Conor Lehane masterclass fires Midleton into quarter-final with win over Erin's Own

Midleton 0-23 Erin’s Own 1-17 

Fourteen points, five from play – not a single wide.

Conor Lehane put on a show in Páirc Uí Rinn against Erin’s Own, and provided the perfect response for Midleton when they needed it on Sunday in the Premier Senior Hurling Championship.

His outstanding performance and the team’s win means they’ll face Newtownshandrum in the quarter-final, while Erin’s Own, who put up a huge fight, are out of the competition.

In the 37th minute, with the Magpies ahead as they had been since the sixth minute, Conor Lenihan caught the sliotar from a free and while his shot was blocked, Maurice O’Carroll emerged to smash the ball into the back of the net, 0-15 to 1-11.

Mikey Finn answered for Midleton but Erin’s Own kept the pressure up – as Lenihan and O’Carroll levelled it, before Peter O’Shea put the Caherlag side in front after 41 minutes.

Lehane drew parity from a free before Cormac McDonnell was denied a second Erin’s Own goal when Brion Saunderson made a superb stretching save.

A free from Robbie O’Flynn edged Erin’s Own in front once again, 1-15 to 0-17, but Midleton and Lehane kept their cool.

He hit five of the game’s next seven scores – putting Midleton four points ahead as added time commenced.

O’Carroll – who had been excellent off the bench added one more to cut the gap down to three, but Midleton weren’t going to be beaten.

Despite hitting 16 wides in total – four times as many as their opponents, Midleton did enough to win, and led for 24 of the 30 first half minutes.

Lehane, O’Flynn, Lehane.

That order of scoring perfectly sums up the first half, with the two Cork seniors leading the line for their respective teams, though Midleton had the edge.

It was O’Flynn who hit the first score of the game as he dispossessed Paul Haughney and sent it between the posts.

Two half chances at goal for Midleton were shut down by the Caherlag side – though the second saw Alex Quirke brought down for a free that Lehane converted, 0-1 apiece.

Mikey Finn and Luke O’Farrell hit the target to give Midleton a two-point lead after 10 minutes, but it could have been more – with Midleton hitting six wides, to their opponents' none.

The scoring continued but the two point difference remained after 15 minutes – 0-7 to 0-5 in favour of Midleton.

Midleton hit three in a row from play with Lehane twice on target and O’Farrell showing his quality – as he leapt high to catch a ball in from Eoin Moloney, before striking it over the shoulder.

Erin’s Own weren’t allowing their opponents to pull away and in the final 10 minutes of the half outscored Midleton 0-4 to 0-3, leaving it 0-13 to 0-9 with last year’s beaten finalists in front at the break.

With Cian O’Connor impressive at the back for Erin’s Own and O’Carroll delivering from the bench – their opponents were also helped by the substitutes, particularly Sam Quirke – who put in a big shift in midfield on his return to action.

Scorers for Midleton: C Lehane 0-14 (0-8 f, 0-1 65), M Finn, L O’Farrell 0-3 each, C Beausang, P White, A Quirke, 0-1 each.

Erin’s Own: R O’Flynn 0-9 (0-5 f), M O’Carroll 1-2, C Lenihan, P O’Shea 0-2 each, B Óg Murphy, J O’Carroll 0-1 each.

MIDLETON: B Saunderson; S Smyth, L Dineen, C Smyth; S O’Meara, T O’Connell, E Moloney; M Finn, P Haughney; R O’Regan, A Quirke, C Lehane (c); C Beausang, P White, L O’Farrrell.

Subs: D Cremin for O’Regan, S Quirke for Haughney (both 39), P Connaughton for Beasaung (42).

ERIN’S OWN: S Bowen; C Dunphy, S Broderick, C O’Connor; J Sheehan, C Dooley, B Óg Murphy; P O’Shea, C McDonnell; M O’Riordan, T Foley, J O’Carroll; C Lenihan, S Irwin, R O’Flynn.

Subs: M O’Carroll for O’Riordan (HT), C O’Callaghan for Irwin (51), R O’Regan for Sheehan (53), E Murphy for J O’Carroll (56).

Referee:

Simon Stokes (Tullylease).