Sam Ring inspires Carrigtwohill to Premier 1 U15 hurling championship glory
Carrigtwohill players celebrate after defeating Glen Rovers in the Rebel Óg premier 1 under 15 HC final at the Mardyke. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
CARRIGTWOHILL have been crowned Rebel Óg U15 Premier 1 hurling champions following a stylish victory over Glen Rovers in the final at a damp Mardyke on Monday night.
Carrigtwohill were full value for the win led on by the outstanding forward Sam Ring who finished up with an amazing 2-12. A superb performance. The winners had many top class performers all over the pitch including Ben Fitzgerald, Cillian Rooney and Tom Walsh.
There was a poignant moment before any ball was pucked when an impeccable minute’s silence was observed in memory of 14-year-old Jack O’Sullivan who died in a tragic swimming accident in Cork Harbour last Thursday. O’Sullivan was a key player in both codes for the St Finbarr’s U14 team.
This was a slow burner with both teams working each other out in the early stages. The first score arrived after four minutes through a Ring free for Carrigtwohill and two minutes later the same player converted another placed ball. The East-Cork side pushed three points clear when Cathal Seymour bisected the posts from a very difficult angle, 0-3 to 0-0 after nine minutes. Carrigtwohill did have a chance of a goal after ten minutes, Ring was quickest to react to the breaking ball but the lively forward could only find the side netting.
The Glen had the lion’s share of the possession but notched up four wides in the first quarter. The Blackpool side got their first score after 16 minutes through a Kyle Cronin point which was followed by a Gavin O’Callaghan white flag as the Glen brought it down to a point. But, the Imokilly side were in control as they put together five unanswered points, Ring with four, three frees, and a Morgan Foley effort, 0-8 to 0-2 after 23 minutes.
A crucial score came a minute later, Ring billowing the back of the net, an unstoppable shot. The sides traded points before Ring converted a free on the stroke of half-time, 1-10 to 0-3 at the break.
On the resumption, it was that man Ring who converted another free. It was stop start in the early stages of the second-half but the winners remained in control. The Glen’s hopes of staging a comeback were dealt a severe blow when key player Michael Tadhg Brosnan received a second-yellow card after 39 minutes.
The sides traded points before Craig Turnbull split the posts for the beaten team, 1-12 to 0-5 with 15 minutes remaining. The teams once again swapped white flags before the Imokilly side rattled off two points through player of the match Ring, one coming from a free. The game was most certainly put to bed six minutes from the end, Ring finishing with aplomb from close-range, 2-15 to 0-6.
Foley pointed for Carrigtwohill before O’Callaghan converted two frees for the city team. In fairness, the Glen never gave up and scored 1-1 in injury-time, O’Callaghan with the scores, but they were merely consolation scores.
Once referee Niall Fahy blew for full-time, there was unbridled joy from the Carrigtwohill camp while the Glen Rovers players sank to their knees.
Scorers for Carrigtwohill: S Ring 2-12 (0-10 f), M Foley 0-2, C Seymour, T Walsh 0-1 each.
Glen Rovers: G O’Callaghan 1-6 (0-5 f), E McGuckin, K Cronin, C Turnbull 0-1 each.
CARRIGTWOHILL: A Lee; B Fitzgerald, C Cashell, R Thornhill; J Flanagan, C Rooney, K Kidney; J Cullimore (j-c), C Seymour (j-c); J O’Connor, T Walsh, R O’Keeffe; M Foley, S Ring, D Horgan.
Subs: J O’Sullivan for R Thornhill, S Power for C Rooney, S O’Donovan for D Horgan (all 56), A McCarthy for M Foley (58), P Warren Perry for S Ring (62).
GLEN ROVERS: S Gale; S Daly, R O’Callaghan, C Burke; R Buckley, M Tadhg Brosnan, C Cunningham; E McGuckin (c), K Cronin; J O’Mahony, J Brosnan, C O’Brien; A Mannix, G O’Callaghan, C Turnbull.
Subs: M Forde for A Mannix (h-t), K Foley for C O’Brien (36, inj), L Woods for C Cunningham (39).
Referee: Niall Fahy (Brian Dillon’s).
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