Aghabullogue hold on against Mallow in five-goal PIHC thriller
Aghabullogue's Paul Ring is tackled by Mallow's Bill Kingston during the Co-Op Superstores Premier IHC at Grenagh. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Aghabullogue have their first win since coming up to the McCarthy Insurance PIHC but they had to work hard for it in Grenagh on Saturday night.
After leading by nine points, 2-10 to 0-7 at the break, the odds favoured the men in green and white. However, with 10 to go the gap was down to the minimum and the 2023 Intermediate A champions looked in real trouble.
Led in the scoring stakes by full-forward Mathew Bradley (0-9), James Lane’s 2-1 and James Foley’s 1-2, Aghabullogue were well worth the spoils but after a dogged response from Mallow, their second loss on the bounce was harsh to say the least.
The introduction of Denis Hayes at the interval for Mallow turned this game on its head as the tall, hugely talented, veteran hurler bagged two goals and linked decisively for a host of Mallow’s other second-half strikes.
Mark Tobin’s 0-8 (five from placed balls) was also significant as was the scoring contribution of Dan Sheehan and the quality defending of captain Ronan Sheehan.
Aghabullogue were first on the board with a free from Bradley but a brace from Tobin and a response from Bradley had things tight early on. The first point from play followed soon after, Mallow’s Dan Sheehan hitting the target to level the contest for the third time, and still just 10 minutes on the clock.
Three frees on the bounce opened up the first multi-score lead, Bradley again on the mark for all, Mallow beginning to struggle in front of the posts, three of their opening half tally of eight wides registered Two goals in just over a minute from Lane and Foley were hammer blows for the Avondhu side, Mallow in real danger of taking a serious beating on the night.
Credit to the men in red, they dominated more than three-quarters of the second half however the poor first-half showing and 17 wides on the night meant that the hill back was just too steep,
Mallow now face Éire Óg and another relegation dogfight awaits if that game goes the Ovens side’s way. Aghabullogue take on unbeaten Ballincollig.
M Bradley 0-9 (0-6 f, 0-2 65), J Lane 2-1, J Foley 1-2, C Gillespie, P Ring, J Corkery 0-1 each.
M Tobin 0-8 (0-5 f), D Hayes 2-0; D Sheehan 0-4; P Lyons, G Lenihan, S Leneghan, K Sheehan 0-1 each.
F Foley; T Long, C Timmons, M Dennehy; D Thompson, O O’Sullivan, C Gillespie; S Furey, P Ring; J Buckley, J Foley, S Tarrant; J Corkery, M Bradley, J Lane.
TJ Buckley for J Buckley (45), L Casey for M Bradley and B Casey for D Thompson (both 53), B Dineen for J Corkery (57).
P Buckley; S Copps, Daniel Sheehan, R Sheehan; B Murphy, B Kingston, P Healy; P Lyons, M Tobin; G Lenihan; F O’Neill, Dan Sheehan; M Kelleher, S Leneghan, L Malone.
D Hayes for F O’Neill (h-t), K Sheehan for Daniel Sheehan (41), S O’Callaghan for L Malone (53), L Malone for B Murphy (inj, 62).
A Murphy (Killeagh).
App?
