RedFM Hurling League: Brian Kelleher in superb form as Carrigaline take Division 2 title

Carrigaline 2-20 

St Finbarr’s 1-16 

A good week got even better for Carrigaline as 15 points from Brian Kelleher, six from play, inspired them to victory in the RedFM Hurling League Division 2 final at Páirc Uí Rinn on Thursday night.

Having beaten Nemo Rangers to claim the McCarthy Insurance Group Football League Division 1 title on Saturday night, they made it a double with another premier senior scalp, this time St Finbarr’s.

Despite the shortage of bodies for the city side, premier intermediate Carrigaline deserve full credit for finishing top of a section featuring clubs one and two grades above them and then, having secured promotion, going all the way to take the silverware.

Kelleher’s dead-ball accuracy was a huge asset for Eddie Murphy’s team – he had nine of their 11 first-half points – and, when the Barrs might have forged a way back into the game in the second half, a pair of Kevin O’Reilly goals tightened the winners’ grip.

While the south-east side enjoyed the better of the first half, they retired with a half-time lead of just two points, 0-11 to 0-9, after the Barrs made a surge before the break.

However, two Coakley frees sandwiched an O’Reilly point as Carrig reasserted their dominance. While Jack Cahalane’s fifth point opened the Barrs’ second-half account on 36 minutes, it was just a brief respite as Kelleher added two more points from placed balls – and each was followed by a goal chance.

First, on 39, Kelleher shot wide after a good move instigated by Éanna Desmond; then, on 42, Desmond was again the provider, this time for Kevin Kavanagh, who carried the ball powerfully but could only shot at Shane Hurley.

While the Barrs replied with points from Jack O’Kelly and William Buckley to come back to within four, 0-16 to 0-12, coming up to the three-quarter mark, the goals were about to come for Carrigaline.

From the long puckout following Buckley’s point, O’Reilly claimed possession and, though he was forced to his knees under pressure, he held possession and crashed a shot to the net.

Moments later, he raised a green flag in a more conventional fashion and a point from sub Finn O’Connell had them in a lead of 2-17 to 0-12 with 12 minutes of normal time left.

Points from Eoghan Finn, William Buckley and O’Kelly had them back within eight before Cahalane’s goal gave them a glimmer of hope. He went close to another, firing into the side-netting, while O’Kelly had a shot saved by Robert Foster before O’Connell and, fittingly, Kelleher made sure of the win for Carrigaline.

In the first half, a four-point surge – three from Kelleher and one by David Griffin – had them 0-8 to 0-3 in front and it was 0-10 to 0-3 in the 28th minute before the Barrs finished the half well. It was to be Carrigaline’s night, though.

Scorers for Carrigaline: B Kelleher 0-15 (0-9f), K O’Reilly 2-1, F O’Connell 0-2, D Griffin, É Desmond 0-1 each.

St Finbarr’s: J Cahalane 1-5 (0-4f), W Buckley 0-4, J O’Kelly, S Cunningham, E Finn (0-1f) 0-2, J Wigginton Barrett 0-1.

CARRIGALINE: R Foster; D Stack, C Vaughan, D King; K Kavanagh, D Griffin, R McCarthy; C Barry, R Kelleher; R O’Shea, E Desmond, D Greene; B Kelleher, K O’Reilly, H Andrews.

Subs: Kieran Kavanagh for King, N O’Keeffe for Barry, F O’Connell for Andrews (all half-time), K Dwane for Greene (53), Barry for Desmond (59).

ST FINBARR’S: S Hurley; A Barry, J Burns, E Keane; C Crowley, E Finn, C Doolan; S Cunningham, J Wigginton-Barrett; A Buckley, W Buckley, A Casey; J Cahalane, J O’Kelly, K O’Flynn.

Subs: D Murray for J Cahalane (17-20, temporary), Murray for Casey (half-time), M Nason for O’Flynn (53), R O’Sullivan for Finn (60).

Referee: A Hyland (Kilworth).