PIHC: Eoin Carey hits late goal as Kilworth bounce back to defeat Dungourney
Kilworth's Luke Carey with Dylan Healy, Dungourney, during the PIHC game on Sunday. Picture: Noel Sweeney
Trailing 1-10 to 1-7 at half-time, Kilworth staged a comeback at Lisgoold as they got their Co-op Superstores PIHC up and running.
They were boosted by the return of Cork panellist Eoin Carey from injury to rifle a late goal while Dungourney were reduced to 14 early in the second half.
Coupled with Ballinhassig's victory over Ballymartle, the group has been thrown wide open, with all four teams on one win apiece. On the last day, Dungourney are paired with Ballymartle and it's Kilworth-Ballinhassig.
The 2023 runners-up's ethos of not giving up the chase was typified here in outscoring their opponents 1-14 to 0-7 after the interval. Magnificent performances from Noel McNamara, Michael Sheehan and Leo Coffey were crucial.
Dungourney's Jack Leahy played well, the Cork U20 star finishing with a tally of 0-12.
The game swung in the Avondhu side's favour when Dungourney Ryan Denny was sent off on a straight red nine minutes after the interval.
The minute the ball was thrown in this was lively but Kilworth made a very bright start with Noel McNamara splitting the post inside the opening 30 seconds. Dungourney drew level terms courtesy of a Shane Hegarty point before McNamara nudged his side back in front from a free.
Leahy opened his account with a close-in free and it went score-for-score to leave it at 0-5 to 0-4 in favour of Kilworth on 10 minutes.
The first green flag came when Kelvin Cody Byrne was on hand to finish the ball to the back of the net, followed by a flurry of white flags from Leahy (four) and Niall McGrath, to leave it 1-10 to 0-6 coming up to half time.
Kilworth didn't give up the chase as they responded in style with Luke Carey thundering through the Dungourney defence before firing past Paul Flynn. Sheehan fired over another score to leave it 1-10 to 1-7 and finely poised.
The script was turned on its head in the second half as the Avondhu side turned the screw Coffey, McNamara, Jeremy Saich, Sheehan, Nathan Byrne and Eoin Carey all on target for the winners who exploited their numerical advantage.
Cork senior Carey's goal two minutes from time ensured it was his team's day.
N McNamara, M Sheehan 0-6 (0-3 f) each, E Carey 1-1, L Carey 1-0, L Coffey 0-3, J Saich, N Byrne, B Sheehan, L Whelan 0-1 each.
J Leahy 0-12 (0-8 f), K Cody Byrne 1-0, N McGrath 0-2, S Hegarty, R Denny, M Leahy 0-1 each.
P Flynn, S Rohan, M McGrath, D Healy, M Leahy, N Motherway, C O'Doherty, B Forbes, R Denny, J Leahy, S Hegarty, J Ahern, N McGrath, J McCarthy K Cody Byrne.
S Geaney for N Motherway, J Ahern for B Forbes.
K Heggeveit, M Gowen, K Lane, A O'Hara, J Saich, N Byrne, D Twomey, L Whelan, L Coffey, M Sheehan, L Carey, W Condon, N McNamara, C Donnellan, B Sheehan.
E Carey for C Donnellan.
David Daly (Brian Dillons)
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