O’Sullivan got on the end of a breaking ball from a Cathal Wilson puck-out to fire home Newcestown’s opening goal to lead 1-13 to 0-5 at the break and in full control.
Ballyhea did up the ante in the second half, Pa O’Callaghan firing over a few frees but Newcestown were well up to the challenge as points from Ed Kenneally and Colm Dinneen stretched their lead further. And it was all over for Ballyhea in the 38th minute when Kenneally put Sean O’Donovan clear and he easily beat goalkeeper Mikey Browne as Newcestown led 2-16 to 0-9 entering the final quarter.
In fairness, Ballyhea battled hard but could make no impression on a teak-tough Newcestown rearguard as the yellow cards began to grow in those final minutes of Ballyhea pressure. No surprise it was the excellent Hanley who got Ballyhea’s only goal late on but they were too reliant on O'Callaghan frees with Newcestown the masters all over the park.
Ballyhea play Blarney next in their final group game after the break and with both sides on one victory each it's winner-take-all to decide runners-up spot
R O'Sullivan 1-4, E Kenneally 0-6 (0-3 f), S O’Donovan 1-1, N Kelly, C Dineen 0-2 each, P Collins, J Meade, D Buckley 0-1 each.
P O’Callaghan 0-8 (0-7 f, 0-1 65), T Hanley 1-1, M O'Sullivan 0-2 (0-1 f), J Morrissey, L Crowley 0-1 each.
C Wilson; M McSweeney, C O’Donovan, J Kelleher; G O’Donovan, L Meade, E Collins; T Twomey, N Kelly; S O’Donovan, E Kenneally, P Collins; C Dineen, R O’Sullivan, J Meade.
D Buckley for P Collins (45), C O'Donovan for J Meade (50), M Courtney for S O’Donovan (57).
M Browne; A Barrett, J Hennessy, L Hanley; Tiernan Hanley, Tom Hanley, J Copps; C Cox, M O'Sullivan; D Curtain, P O’Callaghan, G Morrissey; D Copps, J Morrissey, E O’Leary.
J Hickey for Curtin (30), L Crowley for Copps (h-t), M Mortell for Morrissey (54).
D Daly (Brian Dillons).
App?
