Conor Lehane and David Cremin razor sharp as Midleton prove too much for Charleville
Midleton's Tommy O'Connell breaks from Charleville's Darren Casey during the Co-Op Superstores Cork Premier SHC at Mourneabbey. Picture; Eddie O'Hare
Midleton put on a strong showing in Mourneabbey to defeat Charleville by 10 points on Saturday evening, putting them in a strong position to make the knockouts of the Premier Senior HC.
The Magpies were very impressive throughout, finding scores from all areas of the pitch with Conor Lehane leading the line as they brought an abundance of sharpness and energy to their game.
On his return from London, Sean O’Meara filled in perfectly for Sean O’Leary Hayes – marking Darragh Fitzgibbon well and keeping the Cork star to just one point from play.
Along with O’Meara, debutant Cathal Gunning impressed as did Tommy O’Connell, whose sweeping kept Charleville quiet throughout.
With the North Cork outfit struggling against the wind and trailing by seven after 25 minutes, they needed to find a way out of the rut and Tim Hawe looked to do just that. Andrew Cagney lined up a shot that was brilliantly saved by Cork’s Brion Saunderson, but Hawe reached the follow up and pulled on it across goal, 0-13 to 1-6.
Within 25 seconds Midleton had it chalked off, with Saunderson drilling another long range puckout that found Paul Connaughton, and he finished from close range.
Charleville finished the half well with three scores shared between Conor Buckley, Jack Doyle and Fitzgibbon, but an excellent point from Lehane ensured Midleton held a six-point lead, 1-15 to 1-9.
Midleton maintained their first half energy on the restart and if anyone was going to turn things in favour of Charleville it would have been Fitzgibbon, but the Cork senior hit two wides – and Midleton sandwiched it with two good efforts from Dave Cremin and Cormac Beausang, 1-19 to 1-11 after 40 minutes.
Charleville continued to pick up scores, but the 2021 champions responded well, and they killed the game in the 52nd minute, with Alex Quirke cleverly setting up Lehane for a tidy finish to make it 2-22 to 1-14.
The Magpies continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over, finishing with a total of 12 different scorers, though a late consolation goal from Hawe gave the Charleville corner forward his brace, but they remained seven points behind heading into added time.
A quick start from the Magpies put them 0-3 to 0-1 up after four minutes of action, with goalkeeper Brion Saunderson scoring a free and one from a puckout inside the first couple of minutes.
Doyle’s first free got Charleville off the mark, but on his first senior start since 2022, Alex Quirke responded with a fine team move involving Séadnaidh Smyth and Tommy O’Connell.
Midleton continued to move the ball well inside their own half as Luke Dineen set up Conor Lehane for an excellent score, 0-5 to 0-3 after 10.
The Magpies pulled ahead in the next 10 minutes, scoring five without reply including a superb score from Dave Cremin, who was assisted by Lehane but it was Sam Quirke’s outstanding block that forced the turnover.
Oran O’Connell split the posts to end an eight-minute scoreless run for Charleville, but a solo effort from Cork’s O’Connell gave Midleton a seven-point advantage after 25 minutes, and Charleville couldn’t find a way back.
C Lehane 1-8 (0-3 f, 0-1 65), D Cremin 0-5, P Connaughton 1-1, B Saunderson 0-3 (0-2 f), T O’Connell, M Finn, C Beausang 0-2 each, S O’Meara, A Quirke, E Moloney, P White, L O’Farrell 0-1 each.
J Doyle 0-9 (0-8 f), T Hawe 2-3, D Fitzgibbon 0-3 (0-2 f), O O’Connell, A Cagney, C Buckley 0-1 each.
B Saunderson; S Smyth, L Dineen, C Gunning; S O’Meara, T O’Connell, E Moloney; M Finn, S Quirke; R O’Regan, A Quirke, C Lehane (Cpt); P Connaughton, C Beausang, D Cremin.
L O’Farrell for Connaughton (47), P White for A Quirke (53).
C Collins; D Butler, J Buckley (Cpt), F Cagney; A Dennehy, D O’Flynn, R Carroll; O O’Connell, D Fitzgibbon; J Doyle, G Kelleher, D Casey; A Cagney, C Buckley, T Hawe.
D Forde for Kelleher (35), DJ Collins for Buckley (44).
Wayne King (Banteer)
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