Jack Leahy stars as Dungourney claim East Cork U21 B HC title with late win over St Catherine's
Dungourney team with the trophy after their Mulcahy Steel East Cork U21 HC win over St Catherine's.
WITH seven minutes to go and Dungourney down by two on Friday night, St Catherine’s were in pole position add an U21 title to their Munster success earlier this month.
However, Jack Leahy had other ideas in Glenville for their East Cork U21 B Hurling Championship final.
The Cork U20 star landed a game changing score in the 54th minute that reduced the gap to the minimum, putting the bulk of the pressure on a Catherine’s side who struggled to make their mark.
Five minutes later, Leahy found the leveller with a sublime score. Game on.
The Saints forged a chance to retake the lead, but midfielder Gearoid O’Brien dropped it short, and Dungourney goalkeeper Paul Flynn dealt with it just before added time.
The team in green and gold capitalised on the mistake, with substitute Colin Murphy putting them ahead for the first time since the fourth minute.
As Catherine’s scrambled for an equaliser, Sean O’Donoghue was dismissed in additional time, after seeing a second yellow card. It played straight into Dungourney’s hands, and another excellent point from Leahy sealed the win.
It was a just reward for a team who have worked so hard all season, and were unfortunate not to make it out of their group in the PIHC after winning two of the three games.
They certainly didn’t make it easy, and allowed Catherine’s too many chances early on – notably when their goalkeeper Paul Flynn was forced into an immense double save in the third minute.
Dungourney did show moments of quality when their opponents didn’t, with Sean Geaney scoring an excellent point from midfield, before James Ahern made an outstanding run and struck one sweetly between the posts.
Kyle Wallace put Catherine’s 0-4 to 0-3 ahead in the 19th minute with their first score from play, and two impressive frees from Sean O’Donoghue extended their lead to three.
Dungourney created one excellent goalscoring opportunity as Cillian O’Callaghan played it off to Richie Harney, who picked out James Ahern with a lobbed pass. The full-forward gave it to Ciarán Flynn, but he failed to convert one-on-one with Jake Bryan.
A couple of Jack Leahy frees and an exquisite effort from an acute angle levelled it for the fourth time on the eve of the half, leaving the sides with six points each at the break.
Dungourney certainly could have been ahead at the break, after hitting seven wides to Catherine’s two in the first half.
On the restart, a point from William Leamy preceded a superb solo effort from Wallace, and the Saints were back to a two-point advantage, 0-8 to 0-6.
Dungourney’s first point of the half arrived in the 46th minute, as Leahy raised two white flags to tie it at 0-8 each.
The Saints, with six players who featured in their All-Ireland semi-final win over Easkey, remained composed and went in front once again – thanks to a classy score from Wallace.
Another neat strike – this one from James Hayes made it 0-10 to 0-8 to give Catherine’s a buffer, but for the sixth and final time, Leahy restored parity, and Dungourney pushed on to take the title.
J Leahy 0-9 (0-3f), James Ahern, S Geaney, C Murphy 0-1 each.
S O’Donoghue 0-5 f, K Wallace 0-3, W Leamy, K Barry 0-1 each.
P Flynn; C Ryan, C Padden, S Rohan; R Harney, C O’Doherty, C Murphy; C O’Callaghan, S Geaney; C Flynn, John Ahern, K Cody Byrne; N McGrath, James Ahern, J Leahy.
C Murphy for C Flynn (37), B Flynn for Cody Byrne (60+2).
J Bryan; F O’Connell, E O’Riordan, D Galvin; K O’Donoghue, E O’Driscoll, C McAuliffe; G O’Brien, J Hayes; N Sheehan, K Wallace, S O’Donoghue; C Leamy, K Barry, W Leamy.
C Pietropaulo for W Leamy (44).
Chris Scanlon (Russell Rovers)
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