IAHC roundup: Erin's Own respond well to see off Mayfield

The dream of a third straight county title remains alive for Erin’s Own after they booked their place in the semi-finals of the Co-op SuperStores Cork IAHC with victory over Mayfield at Ballymaw on Saturday.

Winners of the county JAHC in 2022, the Caherlag club’s second team followed that with the Premier JHC title last year and they were the first team in the IAHC to secure a knockout spot, doing so with a game to spare.

While they did lose their last group game to the already eliminated Bandon a fortnight ago, Erin’s Own bounced back well in their quarter-final tie against Mayfield running out winners on a scoreline of 2-24 to 1-14.

Erin’s Own had moved into an early lead before Daniel O’Gorman’s goal helped Mayfield to force parity. However, by half-time Erin’s Own were 1-10 to 1-6 in front, as points from the impressive Cathal Lenihan were allied to a goal from Tiernan O’Connell.

Though points from Mayfield’s Nicky Kelly and David O’Neill threatened to reduce the deficit in the third quarter, Alan Bowen was on hand to ensure that Erin’s Own kept their noses in front.

Lenihan’s had a definitive quality to it and it was part of an unanswered surge of 1-7 from the winners in the closing stages, Bowen finishing with 12 points to his name.

An East Cork derby against Midleton awaits Erin’s Own in the semi-finals, that game fixed for Cobh on Saturday, October 5. The other last-four clash is on then same day, with Erin’s Own’s predecessors as Premier JHC champions, Ballygiblin – winners against Blackrock on Sunday – doing battle with Lisgoold in Fermoy.

Having concluded their Premier IFC campaign with a victory against Ilen Rovers the previous week – a result that removed any relegation fears – Aghada carried that momentum into their clash with Cloughduv, the game to determine who would drop down to the Premier JHC grade.

The game in Shanbally on Saturday was a high-scoring one, with the East Cork side ultimately coming out on the right side of a 2-26 to 2-20 scoreline.

Pearse O’Neill scored a goal to put Aghada 1-8 to 0-8 in front after 20 minutes – the former Cork footballer finished with 1-4 – and by half-time they were 1-11 to 0-12 in front.

Cloughduv, for whom Mark Verling was in good scoring form, finishing with 12 points, did stay with their opponents for much of the second half but the second Aghada goal, scored by Charlie Terry in the closing stages, made it 2-23 to 1-19 and they were not going to be denied from there.

William Leahy scored five points for Aghada with Rory O’Connell getting three. As well as Verling, Cloughduv had points from Eoghan Clifford and Brian McNabola while their goals were scored by Donal Cronin and Kevin Walsh.