PIHC: Castlemartyr back on track following victory over Kilworth

Castlemartyr 3-16 Kilworth 1-15 

CASTLEMARTYR are back in the hunt in the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC following a seven-point victory over Kilworth at Lisgoold on Sunday evening.

Defeat to Ballinhassig in the opening match put last year’s beaten finalists on the back foot but they have bounced back positively and are in with a real chance of qualifying for the knockout stages heading into the last round of group games.

Kilworth played their part in this tough Group C encounter, but the North Cork outfit, who drew with Watergrasshill first day out, will have to win in the last game to have any chance of making it beyond the group-stage.

Cork hurler Ciarán Joyce was unavailable for Castlemartyr having picked up a hamstring injury in the defeat to Ballinhassig last week.

Castlemartyr made a dream start in this one, hitting 2-3 without reply inside the first ten minutes. Conor Whyte and Joe Stack with the green flags as the Imokilly side settled into their stride. After a period of wayward shooting, Kilworth landed two consecutive points through a Noel McNamara free and a Will Condon effort, 2-3 to 0-2 after the first quarter.

Castlemartyr hit three of the next four points. Ciarán Sice, Mike Kelly and Stack the scorers for Seamus Lawton’s team. Kilworth needed a spark and they got a lifeline after 25 minutes when Condon billowed the back of the net followed by a pair of frees from sub Michael Sheehan, 2-6 to 1-5. The East Cork side raised two white flags during ten minutes of injury time as they led 2-8 to 1-5 at the interval.

On the resumption, Jack McGann raised a green flag 57 seconds into the new half to give Castlemartyr a healthy advantage, 3-8 to 1-5. In a tit for tat third-quarter, the Imokilly team led 3-11 to 1-9 with 15 minutes remaining.

Kilworth were battling hard though and led on by Eoin Carey, the Avondhu men rattled off three unanswered points. A Barry Lawton point put six between the sides but another three white flags without reply from Kilworth left just a goal in it, 3-12 to 1-15 after 57 minutes.

The winners finished well, slotting over the last four points as they pick up two precious points.

Scorers for Castlemartyr: J Stack 1-4, M Kelly 0-6 (0-1 f), J McGann, C Whyte 1-1 each, C Slice 0-2, Barry Lawton, A Kelly 0-1 each.

Kilworth: M Sheehan 0-7 (0-6 f), E Carey 0-4, W Condon 1-1, N McNamara 0-2 (0-1 f), J Sheehan 0-1.

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

Subs: E Ronayne B O’ Tuama (37, inj), A Kelly for E Martin (42), B McGann for C Sice (51), D Leahy for J McGann (57).

KILWORTH: K Heggevit; S Óg Kenneally, A O’Hara, D Twomey; K Lane, L Carey, M O’Callaghan; E Carey, B Sheehan; J Sheehan, N McNamara, L Whelan; P Riordan, W Condon, L Coffey.

Subs: R Jordan for M O’Callaghan (17), M Sheehan for P Riordan (26), J Saich for L Coffey (h-t), C Donnellan for S Óg Kenneally (51), M Gowen for A O’Hara (55, inj).

Referee: Canice Walsh (Nemo Rangers).