PIHC: Éire Óg hurlers rally to reel in Carrigaline
Éire Óg's Oisin O'Shea wins the sliotar from Carrigaline's Kevin Kavanagh during the Co-Op Superstores Cork PIHC at Brinny. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
ÉIRE Óg had to produce an exhilarating second-half performance before overcoming Carrigaline in a pulsating Co-Op Superstores Premier Intermediate Hurling Championship at Brinny on Sunday.
This game had everything and let's spare a thought for the Carrigaline half-forward Brian Kelleher who amassed 3-8 of his side's tally only to end up on the losing side.
The opening exchanges were competitive with both sides playing free-flowing hurling as Eoin O’Shea and Kevin Hallissey points edging the Ovens side into a two-point lead in the third minute.
The response from Carrigaline was positive and Brian Kelleher gave Éire Óg an early warning with a brace of points.
The game was finally poised when Joe Cooper struck over a monstrous point in the 12th minute that increased their lead to four points.
Amazingly in an eight-minute period, it was the Brian Kelleher show as he single handily tore Éire Óg’s defence to shreds.
The first goal game courtesy of a puck out that went over the heads of the Éire Óg defence with Kelleher pouncing with a classy goal.
Seven minutes later a pinpoint assist from Kevin O’Reilly was pulled on by Kelleher as his shot billowed the back of the net with precision.
Just when the Éire Óg players were trying to get to grips with the Carraigaline onslaught the same players combined as Kelleher completed his hat trick with a sublime strike.
Luckily Éire Óg did find a route past the stringent Carrigaline defence in the 29th minute when Cork football star Colm O’’Callaghan drilled a low shot to the corner of the net. Trailing 3-8 to 1-9 at the break they needed a good start to the half and they got it courtesy of consecutive points from Jack Sheehan and David Kirwan.
The game was finely poised up to the 47th minute when Joe Cooper got behind the static Carrigaline backs to blast an unstoppable shot to the corner of the net that edged the Ovens side into a two-point lead.
A wonderful Dan Greene point brought the teams on parity with 10 minutes remaining but it was Éire Óg who finished stronger.
When Carrigaline look back on this game they will rue giving away soft frees coming down the stretch.
By virtue of this defeat, Carrigaline are close to exiting the championship, unless they win in round three and Éire Óg do as well, leaving three teams on a win apiece, whereby scoring difference would come into play.
Éire Óg are close to securing passage to the knockout stages but could still be squeezed out on scoring difference if they lose to Ballymartle next month and Valley Rovers beat Carrigaline.
E O’Shea 0-9 (0-8 f), J Cooper 1-4, C O’Callaghan 1-2, K Hallissey 0-2, J Sheehan, D Kirwan 0-1 each.
B Kelleher 3-8 (0-4 f), D Greene 0-2, E Desmond 0-2, D Drake, F O’Connell 0-1 each.
D Desmond; D Dineen, J Kelleher, M Brady; J Mullins, C McGoldrick, J Kelleher; D McCarthy, K Hallissey; C Callaghan, J Cooper, J Sheehan; D Kirwan, O O’Shea, E O’Shea.
B Hurley for J Kelleher (38), D Casey for D Kirwan (53).
R Foster; N Coleman, S Williamson, K Kavanagh; R O’Shea, R McCarthy, N O’Keeffe; R Kelleher, J McCarthy; Kevin Kavanagh, D Drake, B Kelleher; D Greene, K O’Reilly, E Desmond.
F O’Connell for N O’Keeffe (46), D King for R Kelleher (46).
Patrick O’Mahony (Kilbrittain).
App?
